In May, we asked our Facebook followers "What's your favorite
hike in Glacier National Park?" Here’s the list of the top ten hikes our followers voted for:
10. Gunsight Pass -
This 20.6 mile hike begins at the Jackson Glacier overlook and ends at Lake
McDonald Lodge. This can either be a
full day hike or it can also be split by camping along various campgrounds
along the way or with a stay at Sperry Glacier Chalet and a side trip can be taken to view Sperry Glacier.
Photo by ouachitamaps.com |
Photo by summitpost.org |
8. Dawson Pass – This
hike is known to be strenuous, but is one of the most scenic in the park. This hike begins at Two Medicine Lake and can
begin by crossing the lake by boat to the other most western side of the
lake. After crossing the Continental
Divide over Dawson Pass, one can continue to Pitamakan Pass, looping back to
Two Medicine for a 14.8 mile loop or by retracing their steps back for a 9.4
mile round-trip.
Photo by hikinginglacier.com |
7. Ptarmigan Tunnel –
This trailhead begins at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and is a 10.7 mile round-trip,
passing Ptarmigan Falls and Ptarmigan Lake.
The 240-foot Ptarmigan Tunnel was originally built for horses and early park
tours by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's.
Photo by hikinginglacier.com |
6. Avalanche Lake - This
hike is one of the most traveled trails in the park, due to its location that
is at the head of the Going-to-the-Sun road and opens before a majority of the
other trails do in the park. The hike passes
through the Trail of the Cedars, and is rated as a moderate 4.5 mile round-trip hike.
5. Siyeh Pass Trail –
This strenuous, yet rewarding 8.4 mile trek begins about 2 miles east of Logan’s
Pass and gives excellent views of Preston Park, which is a popular location for
grizzlies. The mountain and the pass
were named by George Bird Grinnell for a Blackfoot Indian by the name of
"Sai-yeh," which in the Blackfeet language means Crazy Dog, or Mad
Wolf.
Photo by dennis-ernst-blogs.blogspot.com |
4. Cracker Lake - This
12.6 mile hike begins at Many Glacier Hotel and can be accessed by way of horse or
by foot. Glacial silt gives this lake its unique aqua hue and is surrounded by multi-colored mountain where you can
still see an old mining site if you choose to take a side adventure.
www.artflakes.com |
3. Grinnell Glacier –
This 7.6 mile trip is a great way for hikers to be up close to a glacier in the park. The trailhead begins at Many Glacier Hotel, where
you can reduce your hike by 3.4 miles by taking a shuttle boat across
Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine before beginning your ascent to the glacier.
Photo by Glacier Park, Inc. |
2. Highline Loop
- The most popular route of this trail, is the 11.6 loop that begins at Logan’s Pass and follows along the bottom of
the Garden Wall, through Granite Park, and finally descending to the “The Loop”
where hikers can take a shuttle back to their vehicle at Logan’s Pass.
Photo by Glacier Park, Inc. |
1. Iceberg Lake
- This iconic and popular 9.7 mile hike begins
at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and follows the same path towards the Ptarmigan
Tunnel. This lake is surrounded by
towering peaks, thus reducing sunlight to the lake allowing for the ice and
snow to the edges of the lake shore and cliff walls, resembling icebergs.
Photo by visitmt.com |
Now, if only one could so all of these hikes every summer.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm