Well, I have never been there in the winter so I'm not sure. Sometimes, you can't even get to that point as GTTSR might be closed due to snowfall. You might want to contact them directly or check their "trail status" on the web site. Sorry, I know that's not a very helpful answer.

You’ll be just fine. Less people but still get up early to get out on the trail. It’s better with less people.

Natural lake fed by glacial runoff which contains glacial flour (very fine silt) which causes the magnificent color of the water.

ELKW, I believe the point that your are asking about is approximately 1/2 mile from the trailhead.

Sorry for the delayed response. Depending on the amount of time you spend at Avalance Lake the actual hiking time is 3-5 hours

I second Avalanche Lake. A tad crowded, but get there in the morning and it won't be too bad. I'd find time to get over to Many Glacier on the west side and hike Grinnel Glacier after hiking around the lakes. Stunning!

Personally, I recommend making the drive to Many Glacier. Both the Grinnell and Iceberg hikes are amazing. Avalanche Lake is nice but nothing like other hikes in the park.

Hi Amy, There are plenty of hikes to take and I can't remember the names of all of them. I prefer hikes alongside streams and to lakes. When you get to Lake McDonald the locals will tell you which ones provide you with one or both. For me, these are the most relaxing and beautiful. The primary consideration, however, will be parking. Go early enough that you'll be able to park near the entrance to the hike. If you don't you might not find any parking. It's not as bad in June but once July comes the early birds do get the parking.

You know to go earlier in the morning for the sun/lighting, and to see the most wildlife. From my experience, I think the Redrock falls hike offers the most variety of scenery. Here's a list from the Trails table I made before my trip to Many Glacier in September, 2016. The first words are the Park Location, then the trail Name; then the Round Trip (RT) Miles, then Elevation Gain (EG) in feet of the trail, then the degree of Difficulty (scale of 1 to 20); then the Features the trail is Known for. #1) Two Medicine; Running Eagle Falls; RT 0.6; EG 15; Diff. 0.63; “Trick” Waterfalls, Handicap accessible trail. #2) Lake McDonald; Trail of the Cedars; RT 1.0;EG 60; Diff. 1.12; Hike on a raised boardwalk, Ancient Forest of Hemlocks & Red Cedars, views of Avalanche Gorge, Waterfalls. Popular with everyone, even children. #3) Lake McDonald; Branch to Avalanche; RT4.0; Diff. 4.75; To the lake itself, framed by mountains, tall cedars #4) Lake McDonald; Forest Fire Nature Trail; R 1.1; EG 180; Diff. 1.46; No crowds. Witness the re-growth of a new forest as it recovers from the 2001 Moose fire. Scenic Views, Wildflowers. #5) Lake McDonald; Johns Lake Loop; RT1.8; EG 225; Diff. 2.25; Waterfalls, Lake Views. #6) Lake McDonald; Rocky Point Nature; RT 1.9; EG 350; Diff. 2.60; Views of Lake McDonald, Scenic Views of mountains in Sperry Glacier Vicinity. #7) Many Glacier; Swiftcurrent Nature Trail; RT 2.9; EG 25; Diff. 2.95; Scenic and Lake Views, Forest. #8) Many Glacier; Redrock Falls; RT 4.2; EG 285; Diff. 4.77; Cascades, Waterfalls, 2 Sub-alpine Lakes, Scenic Views, wildlife (moose). #9) St. Mary Lake: St. Mary Falls; RT 1.7; EG 215; Diff. 2.13; Waterfalls. #10) St. Mary Lake, Virginia Falls; RT 3.6; EG 525; Diff. 4.65; Waterfalls, dropping more than 50 ft. off a sheer cliff. Also, St. Mary Falls, and two other falls on trail. Have fun!