Glacier Park has within its boundary two parallel mountain ranges.
The eastern, or front range, extends from the Canadian boundary almost
without a break to New Mexico. The western, or Livingston Range, rises
at the head of Lake McDonald, becomes the front range beyond the
international line, and runs northwestward to Alaska. Between these two
ranges in the center of the park is a broad swell which carries the
Continental Divide from one to the other. This is Flattop Mountain,
whose groves of trees are open and parklike, wholly unlike the dense
forests of the lowlands with which every park visitor is well
acquainted.
A trail leads south from Waterton over Flattop to the tent camp called
"Fifty Mountain" and to Granite Park, where a comfortable high-mountain
chalet is located. Here is exposed a great mass of lava, which once
welled up from the interior of the earth and spread over the region
which was then the bottom of a sea. The chalets command a fine view of
the majestic grouping of mountains around Logan Pass, of the noble
summits of the Livingston Range, and of systems far to the south and
west of the park. Extending in the near foreground are gentle slopes
covered with sparse clumps of stunted vegetation. In early July open
spaces are gold-carpeted with glacier lillies and bizarrely streaked
with lingering snow patches. Beyond are the deep, heavy forests of
Upper McDonald Valley.
The chalets may also be reached from Sun Camp and Logan Pass over a
trail along the Garden Wall, from the highway 2 miles above the western
switchback by a 4-mile trail, from Avalanche Camp and Lake McDonald
over the McDonald Valley trail, and from Many Glacier by the beautiful
trail over Swiftcurrent Pass. A short distance from the chalets a spur
from the trail to the Waterton Lake leads to Ahern Pass, from which
there is an unexcelled view of Ahern Glacier, Mount Merritt, Helen and
Elizabeth Lakes, and the South Fork of the Belly River. This spur is
only a mile from the chalets. At Fifty Mountain Camp, half-way between
Granite Park and Waterton, a second spur, a quarter of a mile long,
takes one above Flattop Mountain to the summit of the knife-edge. From
here there is a fine panorama of Mount Cleveland, Sue Lake, and Middle
Fork of Belly River.
A foot trail 1 mile long leads from the Granite Park chalet to the
summit of Swiftcurrent Mountain upon which a fire lookout is located.
For the small amount of effort required to make this ascent of 1,000
feet, no more liberal reward of mountain scenery could be possible.
Another foot trail leads from the chalets to the rim of the Garden
Wall, from which there are splendid views of Grinnell Glacier and the
Swiftcurrent region.
Animal life is varied and easily studied at Granite Park. Bear and deer
are common in this section. Mountain goats are frequently seen above
Flattop Mountain or near Ahern Pass. Mountain sheep graze on the slopes
of the Garden Wall. Ptarmigan should be looked for, especially above
Swiftcurrent Pass.
Granite Park is a paradise for lovers of alpine flowers. On the Garden
Wall, the connoisseur should seek for the rare, heavenly blue alpine
columbine. Here are expanses of dryads, globe flowers, alpine firewood,
and a wealth of others. Early July is the best time for floral beauty.