Glacier National Park: Five Pass-Red Eagle Loop
This strenuous 54.8-mile, 6-day loop follows a historic abandoned trail across the true crown of the continent.
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Trail Facts
- Distance: 88.4
Waypoints
FPR001
Location: 48.4921684265137, -113.365798950195
Cross bridge and turn R onto Oldman Lake Trail (Pitamakan Pass Trail)
FPR002
Location: 48.5118293762207, -113.376998901367
Cross small bridge over Dry Fork Creek
FPR003
Location: 48.514331817627, -113.377998352051
Turn L @ T with trail sign, climbing toward Old Man Lake. After 5.8 miles, keep hiking straight, past a recovering burn zone, to the pass (a 2,100-foot gain with few switchbacks from this junction).
FPR004
Location: 48.517219543457, -113.462501525879
Pitamakan Pass; swing N, switchbacking down to the turquoise Pitamakan Lake
FPR005
Location: 48.5407791137695, -113.457702636719
Beautiful campsite near Morning Star Lake. Continue N roughly along the Fork Cut Bank Creek.
FPR006
Location: 48.575569152832, -113.448196411133
Turn L onto Triple Divide Trail
FPR007
Location: 48.5757217407227, -113.453498840332
Possible camp @ Atlantic Falls
FPR008
Location: 48.5739784240723, -113.461799621582
Keep R @ Medicine Lake Trail junction
FPR009
Location: 48.5755805969238, -113.481002807617
Continue W, slanting toward the NE side of Triple Divide Peak
FPR010
Location: 48.5742492675781, -113.513702392578
Triple Divide Pass; drop N to Hudson Bay Creek
FPR011
Location: 48.6080207824707, -113.526298522949
Continue N
FPR012
Location: 48.6356811523438, -113.530601501465
Turn R @ Red Eagle Creek and hike to its namesake lake with campsites
FPR013
Location: 48.6390800476074, -113.521598815918
Swing bridge
FPR014
Location: 48.645450592041, -113.509803771973
Campsites near Red Eagle Lake framed by stellar SW views of the Continental Divide; return to Waypoint 12 and head N up feeder stream (this begins the stout cross-country traverse of Red Eagle Pass)
FPR015
Location: 48.6369781494141, -113.534698486328
Head W
FPR016
Location: 48.6349983215332, -113.537803649902
Safe stream crossing
FPR017
Location: 48.6317291259766, -113.537399291992
Marker Waypoint
FPR018
Location: 48.6277503967285, -113.54630279541
Bear SSW
FPR019
Location: 48.6251487731934, -113.54810333252
Cairn marks route
FPR020
Location: 48.6205711364746, -113.552398681641
Good stream crossing
FPR021
Location: 48.6147689819336, -113.559898376465
Trace the S-side of Red Eagle Creek
FPR022
Location: 48.6097183227539, -113.568603515625
Look for logs to cross creeks
FPR023
Location: 48.6068992614746, -113.573799133301
More logs
FPR024
Location: 48.6031303405762, -113.584602355957
Vast beaver ponds; climb NW
FPR025
Location: 48.6052284240723, -113.590896606445
Cut W across slope
FPR026
Location: 48.603630065918, -113.59839630127
Super steep game trails; go slow and avoid when wet
FPR027
Location: 48.604061126709, -113.600898742676
Pick up faint trail again, bearing W
FPR028
Location: 48.6011810302734, -113.604499816895
This vast alpine plateau yeilds fine camping.
FPR029
Location: 48.5924797058106, -113.606498718262
Stay S
FPR030
Location: 48.5838203430176, -113.604698181152
Good camp spot
FPR031
Location: 48.5825805664062, -113.60230255127
The best route up the pass is on E side of creek; 200-foot climb
FPR032
Location: 48.5774993896484, -113.594703674316
Red Eagle Pass: The old pre-World War II route goes E then down drainage (now overgrown!). The best route now is a goat trail to the S.
FPR033
Location: 48.5756797790527, -113.594902038574
Navigate goat path down thru cliff bands
FPR034
Location: 48.5705490112305, -113.591697692871
Best to stay S of the runoff
FPR035
Location: 48.5676193237305, -113.59400177002
Go L around falls thru blowdown then find game trail to lower bench
FPR036
Location: 48.5622787475586, -113.603996276855
The real work begins on this steep slope covered with slide alder and deadfall all the way to Nyack Trail. Move carefully and expect 3 hours for the next .9 mile. Tip: Wear your sunglasses for eye protection, and pack plenty of water.
FPR037
Location: 48.5559997558594, -113.606399536133
Continue S; more blowdown ahead
FPR038
Location: 48.5501708984375, -113.605598449707
Nyack Trail. Turn L. Your reward is excellent hiking along turquoise Nyack Creek.
FPR039
Location: 48.5499992370606, -113.586402893066
Campsites near the Nyack Creek
FPR040
Location: 48.5492782592773, -113.573303222656
Ford creek
FPR041
Location: 48.5469284057617, -113.565803527832
National Park Service cabin
FPR042
Location: 48.5475196838379, -113.563598632812
Cross Pacific Creek
FPR043
Location: 48.5388984680176, -113.537300109863
Veer L, staying N and above a nameless fork of the Nyack
FPR044
Location: 48.5384902954102, -113.483299255371
Climb to pass; this N-facing slope is often covered in snow even in mid-summer. Editor’s Note: The tracklog from here to the shoulder of Cut Bank Pass might not follow official route exactly (it was snow-covered during trail scout).
FPR045
Location: 48.524600982666, -113.480697631836
Cut Bank Saddle
FPR046
Location: 48.5204200744629, -113.472297668457
Cut Bank Pass; backpack S along Continental Divide then wrap W around Mount Morgan (8,781 ft.)
FPR047
Location: 48.5136985778809, -113.479797363281
W shoulder of Mount Morgan
FPR048
Location: 48.5007705688477, -113.472503662109
Great vistas from high trail between Cut Bank and Dawson Passes
FPR049
Location: 48.4872283935547, -113.47200012207
Dawson Pass; descend E into Bighorn Basin
FPR050
Location: 48.479850769043, -113.448997497559
No Name Lake campsite
FPR051
Location: 48.4811210632324, -113.445701599121
Turn R, heading E
FPR052
Location: 48.4776611328125, -113.419898986816
Keep L; staying on Dawson Pass Trail on the N-side of Two Medicine Lake. It’s 3.1 miles back to trailhead.