Glacier's Harrison Lake with larch at peak

A frosty crossing of the Middle Fork Flathead River awakened us at the start of the hike

A steep, fairly treacherous trail from the river to the South Boundary Trail

A piece of equipment left at the Doody bootleg cabin

One of the dozens of varieties of mush

Katie and me in our "selfie" at the lake

Mounts Thompson and Blackfoot reflected in Harrison Lake

Laurie Lintner marveling at the Harrison Lake and larch beauty

 We couldn't have timed a larch color tour more perfectly.

We hiked to Glacier Park's Harrison Lake at its peak Oct. 19 as the golden larch were at their peak.

This is an interesting and not-frequented nearly 14-mile out and back hike in the park's remote southwest corner above 10 miles east of West Glacier.

It's a gorgeous destination, but largely ignored by park-goers because it usually requires a sometimes treacherous crossing of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, although it can be reached by the South Border Trail from West Glacier, but that way is too much for a day-hike.

Conditions for a trip at the height of the larch color need to be perfect to enjoy this hike.

The Middle Fork flow needs to be manageable.  It was about knee deep on Katie.

The larch should be at their color-peak, usually reached after Oct. 15.

In some years the Fall freeze about that time makes this trip not as worthwhile, as happened with the early freeze last year.

In 2021, as this year, we nailed it.

The aspen had shed their leaves, but there were some cottonwoods in color.

What adds to this hike is the color of the lake, the trademark translucent  turquoise off a glacier that is suspended in the water.  In this case, from Harrison Glacier that clings to Mount Jackson's southeast face.

The hillsides above the lake were laden with the golden larch, and we were fortunate that there was little wind and the glass-like like mirrored the trees and surrounding mountains in the water.

We could see the towering mounts Thompson and Blackfoot in those waters.

Along the way, we gained and lost nearly 1,900 feet of elevation through thick forest, carpeted by fallen leaves.  There were numerous varieties of mushrooms, which I wish I could have identified.  To the east, Loneman Mountain towered over the forest, its distant lookout cabin visible.

Much of this area had been burned in past wildfires, but the lodgepole, hemlock, Doug Fir, and cedar have grown back.  In many spots, particularly near the park backcountry campground, the groundcover was in full fall color.

A fun sidetrip was to the historic Doody cabin site, where nearly 100 years ago at the junction of the Harrison Lake-South Boundary trails, was a bootleg liquor site run by a widow on the run from the law for murder.  Nearby the train would pick up her product, signaling with its horn blasts, how much it wanted. The cabin's roof has collapsed, but the property is oddly strewn with heavy farm equipment.  It's worth a stop along the way.

Oh, and we had a cloudless sky with temperatures in the 60s and low 70s.

It couldn't have been more perfect.