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Glacier Park Hikes: A List Of Our Favorite Day Hikes
Glacier National Park is a hiker’s dream come true. With over 800 miles of incredible hiking trails located in some of the most beautiful landscape on planet earth, Shannon and I had a really difficult time choosing our 10 favorite day hikes in Glacier Park. But after careful consideration, below is our list of these amazing Glacier Park hikes that are our personal favorite…. And please keep in mind that this list is not in any particular order….
Grinnell Glacier Trail
The Grinnell Glacier Trail is without question one of the most scenic day hikes in Glacier National Park. The view the entire hike is jaw-dropping, and very much worth the effort to hike this iconic Glacier Park hike. Located in the Many Glacier Area, the Grinnell Glacier Trail is a “must do” hike for anyone interested in hiking in Glacier Park. And by the way, even if the actual Grinnell Glacier is closed due to snow hazards, this hike is still very much worth your time because the views all the way up to the closure are awe-inspiring.
Iceberg Lake Trail
The Iceberg Lake Trail in the Many Glacier Area is yet another iconic, world-class hike in Glacier National Park. The views the entire way are spectacular, and usually through the end of July and even into August, you’ll get to see icebergs floating on this famous lake. The Iceberg Lake Trail is without question a “must do” for anyone interested in day hiking in Glacier National Park.
Highline Trail
Yet another world-class Glacier National Park hike is the Highline Trail. Located at Logan Pass along the Going To The Sun Road, the Highline Trail provides breathtaking vistas as far as the eye can see. You can hike just a few miles and then turn around, or go all the way to the historic Granite Park Chalet– it’s whatever you’re in the mood for. The Highline Trail is an extremely popular Glacier Park hike, and is definitely a “must do” for those visitors who want to experience one of the classic Glacier Park Hikes.
Hidden Lake Trail/Overlook
Located on Logan Pass along the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park, the Hidden Lake Trail is among the iconic Glacier National Park hikes that is an absolute “must do” for anyone wanting to witness probably the most gorgeous 1.5 miles they’ve ever seen in their entire lives. You will be surrounded by towering matterhorns and unbelievable vistas the entire hike. The Hidden Lake Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Glacier National Park. And by the way, if you want to see mountain goats up close, this is the hike for you!
Swiftcurrent Pass Trail
The Swiftcurrent Pass Trail begins at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot in the Many Glacier Area of Glacier National Park. This hike includes Red Rock Falls and many other highlights, including Fisher Cap Lake, Bullhead Lake, Red Rock Lake, Swiftcurrent Headwall and Swiftcurrent Pass. If you’re in shape and want to go further, you can hike up to the summit of Swiftcurrent Mountain or hike to the Granite Park Chalet- or both! The Swiftcurrent Pass Trail is a magnificent Glacier Park hike for those who are in fairly good physical condition. The scenery is absolutely world class the entire way. And don’t forget that you can go as far as you want… If you just want to get to Red Rock Falls, that’s great. That section of the trail is very level and pleasant for all levels of hikers. The Swiftcurrent Pass Trail is without question one of the classic Glacier Park hikes that you really need to experience first hand!
Dawson – Pitamakan Loop
Located in the Two Medicine Area, this 18 mile Dawson-Pitamakan Loop day hike is definitely one of our favorite hikes in Glacier National Park. The views from this trail very well may be some of the most awe-inspiring of any hiking trail in North America, and we highly recommend it for those of you who are looking for a longer day hike. During your hike along the Dawson – Pitamakan Loop, you will hike over three mountain passes, and will hike directly on the Continental Divide for several miles. We love the hike around the Dawson-Pitamakan Loop, and we are confident you will too! (Please note that you should be in reasonable physical condition to attempt this all-day, fairly strenuous hike.)
Gunsight Pass Trail
The Gunsight Pass Trail is an amazing Glacier Park hike that begins at the Jackson Glacier Overlook along the Going To The Sun Road and ends at Lake McDonald Lodge. This 20 mile Glacier Park day hike provides incredible diversity as you cross two major mountain passes and some gorgeous lakes including Gunsight Lake and Lake Ellen Wilson. The scenery along the entire way along the Gunsight Pass Trail is “post card” perfect, and an added treat along this iconic hike is the historic Sperry Chalet, which is located on the last leg of your hike. We can’t put into words how amazing this hike is, but you really need to be in good physical condition before attempting this Glacier Park hike. (The Gunsight Pass Trail is also one of the favorite overnight backpacking routes for those who enjoy overnight backpacking in Glacier Park.)
Cracker Lake
The Cracker Lake Trail is located in the Many Glacier Area of Glacier National Park, and is a very worth while day hike. The turquoise color of Cracker Lake is stunning, and that in itself is worth the effort to see, let along the wonderful scenery that surrounds you the entire way. Directly above Cracker Lake looms the famous North Face of Mount Siyeh. This 4,200 foot vertical wall is one of the largest walls in North America. It’s only been successfully climbed once, and once you get underneath this massive wall, you’ll see why. The Cracker Lake Trail is very enjoyable… And by the way, don’t worry about the horse trail that you’ll be on for the first several miles… the trail turns into a regular hiker’s trail (thank goodness) the rest of the way to the lake.
Siyeh Pass
We always enjoy the hike to Siyeh Pass in Glacier National Park. This is definitely one of the classic Glacier Park hikes that provides eye-popping vistas that you’ll never forget. This famous hike begins at the Siyeh Bend along the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier Park, and ends at the Sunrift Gorge Pullout on the Going To The Sun Road. The Siyeh Pass Trail one of the higher passes in Glacier National Park, and the view from the pass is spectacular.
Piegan Pass
The Piegan Pass Trail begins at the Siyeh Bend along the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park and either ends the same place you started, or you can hike down to the Many Glacier Hotel once you’ve reached the pass. We really like this hike and we are always thrilled with the scenery no matter how many times we’ve been on this trail. The Piegan Pass Trail is definitely one of the top hikes in Glacier National Park, and deserves to be in our “Top Ten List of Day Hikes” in Glacier Park.
An additional favorite of ours: Sperry Glacier Trail
The Sperry Glacier Trail is one of our personal favorites, and really needs to be mentioned on this page. This fantastic hike takes you to the foot of the mighty Sperry Glacier, which is one of the largest glaciers in Glacier National Park. The trailhead is located at Lake McDonald Lodge on the west side of the park. This can be either a long day hike, or what many visitors do is stay a night at the Sperry Chalet and hike to Sperry Glacier the following day. The astonishing and diverse landscape along this world-class hike is impossible to put into words- you’ll just have to see it for yourself! The hike along the Sperry Glacier Trail really should be among the top ten hikes in Glacier National Park– we really love this hike!!!
There you have it…. the list of our ten favorite hikes in Glacier National Park. But keep in mind, there are many other wonderful day hikes that deserve to be on this list…. maybe we should have picked our “top twenty” hikes in Glacier National Park to be fair to the other classic hikes not mentioned in this article.
For a list and detailed description of all the hikes in Glacier Park, Click Here.
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