We continued our May 2021 visit to Glacier National Park with a hike on the Johns Lake Loop Trail. There are two trailheads on Going-to-the-Sun Road for this hike. One is at the pullout for the Sacred Dancing Cascade located 11.1 miles northeast of the four-way-stop intersection at the Apgar Visitor Center. This is not signed as a trailhead for the loop trail. The other trailhead is nearly a mile closer to Apgar, located 10.2 miles from the same intersection at the Apgar Visitor Center. Parking for around 20 vehicles is available at the cascade if people angle park instead of parallel park. At the other trailhead, space is available for about seven vehicles to parallel park. We chose this second location with the smaller parking area to begin and end our hike as it has the only trail information sign. A third trailhead is located on North Lake McDonald Road, 0.4 miles northwest of its intersection with the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
According to the park's website, the loop trail is three miles long with an elevation change of 160 feet. However, my hiking GPS unit shows the distance as only 2.10 miles with 170 of elevation change. The ten feet of elevation difference is well within the inherent inaccuracy of the GPS device, but the 0.9-mile difference in distance is real with the GPS unit most likely being correct. Other hiking websites have the trail distance listed as either 1.8 or 1.9 miles. Search for "Johns Lake Loop Montana" to view their findings.
About 400 feet east of the trailhead, the trail intersects the Avalanche Campground trail. Keep left at this junction to remain on the combined Avalanche Campground and Johns Lake Loop trail. In another 300 feet, the trail intersects the McDonald Creek horse trail. Turn left onto the horse trail for about 20 feet before turning right onto the combined Avalanche Campground and Johns Lake trails. The close-up view of Johns Lake is about ½ mile from the trailhead. Just past the lake view, the Avalanche Campground Trail veers right. Stay left to remain on the Johns Lake Loop Trail. At 0.8 miles, cross Going-to-the-Sun Road near the Sacred Dancing Cascade parking area and cross the bridge over McDonald Creek at 0.9 miles. View McDonald Falls at about 1.4 miles. Cross the North Lake McDonald Road bridge over McDonald Creek at 1.8 miles.
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| Johns Lake Loop Trail topographic map |
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| Trail elevation profile |
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| Trailhead informational sign |
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| Western white trillium (Trillium ovatum) |
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| Fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) |
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| Typical trail conditions |
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| Another fairy slipper |
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| Slightly confusing trail crossing |
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| Horse trail veers left, hiking trail to the right |
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| Murky water of Johns Lake |
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| Reflections on Johns Lake |
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| Weirdly warped tree |
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| Footbridge over an unnamed stream |
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| Boulders along the trail |
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| Johns Lake with Stanton Mountain |
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| Lots of downed trees along the trail |
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| An opening in the forest allows this view of Mount Cannon |
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| The trail crosses the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the Sacred Dancing Cascade pullout |
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| Descending toward McDonald Creek |
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| Horse and footbridge over McDonald Creek |
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| Sacred Dancing Cascade |
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| Typical trail conditions |
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| Looking back upstream at the bridge |
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| View downstream |
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| Horse trail passes under Going-to-the-Sun Road |
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| Creek and trail |
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| Fire damage |
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| McDonald Creek below Mount Brown |
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| Whitewater on McDonald Creek |
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| Two benches and a viewing area at... |
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| ...the brink of McDonald Falls |
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| McDonald Falls |
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| Gravel trail |
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| McDonald Creek below the falls |
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| Paved trail |
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| Paved trail ends and walking on North Lake McDonald Road begins |
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| North Lake McDonald Road bridge over McDonald Creek below Mount Brown |
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| View upstream including McDonald Falls |
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| View downstream with Belton Hills, Teakettle Mountain, and Apgar Mountains |
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| Trail turns right and leaves the road |
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| Typical improved trail conditions |
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| Back to the trailhead and Going-to-the-Sun Road |
A Glacier National Park entry fee of $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person is valid for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Glacier Annual Pass for $70.
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