My Favorite Hikes in Glacier National Park

Skipper

Not one hike will lead you astray of beauty in Glacier National Park. If you see signs cautioning of Bear activity. Please heed the warnings and pick a different trail. Humans are the most dangerous factors of the bears natural environments. Give them space and don't leave any food on the trails. Leave no Trace. Enjoy some of the most beautiful places on earth, but be respectful and follow trail rules. Glacier National Park had over 150 Glaciers in 1850. Now there are less than 25 remaining. These are truly once in a lifetime experiences.

Apgar Lookout Trail, Gunsight Pass, Avalanche Lake, Sinopah Mountain, Highline Trail

  • Apgar Lookout Trail, United States

    Image of Apgar Lookout Trail on Seeker

  • Gunsight Pass, United States

    Image of Gunsight Pass on Seeker

  • Avalanche Lake, United States

    Image of Avalanche Lake on Seeker
    • skipper

      Avalanche lake via Trail of the Cedars was probably one fo the easiest hikes I have done in the Glacier area. It is highly trafficked, and often less bear traffic because of this. It is shaded almost the entire way to the lake. And only about 1 hour each way. Give or take an hour for taking it all in and going slow. The reward at the end would make you think you did a lot more work to get there. Beautiful panoramic views of the lake and surrounded by tall mountains in a 360 degree all around you. The only struggle you will have on this hike is finding parking and trying to keep more than 5 feet of space in front of or behind you to the next group of hikers. if you were going to do any Glacier hikes alone, this would probably be the only one I would suggest.

  • Sinopah Mountain, United States

    Image of Sinopah Mountain on Seeker
    • skipper

      Sinopah was a back country hike to a peak that we did and probably started a little irresponsible late for the work we were about th put in. If I remember correctly it was sometime after 4pm when we started the hike. The first half or so is a moderate hike and fairly flat. We took a turn past some falls. This is when the race to the peak before dark took us a bit offtrail. At this point the incline got steeper and steeper and the ground started to turn to a shingly gravel. It was very slick and very steep. We made it to the top and had a quick lunch break. I don't think we even had time to catch our wind before we had to head back down to make it back to the trailhead before dark . OI actually lost my bear spray on the hike down, but didn't realize till it was far too late to turn around. I felt really bad about leaving it, but it was a safety factor to get to the trail head at this point. I just hope that another hiker found it on the mountain and was able to take it out. The race down the slippery shingles was even harder on the knees than on the way up. We raced the sunset as we cleared the end just as it was getting dark. I would say this one isn't for everyone. But I couldn't even tell you how to find the trail we did as the last half wasn't a commonly trafficked route.

  • Highline Trail, United States

    Image of Highline Trail on Seeker
    • skipper

      While this one is not technically on the East side, it is technically half way between East and West depending on where you stay and how you get into Logan Pass to begin the hike. You can go in to the lookout and go back. Or you can drop off and have two car points and start at either the Loop or Logan's Pass, and go through to the opposite side. This is probably one of the most beautiful and well known hikes in glacier. You will not find parking if you don't go in to the park before 5/6 am. Expect it to be heavily trafficked the entire route. Start early. Prepare for all the layers. It is COLD in the morning. Bring trekking poles. The inversion cloud in the canyon on the way up was one of the most glorious views I have seen in my life. We hiked from Logans Pass, the garden wall and then up to the look out and back out(extremely steep) We had trekking poles and were fairly in-shape (group of 8) but we we all hurting to pay for those breath taking views. Don't hike alone! Just last year a female hiker fell off the top of the lookout alone and was not found till days later. It is steep and windy. We came back down from the look out, stumbled across the Granite Park Chalet(Very historical, which we had no idea at the time). I later was told to read "A Night of the Grizzlies" by Jack Olsen. Highly recommend. The book tells a chilling tale of multiple grizzly attacks on humans in the park. It was the first known grizzly attack on humans within park boundaries and it happened in two different locations (unrelated but both caused by humans and their poor interactions with wildlife) in the same evening. One of which was at the Granite Park Chalet. Maybe wait to read the book till after you experience the hike... Haha Anyways, we finished by coming out at the Loop trailhead. The last portion of the trail was heavily wooded area with overgrown berry bushes. Real Grizzly country. We were all hurting from the 15.6 or so miles that we did that day at serious inclines up and down. It was one of the most worthwhile hikes I have ever done. And yes.. there was a Grizzly sighting near the end of the trail in the last mile before the Loop trailhead. This hike isn't for the faint of heart but it is a once in lifetime experience. Have fun, just do a little Bear Aware training before you go!