Grinnell Lake

This is one of the most rewarding easy hikes in the entire national park system. The trail follows the shoreline of Swiftcurrent Lake before cutting through dense subalpine forest and emerging into the upper valley, where Grinnell Lake sits like a bowl of turquoise paint beneath the Continental Divide. The elevation gain is essentially nothing — a few gentle undulations that barely register in your legs. The path is well-maintained and mostly shaded, crossing a couple of footbridges over creeks running milky with glacial flour. That glacial sediment is exactly what gives the lake its absurd color, a blue-green so saturated it looks artificial. If you want to cut the distance roughly in half, the boat shuttle from Many Glacier Hotel drops you closer to the lake, turning this into a quick out-and-back. Perfect for families, photographers, or anyone who wants a world-class payoff without a world-class suffer-fest.