Avalanche Trail

Avalanche Trail is a fairly level forest walk from Sperry Trailhead, across the road from Lake McDonald Lodge, to the junction with Avalanche Lake Trail near Avalanche Creek Campground. The connected through route is 5.57 miles one way, with about 400 feet gained and 300 feet lost. It is a quieter way to spend a few hours under cedar and hemlock, but it does not reach Avalanche Lake itself. Allow about three hours one way; walking back adds another 5.57 miles.

Published distances differ: one hiking guide lists 6.2 miles, while the connected mapped line measures 5.57. The extra distance is unresolved. Treat the 5.57-mile line as the through walk and confirm any Johns Lake extension before adding mileage.

Most of the walk stays shaded beneath tall cedar and hemlock. Feeder streams cross the route often, and some stretches feel like an old road. Look for lichen-covered concrete posts and partly buried telephone markers; their date and story have not been established. There is no summit or lake payoff on this route—the walk is about the forest and the quieter corridor between its two ends.

Start at Sperry Trailhead across from Lake McDonald Lodge and finish by the shared Avalanche Lake trail junction near Avalanche Creek Campground. Arrange transportation between the ends before setting out; a return on foot makes it about 11.1 miles. The north end sits at Avalanche Creek, so check current road and trail status before you go. Frequent stream crossings can be wet, and seasonal water can make them high and cold. Pets are not allowed on Glacier trails.