You do not have to be a mountaineer to feel like you have earned the views in Glacier National Park. Some of the park's most jaw-dropping scenery sits at the end of short, gentle trails that families with young kids and casual walkers can finish in an afternoon. Here are seven of the easiest hikes in Glacier, with honest notes on distance, terrain, and when each one actually melts out.
Trail of the Cedars
This is the gentlest real hike in the park and the perfect warm-up. The Trail of the Cedars is a flat 0.9-mile loop along a boardwalk and paved path through an ancient western red cedar and hemlock grove near Avalanche Creek. It is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible, and the gorge where Avalanche Creek pours through pink Belt rock is a highlight. It usually opens by mid to late May, well before the high country.
Avalanche Lake
If your group is up for a little more, continue from Trail of the Cedars onto the Avalanche Lake trail. It is about 4.5 miles round trip with only 500 feet of gain, and it ends at a glacial lake ringed by waterfalls tumbling off Bearhat Mountain. Go early in the morning to find parking at the Avalanche trailhead, which fills fast all summer.
Hidden Lake Overlook
From the Logan Pass Visitor Center, the Hidden Lake Overlook trail climbs about 1.4 miles to a stunning viewpoint above Hidden Lake. Much of it is boardwalk built to protect the alpine meadows, and you will almost always see mountain goats and marmots. Note that this trail sits at 6,646 feet and is often snow-covered until early July, so it is a summer hike, not a spring one.
Running Eagle Falls
Over on the Two Medicine side, Running Eagle Falls (also called Trick Falls) is a flat 0.6-mile round trip to a unique double waterfall. In high water the falls pour over the top; later in summer the flow shifts to a lower opening in the rock. It is one of the best low-effort payoffs in the whole park.
St. Mary and Virginia Falls
On the east side near St. Mary Lake, this 3-mile round-trip walk visits two waterfalls. St. Mary Falls is a wide, turquoise cascade, and a short extra climb brings you to taller Virginia Falls. The trail passes through an area burned in the 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire, so you get wide open views and bright summer wildflowers.
Swiftcurrent Lake Loop
In the Many Glacier valley, the Swiftcurrent Lake nature trail is a flat 2.6-mile loop with constant views of Grinnell Point reflected in the water. It connects to the Lake Josephine trail if you want to extend it, and the Many Glacier area is one of the best places in the lower 48 to spot grizzly bears at a distance.
Apgar and Lake McDonald shoreline
Right at the west entrance, the easy paths around Apgar Village and the colorful pebble beach at Lake McDonald are perfect for a first evening in the park. There is almost no elevation gain, and the famous multicolored stones in the shallows are a hit with kids.
Easy Hikes At A Glance
| Trail | Distance | Elevation Gain | Side Of Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trail of the Cedars | 0.9 mi loop | Minimal, boardwalk and paved | West Glacier |
| Avalanche Lake | About 4.6 mi RT | 500 ft | West Glacier |
| Hidden Lake Overlook | 2.8 mi RT | 460 ft | Going-to-the-Sun (Logan Pass) |
| Running Eagle Falls | 0.6 mi RT | Negligible | Two Medicine |
| St. Mary and Virginia Falls | About 3.2 mi RT | About 285 ft on the return climb | Going-to-the-Sun (St. Mary side) |
| Swiftcurrent Lake Loop | 2.3 mi loop | Minimal, flat lakeshore | Many Glacier |
| Apgar / Lake McDonald shoreline | Varies, short walk | Minimal | West Glacier |
Planning your easy-hiking trip
A few things make these short hikes go smoothly:
- Start early. Trailhead lots at Avalanche, Logan Pass, and Many Glacier fill by 8 a.m. in peak season.
- Carry bear spray. Even on short, popular trails you are in grizzly country. Know how to use it.
- Check the road status. Many east-side trails depend on Going-to-the-Sun Road being plowed and open.
- Layer up. Mornings near the lakes can be in the 40s even in July.
If you are visiting in the shoulder season when the alpine trails are still buried in snow, the lower-elevation walks like Trail of the Cedars, Running Eagle Falls, and the Lake McDonald shoreline are your best bets. For a full day-by-day plan that works around early-season closures, see our Glacier National Park Memorial Day weekend itinerary, which is built specifically around the trails that are actually open in late May.
Easy Hikes in Glacier National Park FAQs
Trail of the Cedars is the easiest, a flat 0.9-mile boardwalk and paved loop through an old-growth cedar grove that is fully stroller and wheelchair accessible.
The low-elevation hikes like Trail of the Cedars, Running Eagle Falls, and the Lake McDonald shoreline are usually open in late May. High trails such as Hidden Lake Overlook stay snow-covered into early July.
Yes. Glacier is grizzly country and bears use all elevations. Carry bear spray on every trail, even short popular ones near the trailheads, and know how to deploy it quickly.
Trail of the Cedars (0.9 mile loop, fully accessible) and Avalanche Lake (about 4.6 miles round trip, 500 feet of gain) are the two best easy hikes on the West Glacier side, both starting from the same Avalanche Creek trailhead in the Lake McDonald Valley. For something flatter, the paths around Apgar Village and the Lake McDonald shoreline add an easy, low-key finish with almost no elevation gain.
Timing depends on elevation and snowpack. Lower valley trails like Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars see the first wildflowers as snow melts in early summer, subalpine meadows fill with beargrass and glacier lilies through the season, and high alpine spots like Hidden Lake Overlook near Logan Pass have the shortest season and bloom latest. On the east side, asters carry the color into late summer. Check the park's current conditions page before you go, since timing shifts from year to year.
Yes, the Glacier NP Backcountry is required. Advance wilderness camping permit for backcountry campsites across Glacier National Park.
Application window: early-access lotteries in March, then general reservations open May 1.
Competitive for marquee routes, more open on the May 1 release.
Grab a May 1 general reservation, or a walk-in first-come permit held back at permit offices.
West Glacier, MT is the gateway town, flying into Glacier Park International (FCA).
Yes. The worked day-by-day plan is Glacier National Park: Memorial Day Weekend Itinerary (3 Days), with the permits, the stays and the drive times already sorted. Tell us your dates and we will put it together for you and confirm what is genuinely open on those days. Asking is free: no card, no deposit, and nothing is held until you say yes.
