Some Lakes of Glacier National Park

The lakes and landscape of Glacier National Park in Montana are celebrated and detailed in this outstanding guidebook, first published in 1912 by John Morton Elrod with the oversight of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior. This edition includes photographs of the lakes described.


All of the major bodies of water which comprise the Glacier National Park receive due mention in this handbook. The author was a professional surveyor who was tasked with discovering whether the lakes were suitable for the collection of the microscopic life which comprises fish food. Elrod's study, which occurred between 1909 and 1911, resulted in his creating an impressive narration of each lake and its properties.


Although this book is somewhat dated to its time, describing technologies which are now obsolete, the overarching analysis of the National Park remains relevant and grounded in the author's long experiences. The water temperatures, distances between each lake and the next, and the various streams and rivulets which run into and between these are mentioned, while the topography and qualities of the surrounding lands receive consistent examination.


Overall, Elrod's study remains a worthwhile and informative historical read, and a worthy handbook for those who are familiar with, or wish to explore, Glacier National Park.