Glacier County is located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 13,399. The county is located in northwestern Montana between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, known to the Blackfeet as the "Backbone of the World". The county is geographically and culturally diverse and includes the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Glacier National Park, and Lewis and Clark National Forest. The county is bordered by 75 miles of international boundary with two ports of entry open year-round and one seasonal international border crossing into Alberta, Canada.
Glacier National Park is an American national park located in northwestern Montana, on the Canada–United States border, adjacent to the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The park encompasses over 1 million acres (4,000 km2) and includes parts of two mountain ranges, over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles (41,000 km2).
Kluane National Park and Reserve are two protected areas in the southwest corner of the territory of Yukon. The National Park Reserve was set aside in 1972 to become a national park, pending settlement of Native American land claims. It covered an area of 22,013 square kilometres. When agreement was reached with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations over an eastern portion of the Reserve, that part—about 5,900 square kilometres —became a national park in 1993, and is a unit of the national park system administered co-operatively with Parks Canada. The larger western section remains a Reserve, awaiting a final land claim settlement with the Kluane First Nation. The park borders B.C. to the south, while the Reserve borders both B.C. to the south, and the United States (Alaska) to the south and west.
Grinnell Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Named after George Bird Grinnell, the lake has an opaque turquoise appearance from the rock flour (silt) which is transported to the lake from Grinnell Glacier. Grinnell Lake is accessible via the Grinnell Glacier Trail and is 3.2 miles (5.1 km) from the Many Glacier Hotel.
Swiftcurrent Lake is located in the Many Glacier region of Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana. The Many Glacier Hotel, the largest hotel in the park, is along the east shore of the lake. Many hiking trails originate from the area and scenic tour boats provide access to the lake for visitors.
Glacier View Wilderness is a 3,073-acre (1,244 ha) wilderness adjacent to the west side of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state. It was designated as wilderness in 1984. Glacier View Wilderness has views of the glaciated slopes of Mount Rainier which lies to the east. This includes viewing points from Mt. Belijica and Glacier View Point. Glacier View Point is the former site of a fire lookout built in 1934. The wilderness is administered by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest through the Cowlitz Valley Ranger district with headquarters located in Randle, Washington.
Babb is a small unincorporated farming and ranching community in Glacier County, Montana, United States, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The community experiences a large influx of tourists in the summer months as it is the gateway to the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. Babb is a census-designated place (CDP) and had a population of 174 at the 2010 census.
Twin Lakes are located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Fusillade Mountain rises to the south above the lakes. A spur off the Gunsight Pass Trail leads to Florence Falls which are below the Twin Lakes.
Red Eagle Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Red Eagle Mountain rises to the west of the lake and Saint Mary Lake is to the north. Red Eagle Lake is accessible from the Triple Divide Trail and is a 7.6 miles (12.2 km) hike from St. Mary, Montana.
Medicine Owl Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Amphitheater Mountain rises to the southwest and Medicine Owl Peak is immediately west of the lake. Medicine Owl Lake is in the remote backcountry of Glacier National Park and no designated or maintained trails are nearby.
Goat Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Goat Lake is in a cirque below Goat Mountain which looms almost 3,400 feet (1,000 m) above the lake immediately to the northwest. The lake is a 3 miles (4.8 km) hike by trail from the Rising Sun Auto Camp.
Otokomi Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Otokomi Lake is in a cirque north of Goat Mountain. The lake is a 5.2 miles (8.4 km) hike by trail from the Rising Sun Auto Camp.
Cracker Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Located at the head of a canyon, the waters of Cracker Lake are an opaque turquoise from rock flour (silt) originating from Siyeh Glacier. To the south of Cracker Lake lies Mount Siyeh which rises more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the lake. Cracker Peak to the southeast and Allen Mountain to the north are other prominent peaks nearby. Cracker Lake is a 6.1-mile (9.8 km) hike from the Many Glacier Hotel.
Lake Josephine is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Swiftcurrent Lake is immediately to the northeast of Lake Josephine and the two lakes are separated by a short stream. Lake Josephine is accessible via the Grinnell Glacier Trail which follows the west shoreline of the lake for 1 mile (1.6 km).
Upper Grinnell Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Upper Grinnell Lake is a proglacial lake which formed in the 1930s as Grinnell Glacier retreated. The lake is often filled with small icebergs which have been breaking off Grinnell Glacier. Upper Grinnell Lake can be reached by trail and is a 5.5 miles (8.9 km) hike from the Many Glacier Hotel.
Windmaker Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Swiftcurrent Mountain is west and Mount Wilbur is north of the lake. Unnamed creeks and the melt from the North Swiftcurrent Glacier feed the lake. Windmaker Lake can be reached by way of the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail.
Redrock Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Mount Wilbur is west of Redrock Lake. Prior to entering Redrock Lake, Swiftcurrent Creek tumbles over Redrock Falls which can be reached after an easy 1.8 miles (2.9 km) hike by way of the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail.
Ptarmigan Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Ptarmigan Lake is situated below the Ptarmigan Wall. The lake is a 4.3 miles (6.9 km) hike from the Swiftcurrent Auto Camp Historic District by way of the Ptarmigan Trail. After another .9 miles (1.4 km) hike from Ptarmigan Lake, the historic Ptarmigan Tunnel can be seen.
Kootenai Lakes are located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. The Kootenai Lakes are in the Waterton Valley in the north central section of Glacier National Park. It is commonly recognized for its trail, Kootenai Lakes Trail. It is a 5.5 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Babb, Montana that features one of the Kootenai lakes and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and fishing and is best used from April until October.
The Regional designations of Montana vary widely within the U.S state of Montana. The state is a large geographical area that is split by the Continental Divide, resulting in watersheds draining into the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Hudson's Bay. The state is approximately 545 miles (877 km) east to west along the Canada–United States border and 320 miles (510 km) north to south. The fourth largest state in land area, it has been divided up in official and unofficial ways into a variety of regions. Additionally, Montana is part of a number of larger federal government administrative regions.
