Medicine Grizzly Lake shines at the head of the Cut Bank Valley in Glacier National Park, beneath the intimidating face of Razoredge Mountain. ROB CHANEY

Trout abound in Glacier’s Medicine Grizzly Lake

By ROB CHANEY

Medicine Grizzly Lake has just the tonic for a backcountry trout angler.

This gem in the overlooked Cut Bank Valley of Glacier National Park is just obscure enough to discourage the tourists but fishful enough to reward the persistent. Rainbow, cutthroat and even the elusive bull trout teem in its waters. Jagged peaks surround it. And you don’t even need a fishing license.

The Cut Bank Valley sits about halfway between the Two Medicine and St. Mary entrances on the eastern side of Glacier National Park. The road in leads to a ranger station and frontcountry campground, which is a convenient place to end the day’s drive and prepare for the next morning’s fishing.

From the frontcountry camp, the trail pushes about four miles up the valley to the Atlantic Creek tent campground. A spur trail continues up the basin two more miles to the lake. A pair of 10-year-old boys with overnight backpacks (and their considerably older fathers) made the trip with little difficulty.

For the more adventurous, another three-mile spur heads up the valley wall to Triple Divide Pass. Stand on top of nearby Triple Divide Peak and empty your canteen; the water will flow into three continental drainages. Some will wind up in the Pacific Ocean via the Flathead River. Some will make its way to Hudson Bay. And some will hitch the Mississippi River out into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Most of the fish we caught in Medicine Grizzly Lake were pan-size or better. Remember to carefully release and return the bull trout – they’re endangered and cannot be kept.

And if you decide to dine on the rest of your catch, bring some backcountry sense. Medicine Grizzly’s most notorious sow grizzly was killed there two years ago after raiding numerous campsites with her cubs. She was the latest in a historic string of notable bears that show up in Blackfeet tribal legends and ranchers’ stock reports.

The valley remains prime bear habitat, and another big bear will almost certainly claim it. The park used to have a campsite right by the lake, but bear incidents prompted its relocation to the Atlantic Creek area.

Anglers in Glacier are advised to use artificial lures or flies. No bait insects or worms may be collected inside the park, and using fish parts for bait is prohibited. Lead weights are also illegal in the park. While Medicine Grizzly Lake and Cut Bank Creek are open to fishing, many other parts of the park are closed or have specific restrictions. A complete guide to fishing in Glacier is available at www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/upload/FishingRegs08-09web.pdf.

Missoulian reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at 523-5382 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .