The only excuse one needs to do the drive up the North Fork to Polebridge is a hankering for great baked goods in one of the prettiest and most remote areas of the United States. Add to that, beautiful sunny weather and the Larch trees in full golden fall color, and the 6 mile drive on the pitted dirt road to Bowman Lake inside the park is well worth every kidney jarring bump.
To get there, first drive into the park to get out of the park! Go in the West Glacier entrance, and then up Camas road for a view of Lake McDonald and the south side mountains
26 miles later, half on dirt road, will get you to the Polebridge Merc. While the huckleberry bear claws are really, really good, we’ve taken a special liking to the chocolate poppyseed rolls. Yum!
The shack next door is one of my favorite places for a meal - The Northern Lights Saloon. Though closed or the season now, a summer day dinner with great food and a view of the North Fork of Glacier and live music cannot be beat.
The Polebridge entrance station. Note the dirt road !
We were actually discussing what it would take to try and get a photo at each of Glacier’s entry stations in one day. It would be a very full day of driving.
Belly River, Many Glacier, St. Mary, Cut Bank, Two Medicine on the East Side
Walton on the South Side
West Glacier, Camas, and Polebridge on the West Side
Goat Haunt, if you include entering by foot through Canada
Bowman Lake. Partly sunny, still water, and the fall color of golden Larch trees line either shore. Photos cannot capture how amazing the sight really is in person. We counted a total of 6 other people at the lake while we were there, so nearly that section of Glacier National Park to ourselves.
This is the view from the bridge over Bowman Creek.
Someone is obviously enjoying the views!
On the way back, heading to Polebridge
