Visiting Glacier National Park for the first time can be overwhelming, but it is a hiker’s paradise and has a ton of great day hikes to choose from. So, where should you go? Which hikes should you do? Should you hike in one area, or can you visit multiple areas around the park?
I get it. I was overwhelmed too, there are miles of trails and the maps aren’t great at showing just how the different areas of the park connect, or don’t connect. In this post I am going to focus on some of the most popular hikes accessible from the Going to the Sun Road, the main road through the park, with the one exception of Grinnell Glacier.
Hidden Lake
The hidden lake hike is an easy hike on mostly boardwalk. It’s a linear trail, so an out and back that starts in the Logan Pass (the highest point along the Going to the Sun Road) parking lot and goes through a large meadow area to a viewing point. The distance covers 3 miles and gets busy, even in the off season because of its accessibility.
It’s a good idea to get an early start to nab a parking spot and less traffic on the trail. You will be rewarded with a beautiful view of Hidden Lake nestled between sweeping mountains. You may also catch glimpses of bighorn sheep and mountain goats, so bring your binoculars!
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars is a boardwalk hike that connects to the Avalanche Lake trail and is one of two fully wheelchair accessible trails in the park. It’s one of the easiest hiking trails and a 0.6-mile loop trail highlighted with, of course, huge cedar trees and streams with small waterfalls.
It’s a beautiful trail and a short one if you only have one day and want to experience a few trails to get a taste of Glacier National Park. There is a parking area at the trailhead, but parking in the summer months can be a challenge (we even had difficulty in the end of September, which I consider the best time to visit).
There is also a campground adjacent to the trail and a great place to spend the night in the park.
Avalanche Lake
This was one of my favorite hikes along the going to the sun road. The trail takes you deep into the forest before plopping you out at this incredibly beautiful glacial lake that is surrounded by mountains.
The trail is a 4.5-miles, easy to moderate, out and back trail and is a Glacier National Park hike that is an absolute must see. It’s a fairly flat trail with the most challenging bit being the length. Avalanche Lake is a popular spot where you will see people not only enjoying the views but also reading (one of the best things to do in a beautiful place), fishing, and enjoying lunch in one of the parks most picturesque locations.
Highline Trail and the Garden Wall
The Highline Trail, with the addition of the Garden Wall, is also a must see, though a much more challenging hike requiring you to be more prepared.
The Highline Trail itself starts at Logan Pass (so get there early!) going 7.6 miles to the Granite Park Chalet and then an additional 11.9 miles to Fifty Mountain Campground. The Garden Wall is just shy of the Granite Park Chalet, so you can decide how far you want to go.
This hike has it all, everywhere you look is a perfect view that you want to snap a photo of. It was ridiculous how beautiful it was. You walk along the edge above the Going the Sun Road before veering inwards to beautiful meadows and open vistas of multiple mountains and glaciers. You will see wildlife on this trail and this is bear country with both grizzly bears and black bears, so bring bear spray.
Also, make sure to have plenty of water. There are streams that you can fill up (and filter) your water if you don’t want to carry a lot, but you will need it depending on how far you are going.
Once you reach the base of the Garden Wall the real challenge begins. This brutal 1km (0.6 mile) trek, almost 1000-ft elevation gain ascent is totally worth it, though you will probably question your motives on more than one occasion on the way up, and for good reason. The reward is views of Grinnell Glacier from the Grinnell Glacier overlook. Take your time, have some lunch, before heading back down and out.
This entire hike (out and back) is around 16 miles, give or take. It’s a challenge but by far one of the best hikes in the park.
St Mary and Virginia Waterfalls
This hike provides a stark reminder of the impacts of climate change. With evidence of a past wildfire, the hike starts at a small parking lot off the Going to the Sun Road. It’s an easy to moderate out and back hike.
The first set of waterfalls you come to are St Mary’s Falls, just 1.1 miles in. But I wouldn’t stop there, because in my opinion, the best is yet to come.
Virginia falls is 1.4 miles into the trail and a spectacular waterfall that you can walk right up to. Everything surrounding the falls is green and damp and the earthy, evergreen smells assault your senses.
Grinnell Glacier
If your not really feeling the Garden Wall and want to get up close and personal with Grinnell Glacier, head over to the Many Glaciers area of the park to check out the Grinnell Glacier trail.
An 11.2-mile out and back hike that is also considered challenging. During peak season, you can take a boat that runs taking 3.4-miles off your trip. This particular hike is considered a must do hike in the park and one of the most scenic, so if you are up for the challenge you will be rewarded with an up close and personal view of one of Glacier National Parks most spectacular glaciers.
If you only have one day in Glacier National Park, however, this would be the only hike you would have time for, so plan accordingly.
Concluding Thoughts
Glacier National Park very quickly became one of my favorite national parks because of it’s wildness. With thick forests, impressive mountains, glacial lakes and of course the glaciers themselves, you need to visit this park. Oh, and there is also the continental divide running through the park along the Lewis Range.
To plan you visit, make sure to check out my guide to visiting Glacier National Park.
