Recommendations for Hikes in Glacier National Park
Apr 23rd, 2017, 09:02 AM
#1
Recommendations for Hikes in Glacier National Park
Our family is going to be out there for a week in late July/early August. We will be spending some time on the west side of the Park (Columbia Falls), the East side (currently East Glacier, but may shift that to St. Mary's), and in Waterton (only one night). We are 60, 60, 22, and 20, but we 60-year-olds are still fit. We are all experienced hikers. We are looking for day hikes with beautiful scenery, with a mix of distances and difficulty levels.
It would be particularly helpful if those replying could cite some specific characteristics or factors that lead you to recommend a particular hike.
It would be particularly helpful if those replying could cite some specific characteristics or factors that lead you to recommend a particular hike.
Apr 23rd, 2017, 09:20 AM
#2
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Best advice. Spend 15 minutes with a Ranger at the visitors center in the park. He/she will question you on what you are looking for, your ability etc. and send you on your way armed with loads of information on trails, opening and closures, bear sightings etc.
May 19th, 2017, 05:23 AM
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While on the west side, one of our favorite but the TH is at Bowman lake is the Quartz lake loop , beginning hiking up to Cerulean ridge and then down to Quatrz superior where you can have a nice lunch stop.
Then longiong middle Quartz and then Quartz inferior, nice spot for a snack and a little rest as you have to going up(less than in the morning) to come back to Bowman lake.
The one who like could swim in Quartz superior at noon and in Bowman in the afternoon. There are a lot of huckleberries while going up in the morning. It's a moderatly difficult hike.
In East Glacier, drive to Two Medecine : if you are good hikers a very nice day is to going up to Dawson Pass and then traverse to Old Man lake and back to Two Medine . It's a whole day hike, or beginning by the first boat and hiking from botadock or the whole looop beginning at the camping in Two Medecine. You begin at 8'30 am and back at 5'30 pm...It's a strenous one.
In the same location the hike to Cobalt lake is very nice, shorter and easier with very good chance to see wildlife(moose+++) and then you can hike if you are not too tired to the pass above Cobalt.Nice falls and flowers...
If you sleep in St Mary, you have to explore the Many Glacier area : a combination in that order : Ptarmigan Lake/Ptarmigan tunnel and on the way down extension to Iceberg lake is really a nice day.(moderatly strenous)
The Swiftcurrent pass is more challenging but worth the hike to Granit chalet.
Or taking the shuttle, you can make the Highline from Logan Pass to Many Glacier...less hiking up but wonderful day...
Both are hikes with very very good chance to see wildlife(mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose, bears).
Less challenging , less nice in hike but the Lake is one of the nicest is Cracker Lake(moose+++, bears).
Other option is to take the shuttle to the Piegan pass TH and going up to Piegan pass, not so difficult and back to Many Glacier via Grinnel lake...Stupendous but you have to park a car in Many Glacier(Shuttle to MG are not numerous).
In Waterton, we have been only once and hiked some easy .
We are back this year for more challenging.
Erik
Then longiong middle Quartz and then Quartz inferior, nice spot for a snack and a little rest as you have to going up(less than in the morning) to come back to Bowman lake.
The one who like could swim in Quartz superior at noon and in Bowman in the afternoon. There are a lot of huckleberries while going up in the morning. It's a moderatly difficult hike.
In East Glacier, drive to Two Medecine : if you are good hikers a very nice day is to going up to Dawson Pass and then traverse to Old Man lake and back to Two Medine . It's a whole day hike, or beginning by the first boat and hiking from botadock or the whole looop beginning at the camping in Two Medecine. You begin at 8'30 am and back at 5'30 pm...It's a strenous one.
In the same location the hike to Cobalt lake is very nice, shorter and easier with very good chance to see wildlife(moose+++) and then you can hike if you are not too tired to the pass above Cobalt.Nice falls and flowers...
If you sleep in St Mary, you have to explore the Many Glacier area : a combination in that order : Ptarmigan Lake/Ptarmigan tunnel and on the way down extension to Iceberg lake is really a nice day.(moderatly strenous)
The Swiftcurrent pass is more challenging but worth the hike to Granit chalet.
Or taking the shuttle, you can make the Highline from Logan Pass to Many Glacier...less hiking up but wonderful day...
Both are hikes with very very good chance to see wildlife(mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose, bears).
Less challenging , less nice in hike but the Lake is one of the nicest is Cracker Lake(moose+++, bears).
Other option is to take the shuttle to the Piegan pass TH and going up to Piegan pass, not so difficult and back to Many Glacier via Grinnel lake...Stupendous but you have to park a car in Many Glacier(Shuttle to MG are not numerous).
In Waterton, we have been only once and hiked some easy .
We are back this year for more challenging.
Erik
May 19th, 2017, 10:09 AM
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May 19th, 2017, 01:00 PM
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Highly recommend staying in St Mary’s or better yet Many Glacier to be closer to the best trailheads.
In addition to Erik’s hikes we really enjoyed the Grinnell glacier hike. A moderate hike with a beautiful destination of the glacier and lake with icebergs. The best part is little of the hike is in the woods so there are great views almost the whole way. We were there last September 2016 and several trails including iceberg lake/Ptarmigan we planned on hiking were closed due to pesky bears.
In addition to Erik’s hikes we really enjoyed the Grinnell glacier hike. A moderate hike with a beautiful destination of the glacier and lake with icebergs. The best part is little of the hike is in the woods so there are great views almost the whole way. We were there last September 2016 and several trails including iceberg lake/Ptarmigan we planned on hiking were closed due to pesky bears.
