Glacier National Park: Siyeh Bend to Lake McDonald
Score wildlife sightings daily and choice views hourly on this weeklong circuit in Glacier National Park.
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This 94.3-mile trip travels through Glacier National Park’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 69.3 miles (and grab a cheeseburger mid-trip).
The first leg: a 69.3-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 25-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.
PERMIT: Overnight camping in Glacier National Park requires a backcountry permit. Check out the latest fees and more details at nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm.
PARK INFO: Glacier National Park, (406) 888-7800; nps.gov/glac/.
-Mapped by Mike Lanza
Trail Facts
- Distance: 151.7
Waypoints
GLA001
Location: 48.701927, -113.667284
Piegan Pass Trail
GLA002
Location: 48.712141, -113.655518
Preston Park
GLA003
Location: 48.720627, -113.687274
Piegan Pass
GLA004
Location: 48.738021, -113.69892
Creek
GLA005
Location: 48.797264, -113.668557
Swiftcurrent Picnic Area; Grinnell Glacier Trail
GLA006
Location: 48.799582, -113.679168
Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail
GLA007
Location: 48.822237, -113.713217
Iceberg Jct
GLA008
Location: 48.815749, -113.742173
Iceberg Lake
GLA009
Location: 48.842855, -113.71192
Ptarmigan Lake
GLA010
Location: 48.849682, -113.70765
Ptarmigan Tunnel
GLA011
Location: 48.875171, -113.703131
Two Creeks
GLA012
Location: 48.891884, -113.723094
Elizabeth Lake
GLA013
Location: 48.907611, -113.722841
Dawn Mist Falls
GLA014
Location: 48.927349, -113.745421
Ford Outlet
GLA015
Location: 48.915429, -113.77924
Glenns Lake
GLA016
Location: 48.876816, -113.84176
Mokowanis Cascade
GLA017
Location: 48.881704, -113.86504
Stoney Indian Pass
GLA018
Location: 48.896228, -113.907139
Patrol Cabin
GLA019
Location: 48.852601, -113.861566
Fifty Mtn Camp
GLA020
Location: 48.85722, -113.856935
Faint Path North
GLA021
Location: 48.857738, -113.852842
Sue Lake Ovlk
GLA022
Location: 48.85302, -113.847825
Sue Lake Overlook Trail
GLA023
Location: 48.829007, -113.813649
Creek
GLA024
Location: 48.824817, -113.802334
Huckleberries
GLA025
Location: 48.823156, -113.766614
Ahern Glacier View via Ahern Pass Trail
GLA026
Location: 48.771473, -113.777645
Granite Park Camp
GLA027
Location: 48.770977, -113.771958
Granite Park Chalet
GLA028
Location: 48.736472, -113.725845
flat Rocks Rest
GLA029
Location: 48.696608, -113.718136
Highline Trail
GLA030
Location: 48.677467, -113.652141
Jackson Glacier Trailhead; Gunsight Pass Trail
GLA031
Location: 48.667438, -113.638599
Deadwood Falls, gorge
GLA032
Location: 48.652536, -113.676634
Cascade And Pool
GLA033
Location: 48.627559, -113.708315
Gunsight Lake Camp
GLA034
Location: 48.609343, -113.738454
Gunsight Pass
GLA035
Location: 48.604979, -113.753664
Lake Ellen Wilson Camp
GLA036
Location: 48.599661, -113.783459
Lincoln Pass
GLA037
Location: 48.605019, -113.786064
Sperry Chalet
GLA038
Location: 48.616572, -113.780244
Pond
GLA039
Location: 48.620839, -113.773809
Comeau Pass
GLA040
Location: 48.624102, -113.765283
Sperry Glacier View
GLA041
Location: 48.614489, -113.875296
Lake McDonald Lodge
Piegan Pass
Location: 48.720542, -113.690472
Piegan Pass Trail
Location: 48.725397, -113.692446
Lake Ellen Wilson
Location: 48.606071, -113.744695
