On your own feet, you can explore the true beauty of Glacier where the most beautiful hikes in the United States are featured. With over 700 miles of hiking trails, what do you going to pick? Here we come up with the 11 best hikes in Glacier National Park to help you with discovering the striking sights.
- Avalanche Lake
- Hidden Lake Overlook
- St. Mary and Virginia Falls
- Highline Trail
- Apikuni Falls
- Grinnell Glacier
- Swiftcurrent Pass Trail
- Cracker Lake
- Iceberg Lake Trail
- Ptarmigan Tunnel
- Pitamakan – Dawson Loop
Glacier National Park is a large park owning the most inspiring hiking trails in the United States. Being large, the park has a number of different regions and here we cover trails in the area of Going-to-the-Sun road, Two Medicine, and Many Glacier. Ranging from rugged, long, adventurous trails to family-friendly, you have a wide choice to hike in Glacier. So here we go!
Best Hikes in Glacier National Park along Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you are going to Glacier National Park for the first time, you would probably spend more time around the region of Going-to-the-Sun road. This extends about 50 miles with twists and turns together with rich mountain views. In fact, Going-to-the-Sun Road unites the St. Mary region and the West Glacier of the park. There, some of the best hikes in Glacier National Park start along this beautiful drive that you cannot miss.
Avalanche Lake
- Trail Distance: 4.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 500 feet
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Estimated Time: 2 to 3 hours
- Trailhead: The trail of the Cedars
From most of the other hikes in Glacier, Avalanche Lake is much different featuring higher elevations, and extensive views of mountainous territory. Avalanche Lake hike follows a creek through a thick forest making changes in the elevation. This is an easy trail through pristine woods and takes you to the beautiful lake view in the end. The trek to the lake is with no serious climbs, no higher alpine looks, and comes with a very moderate hiking experience, making it a fairly easy hike for all.
Hidden Lake Overlook
- Trail Distance: 2.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 460 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
- Trailhead: Logan Pass visitor center
When talking about the best hikes in Glacier National Park, Hidden Lake Overlook is at the top which is along a smooth terrain with only slight elevation changes. For those who are hiking with the family, this is one of the best trails. Along the path, you will notice a high population of mountain goats and this is the easiest way you can view them in Glacier National Park.
The terrain mix of boardwalks and gravel trails starts at the Logan Pass and will get to the overlook of Hidden Lake. And to get to the lake, continue for about 1.2 miles more from there.
Note: Before you plan ahead, check the trail status as it sometimes barred due to irritable bear movement
St. Mary and Virginia Falls
- Trail Distance: 2.4 miles to St. Mary falls and 3.8 miles to Virginia falls (round trip)
- Elevation Gain: 285 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
- Trailhead: St. Mary Falls trailhead
This is the trail that takes you to the 2 most popular waterfalls; St Mary and Virginia Falls. The trail extends alongside the St. Mary Lake area and through wilds. St. Mary Lake is an ideal spot for wildlife and you can feed deer quietly. Moving ahead you first meet St. Mary Falls and another 0.8 miles will take you to Virginia Falls. This is amazingly beautiful and one of the tallest giving you the best waterfall experience.
Highline Trail
- Trail Distance: 11.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 800 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Estimated Time: 5 to 8 hours
- Trailhead: Logan Pass Visitor Center
For an amazing hike with mountainous views with just less hike up, Highline Trail is the perfect fit that takes you even above the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The elevation gain is less here and the hike is done point to point from the Logan Pass to the Logan loop. The trail is about 12 miles rewarding hikers with amazing views; a chance to see wildlife, wild blooms, and beautiful glaciers. With the amazing vantage points, this is one of the must-do day hikes in Glacier National Park.
Best Hikes in Many Glacier
Many Glacier is among the most beautiful regions in Glacier National Park with gigantic snow-shielded mountains, pristine lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers. And yes, this is a hikers’ paradise with amazing trails.
Apikuni Falls
- Trail Distance: 2 miles
- Elevation Gain: 700 feet
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Estimated Time: 1 hour
- Trailhead: Apikuni parking area
This is a short yet high popular hike in Many Glacier which in the end takes you to the famous Apikuni falls. The hike involves a little more climb-ups to the waterfall end but the effort is definitely worth it in the end. When it is about a half-mile done, you will get views of the peaks surrounding also with Cracker flats.
Grinnell Glacier
- Trail Distance: 10.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Estimated Time: 5 to 7 hours
- Trailhead: Grinnell Glacier trailhead
For a complete hike at Glacier National Park, Grinnell Glacier should be put on the bucket list. In fact, it has all rewarding with amazing alpine views, green lakes, beautiful waterfalls, and chances to see wildlife, wildflowers, and stunning glaciers at the end viewpoint. And of course, at the end view of the trail, you will see the bluest waters you could have ever seen.
Undoubtedly this is going to make one of the best hikes in Glacier National Park which pay off with gorgeous sceneries and amazing wildlife sights for all that hard effort. And if you want to cut off several miles, take a tour across the lake with a boat Glacier Boat Company offers.
Most of the hike is unshaded and it is always recommended to start your journey earliest possible in the morning to make it easy at climbing to the viewpoint. But be prepared for warm hikes on your way back.
Swiftcurrent Pass Trail
- Trail Distance: 13.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2,300 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Estimated Time: 8 to 10 hours
- Trailhead: Swiftcurrent trailhead
For those who are looking for a challenging yet rewarding hike, Swiftcurrent Pass Trail is a great fit. The Swiftcurrent Pass trail is tough and takes about 8 to 10 hours to cover.
The trail starts from the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and continues the path out to the amazing views of the Redrock Falls. And passing that it climbs up thousands of feet, rewarding hikers with gorgeous views of the Glacier National Park.
Cracker Lake
- Trail Distance: 12.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,400 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Estimated Time: 6 to 8 hours
- Trailhead: Many Glacier Hotel Park
Reaching Cracker Lake is a hard hike but definitely worth the effort with the amazing lake views having grassy slopes around and wild blooms in the surrounded mountains. The lake itself is stunning with the bright aquamarine color which makes your full-day hike worth it. And if you camp at Cracker Lake campground, you can turn this less-hard multiday trek too.
Iceberg Lake Trail
- Trail Distance: 9.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate to hard
- Estimated Time: 5 to 7 hours
- Trailhead: Swiftcurrent Motor Hotel
Iceberg Lake Trail is one of the best hikes in Glacier National Park as many hikers whose who have experienced it. The trail leads to the beautiful lake that takes icebergs drifting on blue water. And it surrounds by cliffs that rise about 2,000 feet around.
You are here taking the hike through grizzly bear land where you should be hiking in groups. Have bear spray and keep noising as you hike through. However, this moderate to hard trail will treat you with amazing alpine views, a beautiful lake, and wild blooms.
Ptarmigan Tunnel
- Trail Distance: 10.6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2,300 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Estimated Time: 5 to 7 hours
- Trailhead: Swiftcurrent Motor Inn
This is the hike that connects the trail to Iceberg Lake; at about halfway gone, the trail turns right leading to Ptarmigan Tunnel. You will find extremely beautiful mountain views as you go while the trail gets steeper and harder. Unlike some other best hikes in Glacier National Park, this is not highly popular. But there, solitude and adventure are blended offering you an amazing hiking experience crossing a tunnel right through a mountain.
Best Hikes in Two Medicine
Two Medicine is not as popular as other regions of the park but that is where the scenery is rich and the trails are spectacular. And the hikes here are high in solitude with only a fewer hikers in the area. Catch the best sunrise views here in Two Medicine.
Pitamakan – Dawson Loop
- Trail Distance: 14.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 3,641 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Estimated Time: 7 to 9 hours
- Trailhead: North Shore Trailhead
If you are a truly experienced hiker and probably a returning visitor to Glacier National Park, this is a great option which is a loop-type day hike. This can be called the longest day hike in Glacier Park which is quite remotely located and off the beaten way. This takes you through beautiful lakes, avalanche chutes, alpine meadows, and highland peaks. And in the loop, hikers could cover Pitamakan Pass and Dawson Pass with jaw-dropping views.
Glacier has the best and most iconic hiking trails in the United States. And hope we have covered you with the best hikes in Glacier National Park! Have happy hiking!
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