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Upper Two Medicine Lake

Glacier National Park

Glacier Park

Upper Two Medicine Lake

(Includes Twin Falls)

Upper Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park

Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park is a very popular hike in the Two Medicine Area.

Upper Two Medicine Lake

Upper Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park is one of the most popular hikes in the Two Medicine Area because of its beauty and relative ease to hike to.  The prominent color of the rock in the Upper Two Medicine Lake Area is RED due to the red colored Grinnell Argillite. This rock type is very common throughout the entire Two Medicine Area.

Take the Boat!

The most popular way of getting to Upper Two Medicine Pake is taking the Two Medicine Wooden Boat "Sinopah" first thing in the morning to the far shore,and then hiking the rest of the way.  Visitors enjoy a lunch at Upper Two Medicine Lake and then hike back to the boat dock.  They will then catch one of the boat trips back to the Two Medicine parking lot and general store. You are saving about 6 miles total if you take the boat!

The other way of getting there is by taking the South Shore Trail (or the North Shore Trail) from the parking lot and hike along Two Medicine Lake and then on to Upper Two Medicine Lake.  This is obviously a longer hike, but it is also quite popular.  We strongly recommend taking the boat.

Upper Two Medicine Lake

Trailhead:  South Shore Trail, Two Medicine parking lot near boat dock.

Distance:  5 miles (one way)

Distance via Boat & Hike: 2.2 miles (one way)

Elevation Gain:  350 vertical feet

Twin Falls is one of the splendid treats along your hike to Upper Two Medicine Lake.  You'll see the sign indicating a short side trip to get to the Twin Falls.  It's definitely worth the short amount of time required to view these beautiful falls.  The photo to the left is one of the twin falls.  The other falls is to the right of it (not pictured).

In the early summer, Twin Falls are really roaring because of all the snow that's melting in the surrounding mountains above the falls.

But even after much of the previous winter's snow has melted, Twin Falls are still a sight to behold and to enjoy, so it doesn't matter what time of the summer season you take this wonderful hike to Upper Two Medicine Lake.

Twin Falls

Trailhead:  South Shore Trail, Two Medicine parking lot

Distance w/o Boat Ride: 3.8 miles (one way)

Distance with Boat Ride: 0.9 miles (one way)

Elevation Gain: 75 vertical feet

Once you arrive at Upper Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park, you'll be very glad you made the effort. The lake is surrounded by very large mountains, such as Mount HelenLone Walker MountainPumpelly PillarSinopah MountainMount Rockwell and Rising Bull Mountain.  These mountains make for a gorgeous setting as you enjoy your lunch on the shore of this beautiful lake.

For our "Ultimate Checkist" on what to bring on your hike to Upper Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park, click here.

View of Upper Two Medicine Lake from summit of Mount Helen, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Upper Two Medicine Lake from the summit of Mount Helen.  Shannon is thousands of feet above the lake.  If you'd like to see more "views from the summits" in Glacier National Park, click here.

View of Upper Two Medicine Lake from the summit of Sinopah Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Upper Two Medicine Lake from the summit of Sinopah Mountain.  If you'd like to see more "views from the summits" click here.

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