Most Popular Attraction in the Park

Photo Essay: Picturing Lake McDonald

Shining like a sapphire amid emerald mountains capped with snow is West Glacier's Lake McDonald. As the largest lake in Glacier National Park, about 10 miles long and more than a mile wide, it welcomes visitors with its immediate vastness and serenity. At times the lake is a canvas reflecting the surrounding vistas. At times spring storms churn the waters into violent whitecaps. The lake represents what's best about the park, a sublime mix of tranquility and recreation.