Aster Park Overlook
| Trail Features: | Scenic views, Waterfalls |  |
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| Trail Location: | Two Medicine (South Shore Trailhead) | ||||
| Roundtrip Length: | 4.0 Miles | ||||
| Total Elevation Gain: | 780 Feet | ||||
| Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: | 390 Feet | ||||
| Highest Elevation: | 5798 Feet | ||||
| Trail Difficulty Rating: | 5.56 (moderate) | ||||
| Parking Lot Latitude | 48.48381 | ||||
| Parking Lot Longitude | -113.36954 | ||||
Trail Description:
The hike to Aster Park Overlook in Glacier National Park begins from the South Shore Trailhead at Two Medicine Lake. Just going to the trailhead is a worthwhile experience. The view from the eastern shore of the lake, with Painted Tepee Peak, Sinopah Mountain, Lone Walker Mountain and Mt. Helen forming a picture perfect backdrop, is one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire park.
At just over a quarter-of-a-mile from the trailhead hikers will reach the short side trail to Paradise Point, a small beach area that offers commanding views of Two Medicine Lake and Rising Wolf Mountain. The area around the lake is also a fairly good place for spotting moose.
Roughly one-half mile from the trailhead hikers will arrive at the first in a series of small beaver ponds. This area, over the next quarter-mile or so, is prime habitat for moose, which are frequently seen foraging in and around the ponds, especially in the mornings and late afternoons. On our most recent hike we saw four moose foraging in this area. Throughout this section the trail travels through a montane forest of lodgepole pine, spruce and Douglass fir, with several small and large meadows interspersed along the route.
At 1.1 miles you’ll cross over Aster Creek, and in a short distance will reach the Aster Park Trail, which leads to both Aster Falls and Aster Park Overlook.
In less than one-tenth of a mile, after turning left onto the Aster Park Trail, you'll arrive at a spur trail that leads down to the base of Aster Falls. Even if your ultimate destination is the overlook, the short side trip to see the 20-foot waterfall is well worth a quick visit.
From the junction the trail to Aster Park Overlook climbs more than 500 feet over the course of the next three-quarters of a mile. Although this is a fairly steep climb, your effort will be well rewarded at the top. The overlook provides outstanding panoramic views of the Two Medicine Lake valley, as well as Flinsch Peak and Dawson Pass towards the west, and Rising Wolf Mountain directly in front of you.
Many of the place names in the Two Medicine area have strong interconnections. According to Through The Years In Glacier National Park, Sinopah was the wife of Hugh Monroe, the first white man to live with the Blackfeet Indians. His Indian name was Rising Wolf, a reference to Monroe's habit of getting out of bed in the morning on his hands and knees. Sinopah, which means "kit fox", was also the daughter of Lone Walker, a powerful Blackfoot chief.
