ST. MARY AND SUN CAMP
To many people Upper St. Mary Lake is the most sublime of all mountain lakes of the world. From its foot roll the plains northeastward to Hudson Bay and the Arctic. Its long and slender surface is deep emerald green, nestled in a salient in the Front Range, with peaks rising majestically a mile sheer over three of its sides. These for the most part possess names of Indian origin: Going-to-the-Sun, Piegan, Little Chief, Mahtotopa Red Eagle, and Curley Bear.
St. Mary Chalet at the lower end of the lake, Going-to-the-Sun Chalets (Sun Camp) near the upper end, Roes Creek Camp Grounds on the north shore, and a hikers' camp at the outlet of Baring Creek furnish ample accommodations for all classes of visitors.
The celebrated Going-to-the-Sun Highway from St. Mary Junction over Logan Pass to Lake McDonald runs along the north shore of St. Mary Lake past Roes Creek Camp. Spurs connect the chalets. Trails centering at Sun Camp lead everywhere: Along the south shore (the Many Falls Trail) to Red Eagle and St. Mary Chalets; up St. Mary Valley to Blackfeet Glacier, Gunsight Lake, and over Gunsight Pass to Lake Ellen Wilson, Sperry Chalets, and Lake McDonald; up Reynolds Creek over Logan Pass and along the Garden Wall to Granite Park; a spur from the trail up the same creek turns right and joins at Preston Meadows, high on Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, with another trail from Sun Camp which leads up Baring Creek past Sexton Glacier and over Siyeh Pass; from Preston Meadows over Piegan Pass and down Cataract Canyon to Many Glacier; up Roes Creek to Roes Basin; up Mount Reynolds to a fire look-out.
A ranger naturalist is stationed at Sun Camp who conducts field trips daily, lectures each evening in the chalet lobby, and maintains a cut-flower exhibit there. Small stores are maintained at both chalets; gasoline is obtainable at each. Scenic twilight launch rides on the lake are featured when the waters are calm. The ranger-naturalist generally accompanies these trips to impart interesting information about the lake and mountains.
Walks and hikes are popular at Sun Camp—to Baring, St. Mary, Florence, and Virginia Falls; to Roes and Baring Basins; to Sexton and Blackfeet Glaciers; to the summit of Goat Mountain. Sunrift Gorge, 100 feet north of the highway at Baring Creek Bridge, should be seen by everyone. It can be reached by trail from Sun Camp.