Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [157]
Finally, Glacier Wilderness Guides, P.O. Box 330, West Glacier, MT 59936 (☎ 800/521-7238 for reservations, or 406/387-5555; www.glacierguides.com), organizes backpacking trips into the Glacier National Park backcountry. The company has been the exclusive backpacking guide service in the park since 1983. See "Exploring the Backcountry," below.
Day Hikes
With more than 700 miles of maintained trails, the park is best explored by hiking. Because most of these trails are rather short, you might also wish to check out "Exploring the Backcountry," below. Many of the longer trails described there can be done fully (or at least partially) in a day, and are likely to take you farther off the beaten path than the shorter routes, and away from the crowds.
Trail maps are available at outdoor stores in Whitefish and Kalispell as well as at visitor centers and the major ranger stations at each entry point. Glacier Park Inc. (☎ 406/892-2525) operates a hiker's shuttle that makes regular stops at popular trailheads.
Before striking off into the wilderness, check with the nearest visitor center or ranger station to determine the accessibility of your destination, trail conditions, and recent bear sightings. It can be a bummer when, 10 miles into a trip, a ranger turns you back.
The Park Service asks you to stay on trails to keep from eroding the park's
fragile components. Also, do not traverse snowbanks, especially the steeper ones. Before approaching any trailhead, you should have proper footwear and rain gear, enough food, and, most important, enough water. A can of pepper spray can also come in handy when you're in grizzly habitat. If you plan on hiking in Canada, be sure the bear spray is USEPA approved. Contact Canadian Customs (☎ 204/983-3500 or 506/636-5064) for regulations. See "Exploring the Backcountry," below, for more information.
LAKE MCDONALD AREA
Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail
.25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Across from Avalanche Campground Ranger Station.
This level trail, consisting of a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, offers a respite from the crowds in a forested area. There are interpretive signs along the way.
Trout Lake
8.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North end of Lake McDonald, 1½ miles west on Lake McDonald Rd.
This is a good workout if you're moping around Lake McDonald Lodge sipping coffee and skipping rocks off the lake. The hike is straight up and straight down. The trail takes you from the north end of Lake McDonald to the foot of Trout Lake and back.
LOGAN PASS AREA
Hidden Lake Overlook Nature Trail
1.5 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Logan Pass Visitor Center.
This trail climbs 460 feet and requires more spunk than others in the area, yet it's not too hard. It's a popular trail, but if you hike a little farther, past the overlook up to the lake, you'll get past most of the crowds. This is an interpretive nature trail, with several signs along the way that point out what you are seeing.
The Loop
8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Along Going-to-the-Sun Rd., about halfway between Avalanche Campground and Logan Pass Visitor Center.
Not considered easy mainly because of its altitude gain, The Loop is a popular hiking trail that winds up to Granite Park Chalet and back. Many people use it as a continuation of the Highline Trail (see below), but this is the section to do if you're short on time. The Highline Trail is 7.6 miles one-way to the chalets, but not nearly as steep as the Loop; see the descriptions of the chalets under "Camping," below. If you want to spend the night in a