teapot57 wrote: I didn’t run my GPS but Margaret can’t be more than 1 1/2 miles beyond MOL.
My GPS showed about 3.1 miles from GLH to Margaret, but that included a little wandering around. The park's "official" distance from GLH to MOL is 1.6, so if we assume that is correct (tho NPS isn't always...
) it means that Teapot hit it square on the nose: assume a hair under 1.5 from MOL to Margaret.
She's also spot on that Margaret is VERY doable on the same day you come from Cosley. I did that one year (though I set up my tent at GLH en route not MOL) so I'm not sure why I didn't think to suggest it too? For me, the downside of doing that was I didn't get to Margaret until the afternoon and having the sun in the West meant that most of my pictures were taken looking into the sun; not ideal, especially with my limited skills and little point-and-shoot camera. This year I got there earlier and I that was much nicer. Still, Ms. Maggie is worth visiting at any time of day -- as long as you have
done your homework about the route and/or are comfortable with a little route-finding and short scramble and are prepared to make LOTS and LOTS of noise to give the bears the heads-up as you work your way through the very tall brush alongside a seriously LOUD creek.