Hiking in Glacier National Park

With 730 mi of marked trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise. Trail maps are available at all visitor centers and entrance stations. Before hiking, ask about trail closures because of bear or mountain lion activity. Never hike alone. For backcountry hiking, pick up information on closures and a map from park headquarters (406/888-7800) or the Apgar backcountry office near Glacier's western entrance (406/888-7939).

Easy

Avalanche Lake Trail. From Avalanche Creek Campground, take this 3-mi trail leading to mountain-ringed Avalanche Lake. The walk is relatively easy (it ascends 500 feet), making this one of the most accessible backcountry lakes in the park. Crowds fill the parking area and trail during July and August, and on sunny weekends in May and June. 15 mi north of Apgar on Going-to-the-Sun Rd.

Baring Falls. For a nice family hike, try the 1.3-mi path from the Sun Point parking area. It leads to a spruce and Douglas fir wood; cross a log bridge over Baring Creek and you arrive at the base of gushing Baring Falls. 11 mi east of Logan Pass on Going-to-the-Sun Rd.

Hidden Lake Nature Trail. This uphill, 1½-mi trail runs from Logan Pass southwest to Hidden Lake Overlook, from which you get a beautiful view of the lake and McDonald Valley. In spring, ribbons of water pour off the rocks surrounding the lake. Logan Pass Visitor Center.

Trail of the Cedars. This wheelchair-accessible, ½-mi boardwalk loop through an ancient cedar and hemlock forest is a favorite of families with small children and people with disabilities. Interpretive signs describe the habitat and natural history of the rain forest. Avalanche Creek Campground, 15 mi north of Apgar on Going-to-the-Sun Rd.

Moderate

Highline Trail. From the Logan Pass parking lot, hike north along the Garden Wall and just below the craggy Continental Divide. Wildflowers dominate the 7½ mi to Granite Park Chalet, a National Historic Landmark, where hikers with reservations can overnight. Return to Logan Pass along the same trail or hike down 4½ mi (a 2,500-foot descent) on the Loop Trail. Logan Pass Visitor Center.

Iceberg Lake Trail. This moderately strenuous 9-mi round-trip hike passes the gushing Ptarmigan Falls, then climbs to its namesake, where icebergs bob in the chilly mountain lake. Mountain goats hang out on sheer cliffs above, bighorn sheep graze in the high mountain meadows, and grizzly bears dig for glacier lily bulbs, grubs, and ground squirrels. Rangers lead hikes here almost daily in summer, leaving at 8:30 AM. Swiftcurrent Inn parking lot off Many Glacier Rd.

Difficult

Grinnell Glacier Trail. The strenuous 5½-mi hike to Grinnell Glacier, the park's largest and most accessible glacier, is marked by several spectacular viewpoints. You start at Swiftcurrent Lake's picnic area, climb a moraine to Lake Josephine, then climb to the Grinnell Glacier overlook. Halfway up, turn around to see the prairie land to the northeast. You can short-cut the trail by 2 mi each way by taking two scenic boat rides across Swiftcurrent and Josephine lakes. From July to mid-September, a ranger-led hike departs from the Many Glacier Hotel boat dock most mornings at 8:30. Josephine boat dock.

Two Medicine Valley Trails. One of the least developed parts of Glacier, the lovely southeast corner of the park is a good place for a quiet day hike, although you should look out for signs of bears. The trailhead to Upper Two Medicine Lake and Cobalt Lake begins west of the boat dock and camp supply store, where you can make arrangements for a boat pickup or drop-off across the lake. Two Medicine Campground, 9 mi west of Rte. 49.