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Backpacker Magazine – June 2010

Secret Hikes: Glacier National Park

Score wildlife sightings daily, choice views hourly--and at least one juicy burger--on this weeklong circuit.

by: Michael Lanza

Lake Ellen Wilson, Glacier (Mike Lanza)
Lake Ellen Wilson, Glacier (Mike Lanza)


“The snarls seized our full attention,” says our trail scout, who spotted a grizzly sow and her two cubs below 7,050-foot Lincoln Pass. “We stopped and watched them play and forage for two hours.” So it goes on this 92-mile trip through Glacier’s remote backcountry and best wildlife habitat. Don’t have time for the whole thing? We’ve planned the route so it can be downsized to weeklong or weekend chunks. Doing it all? By utilizing the park’s free shuttle, you can reduce pack weight by resupplying after 65 miles (and grab a cheeseburger mid-trip). The first leg: a 65-mile circuit north of Going-to-the-Sun Road, from Siyeh Bend to Logan Pass via Ptarmigan Tunnel, Stoney Indian Pass, and Fifty Mountain. Tip: On day one, hike 13 miles to the campground at Many Glacier (six sites are reserved for backcountry-permit holders), and grab dinner and brews at the restaurant across the street (further decreasing pack weight). At Logan Pass, resupply and hop on the shuttle to start a 27-mile route from Jackson Glacier Overlook to Lake McDonald Lodge via Gunsight Pass. Camp at Lake Ellen Wilson, set in a bowl of thousand-foot cliffs ribboned with waterfalls, and make the seven-mile detour to Sperry Glacier, traversing a moonscape flecked with tiny tarns. Cross Lincoln Pass to finish.

›› Magic Moment You emerge onto the tundra of the remote Fifty Mountain area, on day four, to boulder-hop through alpine daisies.

›› Local Knowledge
Hit the Highline Trail between Granite Park and Logan Pass before 8 a.m.—it’s a popular trail for dayhikers.

›› Do It All trailheads are on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Shuttle runs from early July through early September. Map Trails Illustrated Glacier/Waterton National Park #215 ($12; natgeomaps.com)
Contact (406) 888-7857; nps.gov/glac


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We just hiked the Northern Traverse Trail in GNP and spent 6 nights from 8/21-8/27/2011. We went in at Bowman Lake and stayed at Upper Bowman the 1st night, up Brown Pass to Hole in the Wall for night 2, on to Goat Haunt, then Kootenai Lake, Stoney Indian Lake, and spent our 6th night at Cosley Lake. It was 56 miles of backpacking and an incredible trip! This is our second trip. We saw two black bear - one on the trail at Bowman Lake and another at Goat Haunt. We saw many Moose, two swans and beavers at Kootenai. Worth it!!

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Tammy Vanden Heuvel
Sep 21, 2010

The northwest side of glacier has some awesome trails as well. I just finished doing a loop from Kintla Lake up to Boulder & Brown Pass down to Bowman Lake. Saw minimal other hikers, black bear sow and 2 cubs and plenty of beauty, even with the rain / snow.

Dowwie
Sep 21, 2010

A sow and *3* cubs were sighted at Fifty Mountain in the first week of Sept 2010. We watched her and the cubs walking through the meadows near the campsite.

Jon Jeffress
Aug 30, 2010

Obtaining a permit for Stoney Indian and/or 50 Mountain is very difficult, as the demand is (justifiably) very high (they are spectacular) and there are only a few campsites at each spot. The annual deadline is April 15, so you will need to get your permit request in just after that.

MontanaMountainTrekker
Aug 09, 2010

The Garden Wall (or Highline trail) is a great hike. If you get the chance, try to summit Heaven's Peak. It isn't that big of a mountain, but has lots of snow pack year round. An ice axe and crampons are recommended. Another great hike in Glacier NP is Virginia Falls. Although it is a very short hike (about 5 miles there and back), it gets you very close to two beautiful falls. It's great for a day hike.

dsh2811
Jul 08, 2010

Nice, also lot's of variations off of these routes..the trip up the many levels of Stoney Indian Pass is epic.

GoWest
Jul 08, 2010

Spectacular hikes! I've done these and they're fantastic with some of the best scenery in the US. But I definitely would not call them "secret" hikes as they're well known and used.

polebidge
Jul 06, 2010

There is no resupply at Logan Pass unless you have cached a car there, or a friend meets you there.
From Ellen Wilson you'll cross Lincoln Pass before the side trip to Sperry Glacier.

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