Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is located in Montana and is known for its majestic mountains, pristine lakes and unique wildlife. The park spans over a million acres and has over 700 miles of hiking trails. It is most known for its scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road. The park has bears, moose, mountain goats and more. This will go into some of the top iconic hikes and how to prepare for hiking in Glacier National Park.
Preparing to Hike in Glacier National Park
Hiking in Glacier National Park is truly incredible. There are several things to consider. You should find out where the trail starts and the logistics of getting to the trailhead/parking. Please also look at the length and time it will take you so you can optimize daytime. Often the earlier you get to the trailhead the easier it is to find parking. If it is off the Going-to-the-Sun Road you may need a vehicle reservation depending on the time you are going. Also it is essential to have water, sunscreen, bug spray and bear spray. We went in late September/early October so layers were needed.
getting around
The best way to visit this national park is in your own private vehicle. You can drive through most of the park on paved roads. If you are flying to the area, you should rent a car. You could also join a day tour if you prefer not to drive. There is the famous Red Bus Tours however the west tours pick up from within the park. The eastern tours do pick up in St Mary’s outside of the park.
where to stay for hiking
If you want to take advantage of the park with minimizing driving time and don’t mind changing accommodation locations I would highly advise it. Getting to the eastern aspect takes a long time from the eastern town and especially if you want to go to Canada Waterton National Lakes Park or hiking the infamous Grinnell Glacier Trail it is worth spending at least one night on the eastern side. The earlier you get to some of these trailheads the easier it is to find parking.
Learning the trails
You can always stop at the visitor center to get trail maps. Usually they divide it out by the region of the park: Lake McDonald, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, St. Mary and North Fork/Goat Haunt. When you ask a ranger they can also guide you to easier versus harder trails and give you updates on the conditions of the trails. There are several top trails in every section of the park.
fees
Glacier National Park charges an entrance fee. It is $20 per person, $30 per motorcycle and $35 per vehicle.
There is an annual park pass for Glacier which is $70.
America the Beautiful Annual Pass: $80 interagency pass good for one year from month purchased- I highly recommend this if visiting more than 3 parks in a year. You still need the reservation for the Going-to-the-Sun Road even if you have this pass.
There is a $2 fee for your vehicle reservation if you want to enter to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road between 7AM-3PM from the western entrance during peak season.
Must Hike Hikes Lake McDonald area Glacier NP
Avalanche Lake
Avalanche Lake Hike is located in the Lake McDonald region. The start of the trail is also connected to the Trail of Cedars (more information below) This hike is 4.6 miles round trip with 500 ft elevation gain. It brings you to epic lake. At the lake you can continue to walk around the lake.
Trail of Cedars
This trail is ADA accessible and passes through beautiful forest with wooden platform and is 0.7 miles total.
Apgar Lookout
This is a 7.1 mile out and back trail that gains about 1900 feet so it is fairly steep but gives an overlook of Lake McDonald.
Must hike hikes in Logan Pass
Hidden Lake Overlook
From the Logan Pass Visitor Center you can hike 1.4 miles one way up 460ft to get a beautiful view of the hidden lake. If you want to go to the Hidden Lake it is an additional 1.2 miles that drops 780ft from the overlook.
Granite Park Chalet
This chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and can only be accessed by trail. There are several options the Highline Trail (7.6 miles with 800ft elevation gain), the Loop Trail (4.2 miles with 2,200ft elevation gain) or the Swiftcurrent Trail (7.6 miles with 2,300 elevation gain). You can spend a night here but reservations open usually in January and fill very quickly.
Must hike hikes Many Glacier
Grinnell Glacier Viewpoint
One of the iconic pictures of this park is of Grinnell Glacier. It is one of the top rated hikes in the park and for good reason. During the peak season you can help cut out some of the hike by taking a boat shuttle using The Glacier Park Boat Company . The boat one way return option will cut off about 2 miles of this 10.6 mile hike usually starting July 1st.
Apikuni Falls
This short 1 mile hike with about 700 ft of elevation gain so it is fairly steep but you are rewarded with the waterfall at the end. It is located about 1.1 miles east of Many Glacier Hotel. There is some rock scrambling especially near the end.
Must hike hikes Two Medicine
Upper Two Medicine Lake
Upper Two Medicine Lake is a great hike in this area of the park. During the peak season you can help cut out some of the hike by taking a boat shuttle using The Glacier Park Boat Company . The boat one way return option will cut off about 3.5 miles of the hike back usually starting July 1st. You can also opt for boat and guided hiking option
Aster Falls
This short 1.2 mile hike with about 100 ft of elevation gain is a great little hike. It starts at the South Shore Trailhead. Many people mentioned seeing moose on this trail but we didn’t see any on our trip.
Running Eagle Falls
Running Eagle Falls is a 0.3 mile accessible trail. It has its own dedicated parking area on the right side right after the Two Medicine Entrance station.
