Glacier National Park Map + 3-Day Weekend Hiking Itinerary
Glacier's two marquee hikes in a weekend, from a St. Mary base.
3-day Glacier National Park hiking itinerary from a St. Mary base: the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Many Glacier, the Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Overlook from Logan Pass, and a relaxed final morning on Lake McDonald before you fly out of Glacier Park International Airport.
Excellent itinerary planner! Detail oriented with thoughtful tips for my family’s trip.
11 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Every stop is a real pin, in order.
Grinnell Glacier · Highline Trail · Lake McDonald · Montana
6 of the stops on these 3 days.
Plan and book your 3 days in Glacier, one step at a time
How 3 days in Glacier split up
This 3-day Glacier National Park hiking itinerary is built for a long weekend and focuses on the park's most rewarding trails. It pairs two strenuous marquee hikes, the Grinnell Glacier Trail and the Highline Trail, with a shorter viewpoint hike and a relaxed final morning on Lake McDonald.
Day 1: Grinnell Glacier Trail · 10.6 miles
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: Highline Trail & Hidden Lake Overlook
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Lake McDonald & Departure
3 stops · Day three
Grinnell Glacier Trail · 10.6 miles
Your Glacier weekend begins with the classic Grinnell Glacier Trail in the Many Glacier valley. This 10.6-mile round trip climbs steadily past Lake Josephine and Grinnell Lake to a turquoise basin below the receding glacier, one of the most iconic hikes in the park. Start early to secure parking and beat the crowds.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Adrian S Pye / CC BY-SA 2.0Drive from~1 hr to Many Glacier · car required · DriveBase your logistics in St. Mary on the east side of the park, the closest hub to the Many Glacier trailheads and the east end of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Many Glacier is about an hour away by car. For 2026 no vehicle reservation is required, but you still need a park entry pass, and Many Glacier parking fills before dawn in summer.
- Grinnell Glacier Trail
10.6 mi RT · 1,840 ft gain · Strenuous · HikeEmbark on the iconic Grinnell Glacier Trail from near the Many Glacier Hotel. The route climbs steadily past Lake Josephine and Grinnell Lake to a turquoise basin below the receding glacier. Start early to beat the crowds, carry bear spray, and consider the Glacier Park Boat Co. shuttle to trim about 3.4 miles round trip.
Glacier Park Boat Co. shuttleOptional · Josephine & Swiftcurrent lakes · activityTake the concessioner boat across Swiftcurrent and Lake Josephine to trim roughly 3.4 miles from the Grinnell Glacier round trip. Tickets sell out in summer, so reserve online in advance. It is a scenic add-on either way, with narration and lake views below the Garden Wall.
Traveler100 at English / CC BY-SA 3.0Overnight in St. Mary or Many GlacierClosest to the eastern trailheads · lodgeAfter the hike, check into your base. St. Mary has the most options, while the historic Many Glacier Hotel offers a more immersive in-park experience but far fewer rooms. Both put you close to the eastern trailheads and the east end of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Book months ahead for summer.
Highline Trail & Hidden Lake Overlook
Day two heads to Logan Pass for the spectacular Highline Trail, cut into the cliffs below the Garden Wall. The opening ledge, protected by a hand cable, drops away dramatically before the trail opens into sweeping views and reliable mountain-goat and bighorn-sheep sightings. Haystack Butte makes a rewarding turnaround.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass~1 hr from St. Mary · scenic · DriveDrive the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road up to Logan Pass, the high point of the road on the Continental Divide. No vehicle reservation is required in 2026, but beginning July 1, 2026 Logan Pass parking is capped at 3 hours, so plan around the ticketed alpine shuttle if you want a full day up high. Arrive very early, as the lot fills fast.
- Todd Murray / CC BY-SA 3.0Highline Trail to Haystack Butte
Turnaround hike · Garden Wall ledge · HikeBegin the Highline Trail from Logan Pass. The opening ledge, protected by a hand cable, has real exposure before the trail opens into sweeping views below the Garden Wall. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep are common. Haystack Butte is a popular, rewarding turnaround, or continue farther if time and energy allow.
- Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
2.7 mi RT · 460 ft gain · Moderate · ViewpointAlso departing from Logan Pass, the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail is a shorter boardwalk-and-dirt path to a stunning viewpoint over Hidden Lake and Bearhat Mountain. It is a great add-on after the Highline if you have energy, or an easier alternative. It is often snow-covered into July and popular for wildlife and sunset light.
w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0Overnight in St. Mary or West GlacierShift west for an early FCA flight · lodgeDepending on your Day 3 flight, stay in St. Mary again or drive to West Glacier. West Glacier has more dining and lodging and positions you about 30 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport for an easy departure. Driving from St. Mary to West Glacier over the Going-to-the-Sun Road takes about 2 hours.
Lake McDonald & Departure
On your final day, slow the pace and explore the west side of the park around Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier, famous for its clear water and colored-pebble shoreline. Drive the western portion of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, stopping at pull-offs and the historic Lake McDonald Lodge.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Lake McDonald scenic stops
Pull-offs & Lake McDonald Lodge · 1–2 hr · ViewpointSpend your final morning along Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier, famous for its clear water and colored-pebble shoreline. Stop at pull-offs, visit the historic Lake McDonald Lodge, and take a short shoreline walk. Morning light best shows off the pebbles, so hit the west side before the drive to the airport.
GlacierNPS / CC BY 2.0Apgar Village shoreline walkEasy stroll · shops & boat rentals · activityWrap up with an easy stroll around Apgar Village at the foot of Lake McDonald, with shops, a visitor center, and seasonal boat rentals. It is a relaxed way to soak up the west side before you head out to Glacier Park International Airport.
53moons / CC BY-SA 4.0Drive to Glacier Park Intl (FCA)~30 min from West Glacier · DriveConclude your Glacier hiking weekend by driving to Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) near Kalispell, about 30 minutes from West Glacier. Allow ample time for rental-car return and security; the airport is small but gets busy in peak season.
Book the 2 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling. We check every booking site, put your points and card perks against the cash price, and email you this plan back with the best room we can find for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Glacier
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Glacier
Essential park rules & planning.
No vehicle reservation in 2026
Glacier has dropped its timed-entry vehicle reservation system for 2026, so you can drive in at any time from any entrance. You still need a valid park entry pass ($35 per vehicle for 7 days), and an America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee.
Logan Pass 3-hour parking + shuttle
Beginning July 1, 2026, weather permitting, Logan Pass parking is limited to 3 hours. To spend longer in the alpine area of Going-to-the-Sun Road you must book a ticketed shuttle from the west or east entrance; a portion of shuttle tickets releases on a rolling basis starting in early May.
Grizzly country, carry bear spray
Glacier is home to both grizzly and black bears. Always carry bear spray where you can reach it, not buried in your pack, and know how to use it. Make noise on the trail, hike in groups, store food properly, and report bear sightings to a ranger.
Go mid-July to early September
This is the window when the Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open and high-elevation trails are snow-free. Wildflowers peak in July and August. Expect crowds at peak season, and snow can linger on higher trails well into July.
Where to base and book early
St. Mary and Many Glacier put you closest to the eastern trailheads and Logan Pass; West Glacier is handier for the FCA airport. In-park lodging like the Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge books months ahead, and campgrounds often fill by early morning.
Getting there needs a car
Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) near Kalispell is about 30 minutes from West Glacier and roughly 2 hours from St. Mary. There is no practical public transit to the eastern trailheads, so plan on a rental car for the whole trip.
Pack water, layers, and a rain shell
The Grinnell Glacier climb and the Highline are long, high, and exposed, with no reliable drinking water on the trail and fast-changing mountain weather. Afternoon storms can build quickly over the Garden Wall, so carry rain and wind layers plus sun protection, start your descent before weather moves in, and bring more water than you think you'll need or a way to treat what you collect.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
Everything you'll actually want to know before a Glacier trip.
No. For 2026 Glacier National Park has eliminated its timed-entry vehicle reservation system, so no reservation is required to drive into the park, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, or North Fork. You do still need a valid park entry pass ($35 per vehicle for 7 days, or an America the Beautiful pass).
We'll find the cheapest way to do this trip.
Tell us your dates and we price the plan you just built: every booking site, the hotels direct, and your own points and card perks against the cash price. You get it back by email with a link for each night and what it saved you.
- It is free. The hotel pays us, not you. You pay their normal price.
- Nothing is charged and nothing is held. You decide at the end, or you walk away.
- Beds near trailheads are the part that runs out. Everything else can wait.
The figures below are estimates from local nightly rates, so you know the ballpark before you ask. The real number comes back once we have checked what is free.
- 2 nights, sites held for you
- Any permits secured before you fly
- Gear rented locally and waiting at the site
- The route pinned to your phone before you leave
- Everything in Camped
- Rooms booked for every night, one base where the route allows
- Dinner reservations on the nights that need them
- A rain-day plan written before you go
- Everything in Glamped, plus a local guide for the trip
- Airport pickup and every drive handled
- All the gear rented and waiting, so you pack clothes and nothing else
- Weather turns and they rewrite the day while you are still at breakfast
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Builds every custom itinerary herself and leads guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests. Based in Seattle.
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What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
What other travelers are saying
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One tap. It goes straight to Yulia and Margarita.
You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.
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How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
- A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.
Excellent itinerary planner! Detail oriented with thoughtful tips for my family's trip.