Trip Overview
- Duration: 3 days
- Activity: Day hiking
- Total distance: ~22 miles over 3 days
- Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
- Permit: Vehicle reservation required May–October ($2 fee, reserve at recreation.gov); $35/vehicle park entry
- Best months: July–September (full trail access); mid-September for crowds drop
- Nearest towns: West Glacier (west entrance) or St. Mary / East Glacier (east entrance)
Why Glacier
Glacier National Park contains 700 miles of maintained trail, 26 active glaciers (down from 150 in 1910), and a road — Going-to-the-Sun Road — that crests the Continental Divide at 6,646 feet. The park sits along the Rocky Mountain Front in northwestern Montana, sharing a border with Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park to form Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the first international peace park in the world.
Three trails define the Glacier experience: Grinnell Glacier, the Highline Trail, and Hidden Lake Overlook. This itinerary covers all three.
Day 1 — Grinnell Glacier Trail
Start with the showstopper. The Grinnell Glacier Trail (7.6 miles one-way, 1,600 ft gain) begins at the Many Glacier Hotel boat dock — a two-boat shuttle across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine cuts the hike to 3.8 miles each way and is worth the $20. From the dock, the trail climbs through subalpine meadows and traverses a ledge system carved directly into the cliff face. The final approach crosses a snowfield (bring microspikes before late July) and arrives at Upper Grinnell Lake, a turquoise meltwater pool at the base of the glacier itself.
r/nationalparks▲ 2.1k upvotes"Grinnell Glacier is the most beautiful hike I've ever done. The boat shuttle is non-negotiable — do it."
Return to Many Glacier Valley in the late afternoon. Watch for grizzly bears on the slopes above Swiftcurrent Lake — Many Glacier has the highest grizzly density in the lower 48. Stay at Many Glacier Campground or the Many Glacier Hotel (book 13 months ahead).
Day 2 — Highline Trail
The Highline Trail (11.6 miles one-way from Logan Pass to The Loop) is Glacier's signature ridge walk. It begins at the Logan Pass Visitor Center (6,646 ft elevation) and traverses the Garden Wall — a narrow arête on the Continental Divide — with the Going-to-the-Sun Road shrinking below and Grinnell Point rising ahead.
The first mile is the most exposed: a ledge blasted into the cliff with a wire cable to grip. Beyond that, the trail widens into one of the great walking experiences in North America. Watch for mountain goats on the rocks above Haystack Pass, and bighorn sheep near Granite Park Chalet (7.4 miles), where you can eat lunch on the porch and refill water.
From the Chalet, descend to The Loop (4.2 miles, steep) and catch the free park shuttle back to Logan Pass. AllTrails: 4.9★ (6,800+ reviews) · 11.6 mi · 1,600 ft gain (net loss) · Hard.
Logan Pass parking fills by 7am in summer — take the shuttle from Apgar, West Glacier, or St. Mary. The shuttle is free and runs every 15–30 minutes during peak season.
Day 3 — Hidden Lake Overlook & Avalanche Lake
Morning: Hidden Lake Overlook (2.7 miles round trip from Logan Pass, 540 ft gain) is a boardwalk-and-gravel trail across the alpine tundra to a cliff-edge view of Hidden Lake 1,000 feet below. Mountain goats are almost always present on the ridge. AllTrails: 4.8★ (5,300+ reviews) · 2.7 mi · Moderate.
Afternoon: Drive to the Avalanche Creek Trailhead (west side) for Avalanche Lake (4.5 miles round trip, 500 ft gain). The trail begins in a slot canyon of water-carved red argillite before opening into an old-growth cedar-hemlock forest. Avalanche Lake sits at the base of a cirque with waterfalls cascading off every wall — one of the most photogenic stops in the park. AllTrails: 4.8★ (7,100+ reviews) · 4.5 mi · Easy-Moderate.
Logistics
Vehicle reservation: Required May–October for Going-to-the-Sun Road. Book at recreation.gov up to 60 days ahead. $2 per reservation. Reservations are time-specific (6am–3pm or 11am–open). Shuttles bypass the reservation requirement.
Campgrounds: Many Glacier Campground ($23/night, no hookups, bear boxes required); Apgar Campground (west side, good for day 3 base). Reserve at recreation.gov — fills immediately on opening day.
Wildlife precautions: Glacier has active grizzly and black bear populations. Carry bear spray ($50 rental at visitor centers), hike in groups of 3+, make noise on switchbacks.
Gear List
- Bear spray (required — rent at park if needed)
- Microspikes (essential before late July on Grinnell)
- Trekking poles (loose rock on Highline descent)
- Rain shell — afternoon thunderstorms develop fast
- Layering system (Logan Pass can be 40°F even in August)
- Water filter (streams throughout, no treatment stations)
