We woke up to a day with slightly less wind than the day before, temperatures in the mid 40s headed up to 55 today. It was a day that we wanted to head back into Glacier National Park, this time in the Many Glaciers area.
The drive to get there was under blue skies, which was much happier than the gray and cloudy that we had yesterday. We had heard from some other hikers the day before about a boat ride on the lakes behind the Many Glaciers Lodge. When we went to inquire, we found out the round-trip boat ride was already sold out. However, if we wanted to hike 2 miles along the shore of the lake, we could get on a boat coming back for half the cost. it was still pretty darned windy, but we were hopeful that the trail would go through the forest which it did. So we bought our tickets and headed off for a very lovely 2 1/2 mile hike. The first part was really a stroll with asphalt trails fully accessible for wheelchairs. After a while, that changed to changed to more hills and roots in the trail, but still a pretty easy hike. There weren’t nearly as many pretty wildflowers as we saw yesterday so we walked along at a pretty brisk pace just enjoying the day, especially out of the wind and warmly greeting, and being greeted by other fellow hikers. Towards the end of the second lake, Lake Josephine, we took a turn, and there was a boat dock there with other hikers, waiting to catch the boat. We had enough time to take some photos and chat with other hikers. And then we were quite pleased when the boat arrived, and we were able to hop on for a nice boat ride down that lake. Then everybody got out for about a quarter-mile portage up over a moraine and then got on another boat to take us back to the lodge. It was a pretty uneventful boat ride, but our feet and knees appreciated it not having to re-trace the 2 1/2 mile pass.
Our reward for the hike was a hot white chocolate drink. We drank it, while we watched a lovely video of Glacier National Park through the seasons. We saw some favorite places that we have enjoyed and it was very nice to take a look.
It was also very sobering looking through the photos on display at the lodge of how the glaciers in this area had shrunk, and were rapidly disappearing. They had photos taken in the same place around 100 years apart and the glaciers had gotten much smaller. Patti recalled a slogan "Visit Glacier National Parks, while there are still glaciers there." And you could see climate change is alive and well in this part of Montana. We heard they are figuring by 2050 there would be no more glaciers left in this park.
We considered another hike, but instead had a picnic sitting by the side of the road looking at the mountains. Then we went to the camp store, stocked up on some ice for our ice chest and refilled our water bottles. Our hearts were very full with all of the beauty in Glacier, but our time here is now drawing to an end.
We decided to go to the town of Browning in the middle of the Blackfoot Indian Reservation to visit a museum we had noticed on our way in: The Museum of the Plains Indian.
This museum was founded in 1941 in a collaboration of the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. Photography was not allowed in the museum so we just had to look around and be present. The highlight, was talking with Larry, a staff member, who is filling in as a security guard, but was a wealth of information about not only Plains Indian people, but native peoples around the country and around the world. As each individual or family came into the museum, he found out where people were from and begin his educational connecting with them about indigenous people where they came from. We went back to Larry several times, asking for more information and clarification, and he was so generous and knowledgeable. What a joy.
There is also an area where current Indian artists were creating their work. We had a very lovely discussion with one of the artists and his son who are painting Indian subjects on old ledger paper. Really exquisite work. It was very beautiful. This place truly was a gem!
We had an early evening with dinner out at a local spot. Then off to bed.
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