[2] Located on the east side of the park, Going-to-the-Sun Road parallels the lake along its north shore.

The lake is 9.9 miles (15.9 km) long and 300 feet (91 m) deep with a surface area of 3,923 acres (15.88 km2).

The opening scene in the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film The Shining was shot at Saint Mary Lake.

[3][better source needed] Wild Goose Island rises a mere 14 feet (4.3 m) above the lake.

The island is dwarfed by the lake and surrounding mountains, yet it is of one of the most frequently photographed locations along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.