Lake McDonald Beach (Apgar Village)

Lake McDonald Beach (Apgar Village) at Glacier National Park near West Glacier, Montana is a short 0.1-mile loop walk that features stunning views of the lake, distant alpine mountains, and colorful rocks at the bottom of Lake McDonald.

Exploring Lake McDonald's Beach

This very short, but scenic walk starts at the main parking lot for the Lake McDonald Beach in Apgar Village. The route leads down to the boat dock before walking west along the shoreline. In the water are crushed stones that were once pummeled and smoothed by the ancient long-lost glaciers that carved out the Lake McDonald Valley -- during days with few waves, you can usually snap a nice picture of the colorful rocks with the backdrop of Montana's alpine mountains in the distance. Lake McDonald is a popular place for kayakers and paddleboarders so you may see folks out enjoying some surface tension on the lake. Regardless, the scenery at Lake McDonald's beach is a must see if you're planning a day along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

After exploring the beach, the route heads back up to parking by following a short trail that connects the west side of the beach back to the parking lot.

Parking

Visitors will find a large parking lot at the coordinates provided, located in Apgar Village along the Lake McDonald Beach / boat launch area. The lot is large enough to fit over a dozen vehicles as of September 2024.

Vehicle Reservations

Depending on what time of year you visit, you may need to reserve a vehicle entrance pass to get into the park, in addition to a park entry fee (or annual National Parks pass). Before planning this hike, ensure you've checked the NPS website for when and where Glacier NP vehicle reservations are required.