Hiking the Iceberg Lake Trail in Glacier National Park: The Complete Guide
Are you looking to tackle the Iceberg Lake trail in Glacier National Park? Well, that’s a great choice, because it’s one of the best hikes in the area! Read this complete guide to learn all about the Iceberg Lake hike, including how to get there, park reservations, what to expect along the trail, and all our best tips for hiking in Glacier National Park!
The Iceberg Lake trail is a popular hike in Glacier National Park, and for good reason. The relative ease of the trail combined with stellar views of the Many Glacier area for practically the entire way make this a perfect day hike in Glacier National Park. Oh yea…and there’s an epic lake at the end, too, complete with floating icebergs and a deep blue color unlike anything we had ever seen.
Convinced yet that you should add the Iceberg Lake hike to your Glacier National Park bucket list? Then you’ve come to the right place!
In this Iceberg Lake hiking guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to hit the trail and visit this stunning lake yourself. So let’s get to it!
In this Iceberg Lake hiking guide:
Where is Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park?
From the Iceberg Lake Trail in Glacier, you’ll get amazing views over the entire Many Glacier area!
The Iceberg Lake trail is located in a part of Glacier National Park called Many Glacier. This area is home to our absolute favorite hikes in Glacier National Park, including the Grinnell Glacier hike and the Cracker Lake hike.
The Many Glacier entrance of Glacier National Park is on the eastern side of the park, off of route 89. It is a completely separate area from the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the most popular route in Glacier.
Instead, the Many Glacier entrance lies just over 8 miles north from the east entrance to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, near the small town of Babb.
But like the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the road into Many Glacier now requires reservations, adding a layer of complication to doing the Iceberg Lake hike. Let’s get into the Many Glacier reservation system and how it works…
Reservations for the Many Glacier area in Glacier National Park
As of 2023, reservations are needed for the Many Glacier area between July 1st and September 10th. This reservation is completely separate from the reservations needed for the other parts of the park (i.e. a reservation for the Going-to-the-Sun road will not get you into Many Glacier). For information on getting reservations for other areas of Glacier National Park, check out our Glacier National Park guide.
Reservations are needed to enter the Many Glacier Valley only between 6 am and 3 pm. You can enter the park without a reservation outside of these hours. For the Iceberg Lake hike, getting there prior to 6 am will allow you to beat the heaviest of crowds on the trail, which is always a plus. Or, if you know you’re a fast hiker, and it’s mid-summer with a lot of daylight, starting the trail after 3 pm (but not too much later) is definitely a possibility. All this to say that if you can’t get a Many Glacier reservation, you can still hike to Iceberg Lake.
How to get a Many Glacier reservation
Reservations are made online in advance at recreation.gov (you can’t make them in person at the park!) and cost $2. A reservation is good for only one day in Many Glacier.
There are two reservation windows that are important to know:
Beginning March 1st at 8 am Mountain Time, blocks of one month reservations are released 120 days in advance. So for example, on March 1st, reservations will open for all July dates. Then on April 1st, reservations will open for all August dates. Finally, on May 1st, reservations open for September dates (1st-10th).
Any remaining reservations are released 24 hours in advance (i.e. for August 1st, reservations are released on July 31st at 8 am MST).
Glacier National Park Pass: Keep in mind that these Many Glacier reservations are needed on top of a Glacier National Park pass. General entry into Glacier costs $35 per car, but is good for 7 days. If you plan on going to more National Parks, we highly recommend getting the Annual National Parks Pass, which gets you into any NPS site for the year for just $80!
Can you hike to Iceberg Lake without a reservation?
Not all hope is lost if you weren’t able to get a reservation. Like we said above, you can still drive into Many Glacier before 6 am or after 3 pm without a reservation to start your Iceberg Lake hike! Also, reservations are only needed between July 1st and September 10th, although hiking to Iceberg Lake outside of this window might be risky due to snow fall conditions.
Also, if you have reservations or services booked inside the Many Glacier area of the park, such as a lodging or camping reservation, or a wilderness permit, then you don’t need to get a separate reservation to enter Many Glacier! You can show proof of your booking at the entrance gate in lieu of a reservation, but it will only be good for the day(s) of the service you have booked. The booking must be for inside the Many Glacier area, not for any other parts of the park (i.e. having a camping reservation on the Going-to-the-Sun Road will not get you into Many Glacier!).
We know that having to get reservations can be a bit complicated, especially when every area of the park requires its own type of reservation, but we really do think everyone benefits from reduced crowding and traffic. Plus, we think the park has done a good job of making reservation times pretty flexible so that it really is still possible to do things like the Iceberg Lake hike if you weren’t able to get a reservation…you just need to be willing to start a bit earlier or later than you might have planned!
Do You Need a Permit for the Iceberg Lake Trail?
There is no specific hiking permit needed for the Iceberg Lake hike, however, as we described above, you’ll need to make a reservation to get into the Many Glacier area of the park, as well as have a valid Glacier National Park pass. But, once you’re in, all day hikes in Many Glacier are permit-free.
How to Get to the Iceberg Lake Trailhead in Glacier National Park
The road into Many Glacier and the Iceberg Lake hike from route 89 is about 12 miles long, but it’s some of the most amazing scenery you’ll have from the car! It starts off as a smooth gravel road, doable in any vehicle. However, when we visited, there was some major road construction going on, which not only made the road a bit rough and slow going, but also caused some delays (for us, up to 40 minutes).
Just before the park entrance, the road became paved and it was smooth sailing from here. As a plus, the views were gorgeous, and got better and better the closer we got.
Once you’ve started driving down the Many Glacier Road, continue until almost the very end. The road ends in a large parking lot for the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Swiftcurrent trailhead, but just before this lot will be a right- hand turn to a small loop road with cottages. At the back side of this loop is the official Iceberg Lake trailhead (this trailhead is also shared with the Ptarmigan Tunnel trail as well).
At the Iceberg Lake trailhead, there is enough space for about 20 cars, so it’s not very big. We recommend getting here fairly early in the morning. We got here at about 6:45 am on a weekday in the peak summer season and the lot was about half full (which honestly surprised us…we were expecting a full lot!).
If you do show up to a full lot, then it should be easy to find a space in the large Swiftcurrent Motor Inn lot and you can walk to the trailhead from there. It adds a tiny bit of extra walking to the overall hike.
The large parking lot at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn- a possible starting point for the Iceberg Lake Trail in Glacier National Park
How Long is the Iceberg Lake Hike in Glacier?
Here are our hiking stats for the Iceberg Lake trail:
Distance (roundtrip): 10.08 miles
Elevation Gain: 1458 feet (this is one way to the lake- there will be a little bit more gain on the way back out, too)
Time: 4-5 hours (with some time spent at the lake)
Elevation Profile:
This Iceberg Lake trail profile is one way from the trailhead to the lake
A satellite view of the Iceberg Lake trail to give you an idea of where the hike goes!
How hard is the Iceberg Lake hike?
Despite the length of the hike being in the double digit arena, the Iceberg Lake trail is actually pretty easy if you’re used to covering that kind of distance.
There’s really only a short steep climb up at the beginning of the trail, and then for the remainder of the hike, it’s a very gradual ascent to Iceberg Lake. In fact, the elevation gain was so gradual that it didn’t even phase us, and every time we looked at our tracking watch, we were surprised at how much we gained over the course of the hike without really realizing it! The ease of this hike certainly is a major contributor to how popular the Iceberg Lake trail is.
Iceberg Lake trail map
A map of the Many Glacier area from the NPS. The Iceberg Lake Trail is highlighted in blue.
This trail map for the Iceberg Lake trail (and the entire Many Glacier area) comes from the National Park Service website. It is meant to be used to give you a general idea of the location and distance of the Iceberg Lake trail. But, before you head out on your hike, we definitely recommend bringing a more in depth topographic map like the National Geographic Glacier National Park map. The Iceberg Lake trail isn’t particularly challenging or hard to follow, but it’s always good practice to carry a map, and it will be especially helpful if you plan on doing other hikes in Glacier!
Best Time to Hike to Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park
The best time to tackle the Iceberg Lake trail is between the end of June and mid-September. During this time, the trails in Glacier are generally clear of snow (although depending on the previous winter, snow can linger on the trails into July!).
There was still some lingering snow on the Iceberg Lake Trail in mid-July!
In general, this is the best time to visit Glacier National Park because all visitor facilities will be open, and the main road through the park – the Going-to-the-Sun Road – is typically only open during this time as well.
Keep in mind that even in the summer, the weather can vary, with chilly nights down to the 40s and 50s. The east side of the park, where Iceberg Lake sits, is generally drier and windier than the west side, so come prepared with layers.
Because of the optimal weather, these peak summer months are also when Glacier National Park is most crowded. This park gets insanely crowded, and the Iceberg Lake trail is not immune to the masses. To avoid crowds, try coming mid week (although this strategy doesn’t seem to provide much better results lately than coming on a weekend!) and get there early. We encountered soooo many people on the way out along the Iceberg Lake trail later in the day, so getting an early start here is key.
Where to Stay Near the Iceberg Lake Trail in Glacier National Park
You’ll have a few options for staying near the Iceberg Lake trail so that you can get an early start.
If you are looking to camp, there is one campsite in the Many Glacier area of the park. These sites can be reserved for May to September up to six months in advance, but lately, these book up as soon as they open on recreation.gov.
If you can’t get one of these coveted sites, there are a few options for camping near Iceberg Lake just outside of the park boundaries. We stayed at both Johnson’s RV park and Chewing Blackbones. Both were simple, standard campsites at pretty reasonable prices. We particularly loved Chewing Blackbones because if you’re lucky, you can snag a tent site right on Lower St. Mary Lake. Surprisingly, this campground wasn’t crowded at all when we were there, so you can hopefully find a last- minute spot there if needed. Plus, you won’t be too far from the Iceberg Lake Trail.
Hanging out at our campsite on Lower St. Mary Lake near Glacier National Park
The Many Glacier area also has a few lodging options as well, such as the epic Many Glacier Hotel. You’ll have epic views and be able to beat the crowds to the Iceberg Lake trailhead, but you’ll definitely be paying for it!
Outside of the park, your best bet would be the town of Browning, but this is about an hour away from the Iceberg Lake trail. You can also look at other accommodation options along the Going to the Sun Road to potentially be a tad bit closer.
Can you camp at Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park?
Unfortunately, there are no backcountry campgrounds at Iceberg Lake, so this can only be done as a day hike.
The Iceberg Lake Hike: Our Experience
The Iceberg Lake hike in Glacier starts off with a short but steep climb right off the bat to get up to the valley ridge. Honestly, this is probably the steepest part of the whole hike, so it’s good to get it over with right at the beginning!
The climb out of the trees at the beginning of the Iceberg Lake Trail
Once you get up to the ridge, the views on the Iceberg Lake trail open up…and they are gorgeous. From here, you get views over the whole Many Glacier area, and you’ll basically now be walking along this ridge trail the entire rest of the hike to Iceberg Lake, so aside from some small wooded portions, these views will be pretty much non-stop. For us, that’s what made the Iceberg Lake hike really good (not just the end destination).
The gorgeous views over Many Glacier from the Iceberg Lake Trail
As you walk along this ridge trail, the Iceberg Lake hike has a very gradual climb. Like we said above, the climbing didn’t really phase us, and we were surprised at how much we were gaining over the course of the hike without really realizing it! I guess we were too distracted by the views (and stopping every 10 steps for pictures…not exaggerating).
Eventually you’ll come to a milestone point along the Iceberg Lake hike…Ptarmigan Falls. It’s actually a hard waterfall to see head on because it’s hidden through the trees. But you’ll walk along side it until you reach a small footbridge which crosses over the top of the falls. A lot of people were hanging out here on the rocks just enjoying the sounds of the river or eating a snack.
Shortly after the foot bridge, you’ll come to a junction with the Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail. Stay straight here to stay on course for Iceberg Lake.
The trail junction for the Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail
After a short section of trail that goes through the forest, you’ll emerge to some of the best views on the Iceberg Lake hike! Your destination is in the distance…you won’t see Iceberg Lake from here, but you’ll see the giant mountain backdrop that sits behind it, and guys…it’s gorgeous. It looks almost fake! It’s definitely one of the prettiest mountain lake backdrops we’ve ever seen. And the good news is that this view will stay with you for the rest of the Iceberg Lake hike!
The views on the Iceberg Lake Trail just continue to get better!
From this point, the trail turns into the valley, and you’ll follow a trail along a ridge of the valley all the way to Iceberg Lake. The lake looks like it would be pretty close from here, but you have to weave in and out along the contours of the valley to get there so in reality, it is still quite a ways away. It’s also a somewhat downhill walk from here to the lake, so it’s pretty easy-going.
Iceberg Lake is just in front of that mountain backdrop!
Just before Iceberg Lake, you’ll walk by a little tarn. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, because here, we saw a moose!
A moose on the Iceberg Lake Trail!
After just over two hours of hiking, we reached Iceberg Lake!
The first glimpse of Iceberg Lake!
It was about 9 am and there were quite a few people bunched up right at this point where the trail ends at the lake, so we hiked a little further around the left of the lake and pretty much found some solitude. However, as it got busier, people started spreading out more so the opportunity for solitude got smaller and smaller, which is why we suggest an early start on the Iceberg Lake hike!
Iceberg Lake got super busy by mid-morning!
We found a spot by the lake’s edge and just enjoyed the views. The mountain backdrop was beautiful and Iceberg Lake itself was such a deep blue.
We loved the deep blue color of Iceberg Lake!
While sitting there, I got the urge to feel how cold the water was and to see if I could walk in a little bit, and in case you’re wondering, Iceberg Lake is absolutely freezing (I mean, the name has the word “iceberg” right in it!). As soon as I put my feet in, I felt the pain of the cold right in my bones. No thanks!
Iceberg Lake was way too cold for me!
So we sat, enjoyed the views, and ate some snacks. Oh yea, and we watched the local moose take a dip in the water, too! So cool!
Just a moose casually hanging out in Iceberg Lake- how cool is that?!
The only thing that was a bit of bummer up here was the insane number of flies! The summer bugs at Iceberg Lake are no joke, so make sure you bring bug spray!
Eventually, the whole scene up at Iceberg Lake was beginning to feel a bit like a frat party. People started swimming out to the icebergs (kudos to them because I have no idea how they tolerated that cold water!), cracking open beers, shouting, cheering, egging people on, and just all around getting kind of rowdy. It’s not exactly what we look for when we hike to a gorgeous mountain lake, but by getting there early, we were able to enjoy the peacefulness (minus the flies!) for a little bit before these crowds descended.
The Iceberg Lake crowds
So, after about an hour or so of enjoying the lake, we headed back down. And boy oh boy were the crowds descending. The hike into Iceberg Lake was actually relatively quiet and we didn’t see too many people that early in the morning until we got to the lake. Now, as we headed back down the Iceberg Lake trail, we must have passed over 200 people heading in, a lot of them a part of really big groups. And it was pretty consistent trail traffic…it seems that people start the Iceberg Lake hike throughout the day, rather than there being a big rush at any one point.
If you look closely, you can see the line of hikers making their way up the Iceberg Lake Trail
Saying goodbye to the awesome views as we head back from Iceberg Lake
After about two hours, we were back at the trailhead, happy to have completed the Iceberg Lake hike!
Can you swim in Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park?
You can swim in Iceberg Lake…but you might not want to!
Yes, you can swim in Iceberg Lake! We saw plenty of people doing it. But just to warn you, it’s absolutely freezing. Painfully so. So, you can try to hop in and swim to an iceberg, but don’t say we didn’t warn you! If this is your plan, pack a towel and warm clothes with you on the Iceberg Lake hike so you can warm up quickly afterwards.
Wildlife on the Iceberg Lake hike
When you hike the Iceberg Lake trail in Glacier National Park, you’ll have a good shot at seeing some wildlife! It’s not guaranteed, of course, but there are common sightings.
When we hiked to Cracker Lake the day before, we talked to some people who had spotted grizzlies on the Iceberg Lake trail just two days earlier! In fact, as we started the Iceberg Lake hike, we ran into a ranger on the trail who was asking people about bear sightings because they knew of a mom and cub nearby! We had just missed a grizzly sighting at Cracker Lake, so we were a little bummed yet again that we didn’t see one today either, but also glad not to have run into any dangerous situations on the trail!
We did, however, see two moose on the Iceberg Lake hike, and also some cute deer. Always be sure to keep your distance and never approach any of the wildlife. Having binoculars or a good zoom lens on a camera would be a good idea if you want to get up close views!
Bear safety on the Iceberg Lake trail in Glacier National Park
As we said above, grizzlies do frequent the Many Glacier area, and sightings do occur on the Iceberg Lake trail in Glacier. Before you head out to Iceberg Lake, it’s definitely important to be prepared and read up on safety tips for hiking in bear country.
Here are just a few things to keep in mind while on the Iceberg Lake hike:
Check the trail status before heading out to Iceberg Lake, or before any Glacier National Park hike, or ask a ranger about recent bear activity. When we were in the park, several trails were closed the first few days we were there due to high bear activity.
It’s always better to hike in a group than solo, and to constantly make some (reasonable-level) noise through talking or with a bear bell to make your presence known.
Stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings and keep your distance from any wildlife you do see.
Definitely carry bear spray (which you can rent for a day) on any hike in Glacier National Park and know how to use it as a last resort.
Don’t linger in areas of prime bear activity, particularly in huckleberry patches, which bears love to eat. While we were in the park, a person was approached by a bear because she was picking huckleberries!
While hiking to Iceberg Lake, practice strict leave no trace principles. Never leave any food, scented items, or trash unattended and pack out everything you pack in, including trash.
What to Pack for the Iceberg Lake hike in Glacier National Park
Aside from the hiking essentials, here are some things we would recommend specifically for the Iceberg Lake hike.
Towel, bathing suit, and/or change of clothes- In case you want to brave the cold and go for a swim!
Sun protection- Things like sunscreen, a hat, long sleeve layers, and sunglasses. Much of the Iceberg Lake hike is pretty open and exposed.
Bug spray – The flies are insane at Iceberg Lake. Do yourself a favor and bring bug spray!
Long sleeves – Wearing long sleeve shirts and pants can provide extra protection from bugs and the sun along the Iceberg Lake hike.
Bear spray – Bears do frequent the area and are commonly sighted in the Many Glacier area of the park. Make sure to carry a can of bear spray with you and know how to use it.
Binoculars/zoom lens – Remember, don’t approach any wildlife. If you want to get closer views or good pictures, bring a camera with a good zoom lens or some binoculars.
More Hikes in Glacier National Park Near the Iceberg Lake Hike
The Many Glacier area is filled with amazing hikes, so if you’re looking for another hike near Iceberg Lake, then you’ll have plenty to choose from.
CRACKER LAKE – This was one of our favorite hikes in Glacier! It’s a long hike but it leads to one of the bluest lakes we have ever seen, plus we saw some wildlife. Check out our guide to the Cracker Lake hike to learn more.
GRINNELL GLACIER – This is a beautiful hike to an epic glacier lake. Learn more about the Grinnell Glacier hike in our complete guide!
FISHERCAP LAKE – This is a short walk to a lake where moose are often seen bathing and splashing in the water! We highly recommend it for a chance to see some wildlife in Glacier.
Which Many Glacier Trail is Best? Iceberg Lake versus Grinnell Glacier versus Cracker Lake
With so many epic hikes to choose from in the Many Glacier area, which one should you pick if you only have time for one?
Here, we compare the Iceberg Lake, Grinnell Glacier and Cracker Lake hikes for you to help you decide which one you’d want to do!
Cracker Lake: This is the longest of the three hikes in the Many Glacier area. The trail itself to get to the lake is not as scenic or dramatic as the other hikes here. The main reason for doing the Cracker Lake hike is for the lake itself, which is so beautiful and worth the long hike in. Another bonus of this hike is that it is not that popular, making solitude easy to find here.
Iceberg Lake: The Iceberg Lake trail itself is pretty easy, and there are views the entire way, making it incredibly scenic from start to finish. Plus, the lake itself is very picturesque. But, this hike also has the highest crowds of the three trails and the lake can get a bit rowdy.
Grinnell Glacier: The pros to this hike provide sort of a middle ground between the Iceberg Lake hike and Cracker Lake hike. The views from the trail are non-stop and gorgeous, the final lake is pretty, and the crowds on the trail are somewhere between the other two.
To summarize Iceberg Lake vs. Grinnell Glacier vs. Cracker Lake:
Hikes in Many Glacier ranked in terms of trail views:
Grinnell Glacier
Iceberg Lake
Cracker Lake
Hikes in Many Glacier ranked in terms of final lake destination:
Cracker Lake
Iceberg Lake
Grinnell Glacier
Hikes in Many Glacier ranked in terms of crowds:
Cracker Lake
Grinnell Glacier
Iceberg Lake
Hikes in Many Glacier ranked in terms of difficulty (easiest to hardest; in reality they are all pretty similar, so we based it on subtle differences in trail length and elevation gain):
Iceberg Lake
Grinnell Lake
Cracker Lake
As you can see, each of the Many Glacier trails have their pros and cons, so picking one just depends on what you’re looking for on your hike!
We hope this guide helps you plan your Iceberg Lake hike in Glacier National Park! Let us know if you have any questions about this trail…we love to help!