Apgar Lookout
Story & Photos by Jan Krause
| It's a half-day hike to Apgar Lookout. On a clear day the trip will provide outstanding views for a moderate outlay of energy. To find the trailhead, take the turnoff for the Glacier Institute, just north of the West Glacier Entrance Station, go left at the horse corral on the unmaintained gravel road, over the Quarter Circle Bridge, and follow the rocky, potholed road for approximately one mile. At the first intersection, take the right fork, following the trailhead sign, and continue on the narrower, brushy road about .5 mile to the parking area. It's 3.3 miles to the lookout, according to the "Day Hikes in Lake McDonald Valley" handout from the park (or 2.8 miles according to the 1992 edition of The Trail Guide to Glacier National Park by Erik Molvar). The elevation gain of 1,850 feet according to the park handout (or 1,835 feet according to the trail guide) is not bad compared to the 4,325 ft. climb to the Mt. Brown lookout. The trail starts out following a primitive road through the woods, |
Apgar Fire Lookout in Glacier National Park. |
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with a couple of steep inclines to get your heart pumping. (Watch
out for loose rocks and fallen leaves that can easily cause a twisted
ankle). At about .8 mile, the trail narrows, and the switchbacks ascending
Apgar mountain begin. About two-thirds of the way to the top, I acknowledged
for the first time that I hate switchbacks. Logically, I understand
their benefits--I know they help stop erosion and they make the climb
more gradual, but emotionally, I LOATHE them. Switchbacks make me feel
as if I'm walking forever in one direction. Then I turn the corner and
walk back the SAME WAY. Yes, I'm slightly higher up the hill, |
The view of Lake McDonald, the Garden Wall and the Livingston Range from the top of Apgar Mountain |
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but I've rewalked the exact same route. Most of the
way up Apgar Mountain, the peaks across the valley were hidden by the
trees, so there was no view to pass the time. Instead, we tried to identify
scat on the trail and realized that one pile had recently been dropped
by a bear--whether black or grizzly we, unfortunately, couldn't determine.
(There's an informative new book out on the subject from Falcon Press,
called Scats
and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains, by James C. Halfpenny, Ph.D.
The individual droppings and footprints are described in great detail
through words and drawings, and there's even a ruler on the back cover
so you can accurately measure them.).
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Finally on the the last switchback, the view to our
right opened up and West Glacier and the peaks of the Livingston Range
were revealed. Soon we reached the hitching post for horses and the
pit toilet, and the lookout was straight ahead. We climbed the steps
to the wooden deck encircling the lookout and found the log book to
sign. This one had been in place since September '96, and it was fun
to read the comments from local, out-of-state, and international visitors,
while enjoying our trail lunch complete with steaming cups of tea.
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Views of Hwy. 2, the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and the buildings and golf course at West Glacier. |
For the best views, however, we climbed back down to
a rock outcropping just below the front of the lookout. From there we
looked down on Lake McDonald, the Belton Hills, Mounts Brown and Vaught
and the Garden Wall (all capped with fresh snow), Hwy 2, the Middle
Fork of the Flathead River, and the buildings and golf course in West
Glacier. On this trail, and at this time of year, if you can bear with
the switchbacks, you'll be rewarded with superb views, plenty of space
and solitude at the lookout. What a glorious way to spend a fall afternoon!
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