DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARKS. 13 



has intimated that he may seek the privilege of erecting a camp or 

 chalet group on Bowman Lake, one of the very large lakes in the 

 northwestern part of the park. This section of extraordinary beauty 

 is terra incognita to all but a relatively few venturesome visitors who 

 have made extensive trail trips with their own camp equipment. 

 Should Bowman Lake be provided with tourist accommodations it 

 w r ould become the fifth extensively developed lake of the park. The 

 four already developed are Lakes St. Mary, McDermott, McDonald, 

 and Two Medicine. 



DESIRABLE ROAD DEVELOPMENT. 



Another large lake that should have attention in the early future 

 by the Federal Government and by business enterprise is Waterton 

 Lake, which lies on the international boundary and in one of the most 

 beautiful valleys of Glacier Park. This valley extends on through 

 Waterton Lakes Park, Canada, which joins Glacier Park on the 

 north. A road should be constructed up the McDonald Kiver Valley 

 over Flattop and down the Waterton Valley to the lake. Ulti 

 mately such a road would give direct access to Banff and the Canadian 

 Rockies, through marvelously beautiful sections of our own Ameri 

 can Rockies. There would be no difficult passes to negotiate in con 

 structing this road and grades would be very low. 



The first link in this road should be built at once on the east shore 

 of Lake McDonald. This section of the highway would also con 

 stitute the first link in a road over the Continental Divide connect 

 ing the road systems of the two sides of the park. Both the Water- 

 ton Lake road and the road across the divide are necessary exten 

 sions of the park highway system and ultimately must be built. 



In addition to being the first link in both roads, the Lake Mc 

 Donald highway would give access to the hotel at the head of the 

 lake, and give the motorist the opportunity to avail himself of ac 

 commodations and supplies. Citizens of Kalispell, Missoula, Colum 

 bia Falls, and other Montana cities have spent many thousands of 

 dollars in bringing their highway system up to the western boun 

 dary, and yet these citizens, as well as visitors from other States, 

 can enter only 3 miles into the park to a point where there are 

 neither hotel accommodations for themselves nor shelter for their 

 cars. 



ADEQUATE ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS NEEDED. 



In connection with this proposed road and other developments on 

 the west side of the park, there should be mentioned the immediate 

 need of a new bridge over the Flathead River at Belton, and new 

 administration buildings at a point readily accessible to all visitors 

 to the park. The present bridge over the Flathead is unsafe, and 



