Lake McDonald
The lake is home to numerous native species of trout, and other game fish. Catchable species include: westslope cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bull trout (char), lake trout (char), Lake Superior whitefish, mountain whitefish, kokanee salmon (landlocked sockeye), and suckers. However, the lake is nutrient-poor and is not considered a prime fishing destination. Grizzly bears, black bear, moose, and mule deer are found in many places near the lake but are most common on the north shore. The lake is surrounded by a dense coniferous forest dominated by various species of spruce, fir, and larch.
Lake McDonald was referred to by the Kootenai as the lake by Ya Kit Haqwitnamki ("The Place Where They Dance"), which was their name for the current campsite at Apgar, where they used to meet and perform various ceremonies. The lake's English name refers to Duncan McDonald, a Hudson's Bay Company trader who worked in the Flathead Valley area and carved his name on a tree near the lake in 1878.
At the westernmost section of the lake in Apgar there is a National Park Service visitor center with limited lodging and dining facilities. Lake McDonald Lodge is the largest lodging facility on the lake and is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) east along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The lodge was constructed in 1913–14 to resemble a rustic hunting lodge with Swiss-influenced architecture.
McDonald Creek flows into and drains from the lake, and empties into the Middle Fork Flathead River shortly after.
References
- ^ "Elevation of Lake with altitude and height". elevationmap.net. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ "Lake McDonald Valley". NPS.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
- ^ "A Brief History of the West Side of Glacier National Park". National Park Service. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ "A Historical Handbook for the Employees" (PDF). Glacier Park Foundation. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
External links
- Media related to Lake McDonald (category) at Wikimedia Commons
- National Park Service. "Glacier National Park". Retrieved May 8, 2006.
- Big Sky Fishing. "Lake McDonald: Fishing and Camping". Retrieved May 8, 2006.