Hiking FAQ
What should we wear hiking?
Please refer to our detailed packing lists for overnight trips and day trips to properly prepare.
How fit do we need to be for backpacking trips?
Reasonably fit. Daily mileage averages six to eight miles per day, but can be much shorter or much longer. A short day is 3.5 miles and a long day is 12 miles. The weight of an average pack is 35 to 40 pounds. If you are worried about the weight or have youngsters who need help, ask about our Porter Service. The highest elevation you can expect to attain is about 8,000 feet with the valley floors at about 4,000-5,000 feet.
What's provided?
All food, cooking gear, water filter and first aid supplies necessary for your trip will be provided. We have tents, sleeping bags, thermarests and backpacks available for rent. View our packing lists for day trips and overnight trips.
What about the bears?
There are bears (black and grizzlies) in Glacier and we occasionally see them, but we’ve never had a problem in our 35+ years in business. Guides carry pepper spray just in case and go through NPS Bear Management training.
Where in Glacier National Park do you guide trips?
All of our backpacking trips visit remote parts of the Park, but for several reasons we cannot guarantee a particular hike ahead of time. We must take into account the interest and abilities of our guests, snow conditions, trail crew work, trail closures and availability of backcountry camping sites. We ask guests when making a reservation about special interests and abilities and always try to find an appropriate itinerary based on their requests.
Can we bring alcohol?
We do not recommend bringing too much alcohol on our trips (weight is the main factor). You are certainly allowed to bring it though. Many people like bringing a celebratory beer for the trailhead at the end of the trip. Let us know if you want to do this, and we can arrange for it to be put in your shuttle vehicle.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
We'd love to answer them.
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Fishing Testimonial
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed a full-day fly fishing school guided by Cam. Not only did we catch fish of multiple species (including a lunker cutbow trout by my wife), but we also saw a black bear, a bald eagle, ospreys and a kingfisher!!! We can’t say enough about Cam. He is like a trout encyclopedia and can tell you everything you ever wanted to know and more. He is also a very patient and enthusiastic instructor. We are very satisfied customers!
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Group Trip Testimonial
Our group of six enjoyed two day hikes with Glacier Guides. The guides were great and took good care of our safety and entertained us with stories and descriptions of the area.
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Lodging Testimonial
Perfect base from which to explore Glacier National Park. We only had 4 in our group, but the house had plenty of room for more. We picked up groceries on the way from the airport so we could cook breakfast and dinners at the house and spend all day at the Park. Sunflower Cafe across the highway has great options to pack in for trail lunches. We loved all the windows and felt like we were already in the park while in the house. Great to have the laundry there, too to clean up before heading over to the east side of the park for the rest of our stay. I would recommend this house to anyone. visiting Glacier.
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Chalet Testimonial
Our family of 5 just returned from the 3 day chalet trip with Ryan and Eva and WOW! We’re still coming down from the amazing time we had! First of all, both these guides are just really cool people, super knowledgeable about the history and ecology of the park, and clearly enthusiastic about what they do. The Highline Trail was stunning, Ryan and Eva made sure everyone was comfortable with the pace and pointed out animals, berries, and interesting features when we came across them. After the hike in it was awesome to have a delicious, hot meal prepared FOR us (we felt very fortunate for our dinner after watching the rest of the guest eat freeze dried stuff). I’m so grateful for the gentle push to do the two day hikes we did while up that way; they were so worth the climb and our time at the top of the Swiftcurrent Fire Lookout is one of the absolute highlights of this trip. I want to make a special mention of how great both of these guides where with our children, my boys especially bonded with Ryan and they probably talked both his and Eva’s ears all the way off over the duration of the trip but they were so cool about it. Overall this trip was one we will never forget and always cherish and the fantastic guides and process with your company really made it that much more enjoyable. We hope to come back someday for more adventures!
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Rafting Testimonial
If you’re looking to try white water rafting in glacier (which you should!) Glacier Guides is the place to go! My husband and I were on our honeymoon and this was our first rafting experience, and it could not have been better! James was prepared with experience, knowledge and jokes. We felt very safe with James in charge. He also offered numerous places and hikes in the park for all experience levels. Highly recommend!
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