10 Best Summer Hikes in Glacier National Park

Photo: SridharSaraf via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Our 10 Best Summer Hikes in Glacier National Park cover the park’s major landscapes, from cedar forest around Avalanche Lake to alpine tundra along the Continental Divide. Most visitors should target mid July through September, when Going-to-the-Sun Road and high passes are most likely to be open. Early summer brings waterfalls and lingering snow, while September offers cooler walking temperatures, fewer insects, and gradually shorter days.

Trail access varies sharply across Glacier’s million acres. Logan Pass sits at 6,646 feet, Many Glacier occupies the park’s wildlife-rich northeast corner, and Two Medicine requires a separate approach from the southeast. A route that looks close on a map can involve hours of driving around the Continental Divide, so our team recommends choosing one park region per day.

When the 10 Best Summer Hikes in Glacier National Park Become Accessible

Glacier’s hiking summer develops from the valleys upward. Forest routes such as Avalanche Lake and Virginia Falls usually become practical before alpine trails including Highline, Siyeh Pass, and Ptarmigan Tunnel. Snowfields, stream crossings, and avalanche debris can remain after a trailhead becomes reachable, particularly on shaded north-facing slopes.

Glacier’s Hiking Season at a Glance

The table below compares the main hiking windows rather than fixed calendar seasons. Snowpack controls the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road, and individual years can differ by several weeks. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible throughout summer, especially near exposed passes where retreat options are limited.

Period	Crowds	Typical Conditions	Likely Access	Best Uses
Late May to mid June	Low to moderate	Wet valleys, strong waterfalls, deep alpine snow	Lower trails and partial road access	Forest walks, wildlife watching, waterfall hikes
Late June to early July	Increasing quickly	Long daylight, muddy sections, hazardous snow on passes	Road access expanding, high trails uncertain	Valley lakes and lower elevation routes
Mid July through August	Highest	Warm valleys, open passes, thunderstorms, wildfire smoke possible	Broadest trail and road access	Highline, Siyeh Pass, Ptarmigan Tunnel
September to early October	Moderate to low	Cool mornings, early snow possible, shorter daylight	Excellent until storms or seasonal closures intervene	Long hikes, fall color, quieter wildlife viewing

Road Openings Control the High Country

Going-to-the-Sun Road provides access to Logan Pass, Siyeh Bend, Jackson Glacier Overlook, and several point-to-point hikes. Plowing the road involves clearing drifts that can rise many feet above the pavement near the Continental Divide. Until the alpine section opens, Highline and Hidden Lake Overlook cannot be approached from their normal summer trailheads.

Parking congestion changes the practical difficulty of popular hikes. A moderate route can require a predawn departure, a shuttle connection, or extra walking from an overflow area. Vehicle-entry systems, shuttle operations, fees, road status, and temporary trail closures can change annually, so confirm current details on the official park site before fixing an itinerary.

How We Chose the 10 Best Summer Hikes in Glacier National Park

Our selection balances scenery, ecological variety, route quality, and the ability to build a realistic trip. Several hikes reach the Continental Divide, while others remain low enough to work during unsettled weather. Together they cover Lake McDonald, Logan Pass, St. Mary, Many Glacier, and the park’s eastern alpine country.

The 10 Best Summer Hikes Compared

Distances and elevation gains are approximate because boat use, turnaround points, and trailhead connections can alter a route. Point-to-point hikes also require transportation planning. The difficulty ratings assume dry summer tread rather than snow, ice, heavy smoke, or extreme heat.

Hike	Distance	Approximate Gain	Difficulty	Area
Highline Trail to The Loop	11.8 miles one way	830 feet	Strenuous	Logan Pass
Grinnell Glacier	10.6 miles round trip	1,600 feet	Strenuous	Many Glacier
Iceberg Lake	9.7 miles round trip	1,275 feet	Moderate to strenuous	Many Glacier
Ptarmigan Tunnel	10.7 miles round trip	2,300 feet	Strenuous	Many Glacier
Siyeh Pass	About 10 miles one way	About 2,240 feet	Strenuous	St. Mary corridor
Swiftcurrent Pass	About 14 miles round trip	About 2,400 feet	Very strenuous	Many Glacier
Avalanche Lake	5.9 miles round trip	About 750 feet	Moderate	Lake McDonald
Hidden Lake Overlook	2.7 miles round trip	About 460 feet	Easy to moderate	Logan Pass
St. Mary and Virginia Falls	About 3.6 miles round trip	About 525 feet	Moderate	St. Mary
Cracker Lake	12.6 miles round trip	About 1,400 feet	Strenuous	Many Glacier

Choose According to Your Priorities

Strong hikers with only one clear day should prioritize Highline, Siyeh Pass, or Grinnell Glacier. Families and visitors adjusting to elevation generally have better experiences at Avalanche Lake, Virginia Falls, or Hidden Lake Overlook. Many Glacier delivers the strongest concentration of long routes, but its trailheads are far from West Glacier and should be grouped into a separate day or overnight stay.

• Best first alpine hike: Hidden Lake Overlook, provided the trail is open and snow-free.
• Best waterfall route: St. Mary and Virginia Falls during early summer runoff.
• Best glacier view: Grinnell Glacier, with close views of ice, moraines, and glacially carved rock.
• Best long traverse: Siyeh Pass, which crosses open tundra below 10,014-foot Mount Siyeh.
• Best wildlife corridor: Swiftcurrent Pass, where moose, bears, bighorn sheep, and deer may use nearby habitat.

Signature Trails Along the Continental Divide

The park’s alpine routes cross rocks of the Belt Supergroup, layers of argillite, limestone, and quartzite deposited in ancient shallow seas more than a billion years ago. Glaciers later carved these tilted beds into arêtes, cirques, and steep U-shaped valleys. That geology explains both the scale of the views and the exposure found on several high routes.

Two of the 10 Best Summer Hikes from Logan Pass

Highline Trail to Granite Park and The Loop

Highline begins across Going-to-the-Sun Road from the Logan Pass visitor area and follows the Garden Wall toward Granite Park Chalet. The opening section includes a narrow ledge with a hand cable, followed by rolling traverses through beargrass, glacier lilies, and open slopes used by bighorn sheep. Continuing past the chalet to The Loop creates an 11.8-mile point-to-point hike with a long, steep descent.

On the Garden Wall, the trail feels cut into the mountainside. Angular stone sits underfoot, the cliff rises close on one side, and the McDonald Creek valley drops thousands of feet on the other. Wind crosses the slope without obstruction, carrying marmot whistles and the faint sound of traffic far below. The exposure is visually dramatic even where the tread remains level.

Hidden Lake Overlook

This shorter route climbs from Logan Pass on boardwalks and gravel trail through Hanging Gardens. Snow often lingers beside the path after the road opens, and mountain goats commonly use the surrounding cliffs and meadows. The overlook faces Bearhat Mountain above Hidden Lake, but wildlife activity can cause temporary closures beyond the overlook. Visitors should never approach goats or allow them access to sweat-soaked gear.

A High Pass Above the St. Mary Valley

Siyeh Pass

Siyeh Pass is commonly walked from Siyeh Bend to Sunrift Gorge, producing a demanding point-to-point route through Preston Park and over a pass near 8,100 feet. The climb moves from subalpine forest into flower meadows beneath Mount Siyeh, then crosses pale scree before descending toward the Baring Creek drainage. Little shade exists above Preston Park, and the descent is lengthy enough to punish knees even though most climbing occurs early.

Many Glacier Routes for Long Summer Days

Many Glacier holds four of the longest routes in this list: Grinnell Glacier, Iceberg Lake, Ptarmigan Tunnel, and Swiftcurrent Pass. Starting early matters because the approach road consumes substantial time from either side of the park, while afternoon weather can make exposed terrain uncomfortable. Bear activity also causes occasional trail closures, so hikers should arrive with an alternate route in the same area.

Glacial Lakes and Open Slopes

Grinnell Glacier and Iceberg Lake

Grinnell Glacier climbs past Swiftcurrent and Josephine lakes before traversing open slopes above turquoise Lower Grinnell Lake. The final ascent crosses sun exposed rock and passes seasonal waterfalls. Iceberg Lake follows Ptarmigan Creek into a cirque enclosed by the roughly 3,000 foot walls beneath Iceberg Peak. Snow and floating ice can persist at the lake through summer, making warm layers useful even when the trailhead feels hot.

Tunnels and Continental Divide Passes

Ptarmigan Tunnel and Swiftcurrent Pass

Ptarmigan Tunnel shares its first miles with Iceberg Lake before climbing through forest and switchbacks to Ptarmigan Lake. The 240 foot tunnel, completed in 1930, pierces the Ptarmigan Wall and opens onto views of the Belly River country. Swiftcurrent Pass follows a chain of lakes, climbs steep switchbacks above the valley, and reaches the Continental Divide near 7,185 feet. It demands more endurance and dependable weather than the lake routes.

Cracker Lake

Cracker Lake leads into a broad cirque below 10,057 foot Mount Siyeh. Fine glacial sediment gives the lake its opaque turquoise color, while abandoned mining equipment recalls the short lived copper boom of the late 1890s. The route includes horse traffic, muddy forest, and open avalanche paths. Carry bear spray where it is immediately reachable because dense vegetation limits sight lines along parts of the approach.

How Crowds Change the Hiking Experience

July and August bring the broadest trail access, but they also concentrate vehicles at Logan Pass, Avalanche, and Many Glacier. Full parking areas can delay a start until temperatures and thunderstorm risk have increased. Busy trails also require more frequent passing stops. Those interruptions matter on Highline’s narrow opening traverse and on steep sections of Grinnell Glacier where hikers should avoid stepping onto fragile vegetation.

Match Your Start Time to the Trail

Trail Type	Useful Start Strategy	Main Reason
Logan Pass routes	Use an early shuttle or arrive before peak traffic	Limited alpine parking and exposed afternoon terrain
Many Glacier day hikes	Begin near sunrise	Long mileage, wildlife activity, and limited shade
Waterfall and forest hikes	Visit early morning or late afternoon	Fewer trail bottlenecks and softer light
Point to point traverses	Schedule transportation before hiking	Missing a connection can leave hikers far from their vehicle

Finding Quieter Conditions

September usually offers the best balance of open high trails and reduced congestion. Night temperatures can fall below freezing at elevation, and the first substantial snowfall may temporarily cover passes. During peak summer, hikers seeking space should favor Cracker Lake over Grinnell Glacier or start St. Mary and Virginia Falls from the eastern side early in the day. Quiet does not reduce bear precautions, especially where berry producing shrubs border the trail.

Reservations, Gear, and a Practical Decision Plan

Day hiking these routes generally does not require a wilderness camping permit. Vehicle access programs, commercial boat schedules, lodging reservations, and campground booking windows can still shape an itinerary months before arrival. Boat rides can shorten some approaches near Josephine Lake, but hikers should understand the full walking distance in case space is unavailable. Wilderness permits become relevant when converting routes into overnight trips.

Choose the Right Seasonal Window

1. Choose late June or early July for waterfalls and long daylight, then focus on Avalanche Lake, Virginia Falls, and other lower routes if snow remains on passes.
2. Choose mid July through August for the greatest probability of reaching every trail on the list, accepting heavier traffic and warmer afternoons.
3. Choose September for cooler long distance hiking, fewer insects, and lighter crowds, while carrying insulation for rapid weather changes.

Carry for Glacier’s Actual Conditions

Each hiker should carry bear spray, at least two liters of water, food beyond the planned duration, rain protection, insulation, navigation, and a headlamp. Trekking poles help on Siyeh Pass scree and the descent from Granite Park. Snow traction may be appropriate early in the season, but traction devices do not make a steep snow crossing safe without the skills to arrest a fall. Turn around when footing exceeds the group’s ability.

Planning Your Glacier Summer Hikes

The 10 Best Summer Hikes provide a useful framework because they include short overlooks, waterfall walks, glacial lakes, and full day crossings of the Continental Divide. Build the trip geographically: combine Avalanche Lake with the Lake McDonald corridor, reserve a clear day for Logan Pass, and devote separate days to Many Glacier. This approach reduces driving and creates room for weather related substitutions.

For the widest choice, visit after the alpine roads and passes have opened. For waterfalls and lower crowds, accept a smaller trail menu earlier in summer. September suits experienced hikers who can manage cold mornings and shorter daylight. Whichever period you choose, start early, carry bear spray, and keep one lower elevation route available when snow, smoke, thunderstorms, or wildlife closures change the day’s plan.

Want to keep exploring? Browse all our Glacier guides and articles for more trip-planning tips and ideas.

Related Reading

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• Glacier National Park in Fall: What to Expect and What to Do
• Glacier National Park in Summer: What to Expect and What to Do