From the foot of Quartz Lake in Glacier National Park, this vantage point provides a great view of several peaks of the remote Livingston Range, such as Logging Mountain (right) and Vulture Peak (left). This beach in the photo above is a great place to enjoy a nice lunch while you take in the view.
Quartz Lake, Glacier National ParkOnce the trail descends nearly 950 vertical feet during your Glacier National Park hiking adventure, you will find yourself at the foot of Quartz Lake. The view of remote peaks of the Livingston Range that are looming at the head of this long lake are stunning, and will prompt you to get your camera out. Some of the more prominent peaks are Logging Mountain, Vulture Peak and Cerulean Ridge. Vulture Peak is a major peak within the Livingston Range that is extremely remote and seldom visited or climbed. This huge peak is home to two glaciers, and can be seen from the Granite Park Chalet and Highline Trail from the east. The beach at the foot of Quartz Lake is a great place to rest and enjoy a lunch as you take in the beauty of this amazing landscape…
Next to the foot of Quartz Lake is the Quartz Lake Campground. This back country campground is for those hikers who chose to make the Quartz Lake Loop Trail an overnight, multi-day experience.
At the foot of Quartz Lake is Quartz Lake Campground. This backcountry campground is for those hikers who prefer to make this 12.8 mile Glacier Park hike an overnight, multi-day experience.
A water filter is required to get water from the lake.
I spent one night here with my sister and friend and we had the whole place to ourselves. There are 3 campsites that are all close together on the beach at the foot of the lake. Just up the hill is a vault toilet (bring your own toilet paper!) and further along the lake is the food preparation area with a pole setup to hang your food. In order to get back to this campsite you can park at Bowman Lake and take the Quartz Loop trails to get back there. The northern route is a bit shorter but involves a steady climb (1500 ft) up a ridge. The southern route is shorter but has a lot of downed trees as of Aug 2017. This campground is in Glacier National Park so naturally the hikes, surrounding area, and campground all have gorgeous views. One little tip, bring bug spray and bear spray. Overall, I love this campground and would go back in a heartbeat.