Swiftcurrent Lake lies at above sea level. Nearby lakes include the much larger Lake Sherburne to the east and Lake Josephine to the immediate southwest. The mountains immediately west of the lake rise above the lake. The fast disappearing Grinnell Glacier is one of several glaciers and snowfields that provide water for the streams that replenish the lake. Mount Gould, Grinnell Point and Mount Wilbur are the largest mountains immediately west of the lake.