Category: Hiking

The Highline Trail in Glacier National Park Hike Profile If expansive vistas and alpine meadows excite you, then hiking Highline Trail in Glacier National Park is perfect for you. This trail traverses the western side of the Continental Divide, the glacially carved ridge that divides our continent’ss watersheds. This trail is characterized by gentle ups… Read more »

Huckleberry Lookout in Glacier National Park Hiking Huckleberry Lookout Glacier National Park definitely lives up to its name. In the late summer months, this trail is lined with juicy huckleberries, a delightful snack for the hungry hiker. Humans are not the only species who enjoy this sweet fruit, however. Huckleberry Mountain (6,593 ft.) is known… Read more »

Top 5 FAQ About Backpacking in Glacier National Park #1: What’s up with the backcountry permit system for 2023? Before you take off on your epic adventure, make sure you head to Recreation.gov or the permitting office the day your trip begins to snag a backpacking permit. Glacier National Park is transitioning to Recreation.gov for… Read more »

Normally, I don’t write blog posts for Glacier Guides and Montana Raft in first person. But this one, about the Sperry Chalet rebuild, is personal. On Saturday, I went and paid my respects to Sperry Chalet. First, some background.

Hiking Ptarmigan Tunnel in Glacier National Park Hiking Ptarmigan Tunnel in Glacier National Park is a dance between meadow and forest. It’s the perfect butt-kicking, beautiful hike. Glacier Guides Difficulty Rating: Strenuous. Elevation Gain: 2,300 ft. Mileage: 10.6 miles. Hiking Time (estimate): Allow 4-4½ hours to reach the tunnel, 1 hour for lunch, and 3-3½… Read more »

It isn’t the thousands of icicles hanging precipitously from the cliffs of Mt. Cannon. And it’s not the white blankets on the ancient green cedars. It isn’t even the magic of hiking through a snow shower.

The best time to visit Glacier is autumn, of course, if you’re a hiker. With a bit of planning and preparation for the possibility of wintry weather and the definite lack of services, you’ll be greatly rewarded by fall hiking in Glacier National Park.

4 Best Challenging Glacier National Park Hikes Are you ready to graduate from easy and intermediate hikes in Glacier National Park? You’ve gotten familiar with bear spray, blister prevention and treatment, and how to treat water? Awesome. You may be ready for what we like to call challenging Glacier National Park hikes! These are strenuous… Read more »

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask About: 10 Days Backpacking in Glacier National Park If you’ve ever poked around on our backpacking page, you’ve seen that we go on 3, 4, 6, and 10 days backpacking in Glacier National Park adventures. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Have you… Read more »

There are 734 fabulous miles of trails in Glacier National Park, often referred to as the Hiker’s National Park. Glacier holds over a million acres of wonder, and you really can’t pick a “bad” trail. After all, hiking is always what you make of it. But today I’m going to play favorites, and talk about… Read more »

You don’t have to be a Spartan Race competitor to experience Glacier’s incredible backcountry. In decent shape? Even more importantly, have an upbeat, can-do attitude? Got a daypack and broken in hiking boots? You might be ready to check out the best intermediate hikes in Glacier National Park! This post lays out the best east side… Read more »

It’s almost the last weekend in May. And you know what that means. Time to load up the gear and the rig, and get yourself to the Crown of the Continent. Then what? We’ve got you covered in Glacier National Park on Memorial Day Weekend.

Are you going hiking with kids in Glacier National Park? Awesome. Your time couldn’t be better spent. You’ve reviewed our checklist for what to pack. Hint: heavy on the gummy bears. So, where to? The answer, of course, depends on your kids’ abilities and enthusiasm. We’ve seen happy 4 year olds out hike their much… Read more »

Start ’em young and make it fun! Going on a hike with kids in Glacier National Park can be magical. With kids, the goal is the journey itself, never the destination.

Dear Santa: Hi, it’s us. Your favorite rafting, hiking, and fishing guides over at Glacier Guides and Montana Raft. We’ve been pretty good this year, Santa, and we tried to give Glacier National Park support in everything that we did.

The Dawson-Pitamakin Loop in the Two Medicine Area of Montana’s Glacier National Park is a stunning 18 mile adventure.

It’s so hard to say goodbye to hiking Glacier National Park for the year. But a foot of snow blanketed the park last night, and shut down the Going to the Sun Road at St. Mary and Lake McDonald. Here at Glacier Guides and Montana Raft, we explore our beloved backyard year round, but the closure of… Read more »

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you giving thanks for today? Glacier Guides and Montana Raft is most thankful for Glacier National Park!

Fall in Glacier National Park is absolutely, without a doubt, one of my favorite places to spend the fall. Since fall seems to be descending on our corner of Montana a little early this year, I’ve had a chance to get out and enjoy Glacier in all of it’s fall splendor. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect to see in Glacier National Park during the fall.

One of the most common questions I get about guiding is “How does Glacier National Park backcountry cooking work?” So, in this week’s blog, I’m sharing some of my best tips and tricks for cooking amazing food in the middle of nowhere. Today I present you with …

One of our favorite day trips is the Friday hike to Iceberg Lake. It’s 9.5 miles out and back with a relatively mild elevation gain of 1275 ft.

We all love bluebird days, and if you’ve spent much time in Glacier, you know we get plenty of sunshine. But, we’re in the mountains, and the weather can be fickle. Unexpected rain (or snow) can happen any time of year, so one of our FAQ is: What is there to do on a rainy day in Glacier National Park? Let us tell you!

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts about why Glacier National Park should be on your bucket list. So, without further ado, I present to you … 6 Reasons Why Glacier National Park Should Be On Your Bucket List

Many of us here at Glacier Guides and Montana Raft — established in 1983 — are parents. Together, we have decades of experience with family friendly adventures in Glacier. Read on for our best tips!

Mountain goats are iconic when thinking of Glacier National Park. So let’s learn about them.

At first glance, wolverines may not seem that exciting. They are a member — the largest member, in fact — of the weasel family, and weasels aren’t the first species you think of when you think “awe-inspiring.”

Glacier National Park has one of the most diverse eco-systems you’ll find anywhere. Our backyard national park is home to rare and spectacular creatures, including grizzly bears.

In an age where our entire lives can be lived inside, getting outside is more important than ever. Let’s think about REI’s recent #OptOutside campaign, which challenged folks to play outside instead of shop on Black Friday. According to REI.com, it was wildly successful! Close to 1.5 million people participated in its first year.

We’ve been getting this question a lot lately because the alpine section of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTTSR) just closed, which it typically does sometime before or on the third Monday in October. The closed section is from Avalanche to St. Mary in most, but not all, years. You can check Glacier Park Road Status here.

Glacier National Park is known for its fabulous views, and the best way to see them is to get out there and go for a hike. Side note: I have been a hiking guide here for over 15 years, so I am obviously biased about hiking in Glacier!