Every Montanan knows that Glacier National Park is one of the most amazing places on the planet. But if you’ve been to Grinnell Glacier recently, you may have noticed something that looks a little odd.

If your trek through the park takes you to some rosy red snow with a subtly sweet scent, you’ve found what’s known as “watermelon snow.” But even though it looks bizarre, there’s a logical explanation for it (that doesn’t actually involve fruit).

Glacier National Park is home to a certain type of red-pigmented algae called Chalemydomonas nivalis.
Lindsey Turner / Flickr

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When the algae combines with the snow around it, it creates a vibrant red color.
Dr.DeNo / Flickr
The red pigment in the algae helps to protect its chloroplast from the sun’s radiation. This allows it to absorb the sun's heat, causing the snow around it to eventually melt (which in turns gives the algae water).
On February 2, Joe Giersch, an entomologist at the United States Geological Survey, found some melted watermelon snow at Grinnell Glacier and took this photo.
YouTube
The algae gives off a sweet smell, hence the name.

To learn more about watermelon snow and where it has been spotted, check out this video from The Weather Network.

Glacier National Park is, among other things, mysterious. Here are 10 fascinating facts about the park you might not know.

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