Non-steep trails in Glacier National Park
Written: Apr 14 '04 (Updated Apr 14 '04)
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Pros: Very scenic with many trails
Cons: The glaciers will soon be memories
The Bottom Line: Best in early June and early September (but it still may snow, though not enough to counteract the effects of global warming)
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| Jiahong's Full Review: Glacier National Park |
Glacier National Park contains more than seven hundred miles of hiking trails. The park is in the Rocky Mountains and there are definitely some trails that involve serious climbing. However, there are also trails with very little change in elevation, including five nature trails with brochures: Trail of the Cedars, Huckleberry Mountain, Hidden Lake, Sun Point, and Swift Current Nature Trails.
In a week, I only sampled the trails, but can recommend a number of scenic and less-than-grueling ones.
My two favorites were on the east side of the park. There are many trails branching off from the Many Glaciers Hotel. The Swift Current Pass Trail rise 2300 feet and is 6.6 miles (one-way). The climb is mostly on the last stretch. We turned around afterRedrock Falls (along Bullhead Lake). Redrock Falls is 1.8 miles from the hotel and the trail to there climbs only a hundred feet. Part of the reason it is one of my favorites is that I was able to see mountain goats on a ridge above the trail (binoculars definitely enhanced the thrill!). It's hard not to see mountain sheep. Indeed, driving into the Many Glaciers Hotel parking lot involved stopping and waiting for a herd of them to get out of the way.
The other began literally a stone's throw from Canada. Taking highway 17 toward the Canadian border (Waterton Lakes National Park is on the other side), there is a parking lot within sight of the US customs station. The Belly River Trail goes steadily down for the first mile, then through some meadows (and there are some vistas en route through the woods). The hike included the greatest variety of birds I saw in my week in the park (gray jays were particularly abundant). I heard but did not see a grizzly bear (more a yawning cry than a growl. No, I can't tell species of bears apart from hearing them: I know it was a grizzly bear, because others whom I met on the trail saw an adult grizzly bear and two cubs, a combination I would just as soon not run into! We also saw fresh tracks differing in size across the trail).
The most arduous hike of my stay was above the south shore of Two Medicine Lake. The views were spectacular. The trail is mostly exposed, and on the day we were there, a strong, very cold wind was blowing and the sun was beating down, so that my face was frozen, while I was sweating. Going to the Apistoki Falls was fine (0.6 miles, 260 feet rise) and I took many photos of the two Two Medicine Lakes along the way. Continuing on, to Scenic Point was a mistake, at least on that day. It is another 2.5 miles (each way) and rises 2100 feet. Eventually, it provides a view out at the Great Plains to the east, but the day we were there, fresh snowdrifts covered much of the trail.
A short hike (0.3 miles each way) with a hundred foot drop in elevation (and an climb out involving a hundred foot increase) from Sunrift Gorge Parking Area, 10 miles west of St. Mary, provides a view of Baring Falls. The trail is in the shade of trees that also block vistas (but there are so many vistas along the roads and other trails...). The longest trail in that vicinity, to Red Eagle Lake, 7.5 miles one-way involves only a two hundred foot increase in elevation. The five-mile trails to Otokomi Lake and Siyeh Pass rise 1900 feet.
The most popular trail in the park, more or less in the middle of the park and more or less on the Continental Divide, is the Hidden Lake Trail. From the Upper level of the Logan Pass Visitor Center, it rises 460 feet in a mile and a half (one-way) walk west to the overlook above Hidden Lake. The first part of the trail is paved. There is also a level boardwalked (wheelchair-accessible) 0.4-mile (one-way) trail, Trail of the Cedars, across from the Avalanche Campground Ranger Station (west on the Going to the Sun Highway from Logan Pass).
From the Trail of the Cedars, the two-mile (one-way) Avalanche Lake Trail officially rises only five hundred feet, but is very up and down. It's mostly wooded
Further southwest, just northeast of McDonald Lake, a short walk from the parking lot on North Lake McDonald Road provides a better view of McDonald Falls than the one from the parking lot. This is mandatory for photographers, and not at all taxing. On the other (SE) side of the road, there are two different trailheads for a short hike to John's Lake Loop Trail. The elevation rise (and then fall) is 160 feet and the round-trip is three miles. The trail is shaded (view-blocked), but across the lake was the only moose I saw on my visit to the park. (Yellowstone seems to be the place for moose-viewing.)
I also enjoyed walking along the south side of the Flathead River, the outlet of McDonald Lake from the motel where I stayed on the southwestern end of the lake (Apgar). On the Oxbow Trail, we scared some ruffed grouse up (several times; I nearly stepped on one the first time) and saw many kingfishers.
Bicycles are not permitted on any of the trails, only the roads inside the park.
Water: The streams look pristine, but the water may contain giardia, so you should carry all you will need.
Horses and mules have the right of way and you are supposed to stand off the trail on the downhill side.
Bears
There are both grizzly and black bears in some abundance. Don't mess with them—and remember that, depending upon their changing moods, bears may have a quite expansive view of what constitutes messing with them.
Many hikers in Glacier have small bells on their backpacks. These are not loud enough for bears to hear. The official warning is: "Don’t assume a bear’s hearing is any better than your own. Some trail conditions make it hard for bears to see, hear, or smell approaching hikers. Be particularly careful by streams, against the wind, or in dense vegetation. A blind corner or a rise in the trail also requires special attention."
"Bears will usually move out of the way if they hear people approaching, so make noise. Most bells are not loud enough. Calling out or clapping hands loudly at regular intervals are better ways to make your presence known. You can’t predict when and where bears might be encountered along a trail. People often assume they don’t have to make noise while hiking on a well-used trail. Some of the most frequently used trails in the park are surrounded by excellent bear habitat. Even if other hikers haven't recently seen bears along a trail section recently, don’t assume there are no bears present."
"Keep children close by. If possible, hike in groups and avoid hiking early in the morning, late in the day, or after dark. Do not hike alone."
"Never intentionally get close to a bear! Individual bears have their own personal space requirements which vary depending on their mood. Each will react differently and their behavior can’t be predicted. All bears are dangerous" and particularly mothers with young.
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Visitors are concentrated on the south shore of Lake MacDonald. I wish that I could recommend the Many Glaciers Lodge on the west side, but it is overdue for remodeling and entirely lacking in soundproofing.
Just east of the park are the Museum of the Plains Indian (in Browning) and what claims to be the best steakhouse in the west, the Cattle Baron. On our satisfying visit there, see
http://www.epinions.com/content_40822935172.
Recommended:
Yes
Review Topic: Hiking & Trails
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