Sight · Glacier National Park
A mineral-rich riverbank draws mountain goats to this cliffside lick.
Overview
The Middle Fork has cut into the bank near the Roosevelt Fault, exposing gray clay that contains gypsum, kieserite and sulfates. This natural seep gave the place its name and attracts mountain goats and other animals seeking minerals.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goats visitMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Glacier Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Glacier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Glacier audio tourRecorded for this place
Goat Lick Overlook“Goat Lick Overlook is coming up, where mountain goats visit an exposed bank above the Middle Fork Flathead River. They’re drawn to minerals in the gray clay, so scan the opposite slope rather than just the skyline.”
Plays as you drive up to Goat Lick Overlook in the Parkwolf Glacier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Our first time to glacier and we used the audio portion for Going to the Sun Road. Wonderful information with perfect advice of what to see and do along the road.”
Guide
Goat Lick Overlook is a roadside wildlife stop beside the Middle Fork Flathead River, where mountain goats come to lick minerals from the exposed bank. It is a good short stop if you like watching animals, but goats can be far across the water and are not guaranteed; binoculars or a zoom lens help.
Two smooth, gently sloping paved paths start at the parking area, each about 500 feet one way. One ends at a river view; the other faces the mineral seep and goat-viewing cliff. Take both if you want the full picture. A restroom here is seasonal.
At the seep-facing platform, scan the opposite bank. For a photo, include some water and the exposed slope around any goats so the distance and cliff are clear. A little phone zoom helps, though the animals may still look small.
Wildlife
404 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
11 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
1,173 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,000 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
395 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
506 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Glacier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyGoat Lick Overlook Trail0.2 mi · 20 min · At the trailheadA short paved walk to mountain-goat country above the river.
ChallengingScalplock Lookout Trail9.4 mi · 6.5 hr · 1.7 mi awayA 1931 fire lookout crowns a steep, switchbacked climb.
ChallengingLake Isabel Trail33.6 mi · 20 hr · 1.7 mi awayA 33.6-mile Walton backcountry trek to a trout-filled cirque lake.
ModeratePark Creek Trail11.5 mi · 7 hr · 3.7 mi awayA gradual creekside route into Glacier’s remote Park Creek valley.Parkwolf’s Glacier ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
