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We spent our first day in Glacier National Park exploring the Two Medicine area. We started out early and made the pleasant drive across Route 2 from Columbia Falls to East Glacier. The Two Medicine entrance to the park is about 15 minutes north of East Glacier.
Just before the main parking lot at the lake is a smaller lot on the right for Running Eagle Falls. This is a great place to start as the trail to the falls is flat and less than a mile round-trip. At 8:30 in the morning, we were the first car in the lot.
The trail begins as a woodland trail, dotted with wildflowers. In no time, we were standing on the banks of the pristine Two Medicine Creek with the sound of the falls roaring nearby. Since we were there early in the season, the snow was still melting and the creek looked more like a river.
We encountered a local couple on the trail who said they visit Running Eagle often. They said that in late summer, when there is less water, it shoots out of the side of the mountain instead of falling over the ledge. When we looked more closely it seemed to be doing both.
The falls are named for Running Eagle who was a female Pikuni warrior in the 1700s. Traditionally, only men fasted and went on vision quests. Nevertheless, Running Eagle persisted and ‘found her medicine’ above the falls. She went on to become an influential and legendary leader of her people.
She was killed leading a raid in Flathead territory when she was 30. She was buried in a tree overlooking the falls by her people. This is a sacred place.
To see my other Glacier NP/Two Medicine Posts, click the following links:
- Running Eagle Falls
- Aster Park
- Two Medicine Lake
- Twin Falls
Location: 2 Medicine Rd, East Glacier Park, Mt 59434
Designation: National Park
Date designation declared: 5/11/1910
Date of my visit: 6/23/2018
Wow that waterfall is beautiful. Glacier is definitely high up on my hit list!
It is an amazing place! Go before glaciers are gone
Excellent photography 🙂
Thanks Darryl!
So beautiful!
Thanks!
Lovely. I’ve love to be there right now.
Thanks! Me too…we’ve been back for a week now and it’s been so hot. Missing the mountain weather
I’m heading to Glacier in a few weeks. Your photos are great and making me very excited about our trip.
Thanks! You will have a great time!
I’ve not made it to the east side of Glacier yet. It’s a long way from Kansas, but I want to make it someday. I’m glad I found your blog.
Thanks! We are even further away in NJ, but it sure was worth the trip
What a beautiful place. I hope to visit that park someday. I hope that you enjoyed putting your toes in the creek.
Thanks! The water was around 40 degrees, so we did not try it. A little later in the trip, I did put my feet in Lake McDonald…still cold, but refreshing after a long day of hiking.
Cool. Well, the water was cool and so was the journey. Glad that you had fun.
Beautiful! We’re looking forward to visiting Glacier National Park😍
Thanks! Have fun!
A beautiful waterfall!!! I would love to visit Glacier sometime 🙂
Thanks!
We’ve been to Glacier a few times and missed this beautiful falls….. we will definitely keep it in mind for next time! Thanks for sharing! Beautiful photography. Like the flowers!
Thanks! There was lots of meltwater feeding gorgeous waterfalls everywhere in the Park
Beautiful! The last time we were in Glacier (2015), the east side was on fire, so we didn’t even know about this other entrance. Good reason to go back!
Thanks! We did a short hike though the area affected by the 2015 Reynolds Creek fire. The ranger who was with us was there when it happened and described it in detail. Scary!
All the wildfires out here in the west are scary…I love it here, but the fires make me think twice about moving!
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Beautiful place! Glacier NP is on my bucket list!
Thanks! Go before the glaciers are gone 👍
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Looks amazing! I have been to Glacier NP, but don’t remember the waterfall. I will have to return and check them out!
Thanks! We were there in June when there was still a lot of spring melt happening. From what I hear, this fall and many others in the park slow to a trickle as the summer progresses. Depending on when you were there, that could be why it was less memorable.
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Stellar photos. Glacier was our favorite of all the parks we visited last summer. High line trail is not to be missed!
Thanks! We were there a little too early in the season to hike the High Line…and I don’t think we could have made the full 11 miles anyway. We did get most of the way up the trail to Grinell Glacier, but the higher elevations were still blocked by snow and ice.
Hope to visit it someday😍
Try to go before the glaciers melt….estimated 2030
haha, I try… thank you for the Tip
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