Bigfork Mountain Lake Lodge

Friday, April 8, 2011

Akokola Lake - North Fork Area of Glacier National Park - Bear Safety when Hiking

The North Fork of the Flathead River is the western boundary line of Glacier National Park. Akokola Lake is 62 miles northwest of Bigfork, Montana in this North Fork area of Glacier National Park.

This moderate level of difficulty hike is 11.6 miles round trip out and back and has an elevation gain of 800'. The hike takes you through areas of lodgepole pine forests, rolling ridges and of course to the beautiful Akokola Lake.


Please remember anytime you are hiking in Glacier National Park that you are hiking deep into Grizzly and Black bear country.  It is a must to know about bear safety when hiking in the wilderness.  Each hiker should carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Don’t Surprise Bears! Bears will usually move out of the way if they hear people approaching, so make noise. Most bells are not loud enough.

Calling out or clapping hands loudly at regular intervals is a better way to make your presence known. Hiking quietly endangers you, the bear, and other hikers.

Remember a bear’s hearing is not any better than your own. Some trail conditions make it hard for bears to see, hear, or smell approaching hikers.

Be particularly careful by streams, against the wind, or in dense vegetation. A blind corner or a rise in the trail also requires special attention.

Keep children close by. If possible, hike in groups and avoid hiking early in the morning, late in the day, or after dark. Do not hike alone.

Inform Yourself About Bears by asking the Glacier National Park staff to help you identify signs of bear activity such as tracks, torn-up logs, diggings, trampled vegetation, droppings, and overturned rocks.

Bears spend a lot of time eating, so avoid hiking in obvious feeding areas like berry patches, cow parsnip thickets, or fields of glacier lilies.

Please do not approach Bears! Never intentionally get close to a bear!  Bears are dangerous.  Individual bears have their own personal space requirements which vary depending on their mood. Each will react differently and their behavior can be unpredictable.

All bears are dangerous and should be respected.

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