Guide to Glacier National Park
Glacier is one of my favorite national parks that I've visited. It has an excellent mix of roadside views and easy hikes, along with epically deep backcountry adventures. Plus, the rugged and wild environment just feels like what a national park should be. Think: huge peaks, glaciers, moose, mountain goats, grizzlies!
If you've never been to Glacier, you should definitely try to go, and if you have been, you need to go back because I guarantee you missed something! It's in a pretty remote corner of Northwest Montana, which makes it hard to get to. Plenty of people still go, though––it's one of the nation's most-visited national parks, and the numbers increase almost every year. So, while certain areas can get overcrowded, you just have to know where to go (and where NOT to go) during peak times, and you'll be sure to have a good time.
For an excellent overview of Glacier National Park (including said tips about beating the crowds), check out the page I wrote for Outdoor Project. Hopefully you'll find most of what you need to know in there. But since you're here on my own site, I'll quickly share with you my personal favorite hikes and other recommendations of things to do.
Best Hiking Trails in Glacier National Park
Highline Trail
This trail is very popular, but understandably so. This trail has huge views the whole time, is the best place in the park to see mountain goats, and has some heebie-jeebies exposure in some places. For an extra adventure and reward, add on the spur trail called the Garden Wall!
Swiftcurrent Pass
Starting from the lesser-visited Many Glacier area, this long trail passes a string of lakes surrounded by forest (good place to spot moose!) before climbing to the treeline and past several tall waterfalls. As you get higher you'll see the glaciers that feed the falls, then top out on the pass among green meadows and wildflowers. Up there you can see clear across to a huge peak and the other side of the park.
Swiftcurrent Lookout
This is a fire lookout on a bald mountaintop with a panorama over many of the park's famous landmarks. Getting there is not easy. It requires a long and steep hike along Highline, Swiftcurrent Pass, or Loop Trail, but all are amazing hikes in their own right, so every step is worth it!
Dawson and Pitamakan Pass Loop
This one's a real butt-kicker, but is bound to be a new favorite for you, too (if you can handle it!) It links two high passes on a wide-open ridgeline, overlooking picture-perfect lakes in glacial valleys. You'll get way above the crowds on this one, to be sure.
Deadwoood Falls
Ok, maybe you've noticed a theme that most of my favorite hikes are long and difficult, but this one isn't! It's a relatively short jaunt to an awesome swimming hole, and the hike is shaded so it's perfect for a warm summer day! Deadwood Falls is a lesser-known waterfall in Glacier National Park because it's far from the most spectacular cascade. What makes it awesome is the rock banks to lounge on and the deep pools to swim in. The waterfall is also along a trail that connects to other destinations like St. Mary Falls, Florence Falls, and Gunsight Lake.
Camping and Lodging
The park has a variety of campgrounds and lodges, plus a few backcountry lodges that offer a special treat. You can find all the campground and lodging options that are inside the park in my overview on Outdoor Project. Any accommodation inside the park is often full and hard to come by, however, so don't forget about the range of options outside park boundaries––in Hungry Horse, Kalispell, and the surrounding Flathead National Forest. You should always book in advance if you can, or you can try your luck at campsites that are first-come-first-served. To find the different options for reservable campsites and cabins on public land, go to Recreation.gov and search the area around Glacier National Park.
Backcountry Camping
All backpacking (overnight) trips in the national park require a permit, but Glacier has a somewhat complicated system for issuing them. Some sites can be reserved in advance, and your permit also issued in advance. Alternatively, you can get a walk-in backcountry permit and try your luck for claiming a campsite the day of. Find out how it works on Glacier's Backcountry Camping page.
Other Activities in Glacier National Park
Really quick, here are some of my favorite other things to do in and around Glacier National Park. There's a lot besides hiking and camping, so you might want to try these other adventures!
Whitewater Rafting
The Middle Fork of the Flathead River flows alongside the boundary of the national park, near West Glacier. You'll find a handful of commercial outfitters near this park entrance, who can take you on a half-day rafting trip. No guide needed though, if you have the equipment and the experience you can do it on your own.
Paddling and Floating
The abundance of alpine lakes offer some incredible opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, or stand-up paddleboarding. Some places in the park, like Lake McDonald, offer boats for rent. Others, like Bowman Lake, don't have rentals on site but you can bring your own (or rent from elsewhere). To avoid introduction of aquatic invasive species, boats must be inspected before entering any waters in the park. See Glacier's Boating page for more info.
Just outside the park, there's the Flathead River and North Fork Flathead, both are relatively calm (but still swiftwater) rivers in a beautiful setting. They are best known for fishing, but joyriding in kayaks and rafts is popular, too.
Fishing
Speaking of fishing, if you're a fisherman you probably don't need to be told twice to check out the Flathead River. This watershed is renowned for fly fishing. From a boat or from the shore, there's tons of places to try your hand at catching some of Montana's famous trout. Drop into a fly fishing shop in Kalispell to ask questions, or look up one of the numerous local guides.
Peakbagging
It's like hiking, but more extreme! The hundreds of summits in Glacier National Park beg to be stood upon, but most don't have established trails to the top. Some are guarded by scree slopes, vertical cliffs, snowfields, and glaciers, so a variety of skills and excellent fitness are needed to reach them. One of the more beginner-friendly scrambles is Mount Reynolds, located near the road at Logan Pass. For more hardcore endeavors, I advise buying a guidebook, or doing some serious digging online using resources like Summitpost.
