If you’re looking for an easy to plan backcountry camping trip in Glacier National Park – the lesser travelled to Otokomi Lake may be the perfect option for you. This out and back hike to a pristine alpine lake tucked under the red rocks of Goat Mountain is 11 miles roundtrip with 1900ft elevation gain.

We love it because it’s a less popular trail, attracting far fewer hikers and there is great fishing at the lake. It’s a great option for kids, people who may not be in peak hiking shape, or people wanting to try backpacking for the first time. The 5.5 mile one way hike is relatively easy and very doable for just one night. My favorite part of back country camping is that you get to enjoy sunset and sunrise in a serene location almost all to yourself – if you’ve never been I hope this post encourages you to get out and plan a trip.

Backcountry Camping in Glacier National Park

If you are new to backcountry camping in Glacier National park here’s everything you need to know:

• Permits are required and can be purchased on a first come first serve basis HERE starting on May 1st for the 2024 season.
• Reserved permits must be picked-up in person by 4:30pm the day before or on the start date of the trip at one of the park ranger stations. This is important to consider in your travel plans. For most people travelling from the West Entrance of the park, the Apgar Ranger Station will be the most convenient.
• When checking in at the ranger station you will need to watch a bear safety video and confirm you have a bag and rope to hang all food at the designated food storage racks.
• Wilderness campgrounds in Glacier have marked sites to setup tents – each permit allows up to 4 people to camp in a single site. At Otokomi Lake the 3 sites are all very close together, a short walk from the lake, making it not a big priority to arrive early to secure “the best” spot.
• Each wilderness camping location also has a food prep and storage area where you will need to hang all food as soon as you arrive. Most locations, including Otokomi Lake, also have a pit toilet.

What to expect backpacking to Otokomi Lake

The trail begins at Rising Sun Campground which is accessed off Going-to-the-Sun road. When driving to the trailhead you can enter via the St. Mary East entrance to avoid needing a ticketed entry reservation during summer months which is required if travelling Going-to-the-Sun road from the West entrance.

The first mile you hike through a sparse forest with some 10-15% grade uphill stretches before entering a section of the park that was burned in forest fires. You gain 414 ft in the first mile. Looking back towards the trailhead you’ll have views of St. Mary Lake and the surrounding mountain range.

The second mile has the most elevation gain at 536 ft with some 18% incline stretches, but plenty of lower grade sections to ease the breathing. This portion of the hike is through the burned area and not the most beautiful.

Mile 3 is a bit more of the same – its the flattest leg of the hike at only 199ft elevation gain. You’ll cross a nice bridge and start to enter the more shaded sections of the hike. Then mile 4 opens up to more expansive views in all directions. You’ll start to see Goat mountain ahead and can look back at the Red Eagle mountain off in the distance behind St Mary Lake. You will also pass a waterfall as the trail follows along the stream.

The last mile and a half you will traverse the valley. It’s a grind because you keep thinking you’ll see the lake around every bend, but it doesn’t appear until the very very end of the hike. The trail levels off a bit then dips down just slightly to the lake in the final half mile.

Once you arrive at the campground you’ll find 3 marked sites all very close together and a short walk from the lake. The outflow stream runs directly behind the campsites providing easy access to water (must be filtered). You’ll also find a pit toilet, food storage and food prep area where you’ll want to hang all your food right away.

There is a small trail from the campsites to the lake and it continues around the lake shore. There’s multiple nice openings on the shore to relax, take in the views, and do some fishing.

The morning light on Goat mountain is breathtaking. It lights up in a deep orange and is the perfect backdrop for breakfast in nature.

What to Pack:

This is a list of everything we bring with us on backpacking trips into Glacier NP. Since this hike is a shorter backcountry trip and often only 1 or 2 nights you can bring some fun novelties along for the ride. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using one of these links at no cost to you.

• Bear Spray – can pick it up at any local store, you can not fly with Bear Spray.
• Lightweight bag (like this one) and rope for hanging food – REQUIRED
• Fly fishing rod (this is the one I use) – The best thing to do at Otokomi Lake is try your hand at fly fishing.
• Fishing net – you are bound to catch something, add this lightweight net to your pack to ensure you can snag a picture of your catch.
• Mosquito Repeller – we have taken this reppeller on multiple trips into Glacier and it does a great job at keeping the mosquitos away. We even strap it on the outside of our packs while we hike. There’s nothing worse then trying to sleep with tons of bug bites.
• We also double up the protection with these Mosquito Repellent Wipes
• Lightweight backpacking tent – like this one
• Sleeping Pad (I recommend this super compact light weight one that holds air well and is actually comfortable) and a Sleeping Bag with a temperature rating for at least 30* F as it gets cold at night
• Wet Wipes (these biodegradable ones are perfect for camping)
• Jet Boil for cooking – its worth the extra price as it also serves as your pot and heats up so much faster then other camping cooking devices.
• Freeze dried meals- We love the mountain house ones you can get on amazon. Be sure to look for meals that cook directly in the bag they are provided in (ie: read instructions to ensure it say just pour hot water into bag.)
• Collapsible water container (the water supply may be far from your campsite so this is a necessity to have enough water for cooking/drinking/cleaning)
• Solar powered table light (this one can also charge your phone) and a headlight with a red light setting for night
• Water purifier- there is potable water at the campground, but we needed a purifying device on the hike to the confluence or we would’ve had no water for the return hike. We like this Sawyer one that’s very easy to use
• A nice lightweight blanket to put down on the lakeshore is very nice to have if you’ve got space. We always bring something like this one. Makes relaxing much more enjoyable.
• Portable charging device
• Layers for clothing – it gets cold quickly in the mountains, but you warm up significantly in the sun especially while hiking
• A lightweight pair of shoes to change into at the campsite. We love the waterproof Birkenstocks.
• Cards, or other fun camping games
• If you’re new to hiking you may want to bring some Second skin, Band-Aids, and any supplies for blisters

We took our parents with us on this trip for their first time backcountry camping. They did amazing and loved it so much they’ve gone on more backcountry camping trips on their own 🙂 Such wonderful memories to be made outdoors! Drop any questions in the comments!