Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier & Waterton Lakes contains maps
and descriptions for 28 hikes. Each of the hikes are relatively short, on well-
defined, easy-to-follow trails that take you to some of the area’s most
spectacular scenery - without taking you to physical extremes.
National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map for Glacier
National Park contains detailed topographic information and clearly marked trails for both
Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Park.
Counter Assault Bear Deterrent has the maximum strength allowed by the EPA and
Health Canada. It meets or
exceeds IGBC, Wildlife Specialist and Bear Biologist recommendations for bear spray. The 10.2 oz. unit has a spray time of 9.2 seconds
and a spray distance of 32 feet, and is the brand carried by rangers in
Glacier & Yellowstone.
Directory
of Glacier Hiking Trails by Difficulty Rating
Hiking
Glacier National Park can be quite challenging,
and hiking a trail above your fitness level can make for a less than
enjoyable
day while out on the trail. Below is a list of hiking trails in Glacier
National Park based on a difficulty rating, and ranked from easiest to
hardest hikes. This list is intended to help hikers find a trail that's best
suited to their abilities.
Difficulty Rating Defined: a difficulty rating of
less than 5 is
generally considered to be an easy hike, between 5 and 10 is moderate,
and
anything over 10 is considered to be a strenuous hike. For a more
detailed
explanation of the difficulty ratings while hiking Glacier National
Park, please click
here.
By clicking on any of the trail names below you'll find more detailed information for each hike, including trail descriptions, directions, key features, photos, elevation profiles and maps.
| Trail Name | General Location | Trail Features | RT Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
| Running Eagle Falls | Two Medicine | Waterfalls | 0.6 | 15 | 0.63 |
| Baring Falls | St. Mary Lake | Waterfalls | 0.8 | 160 | 1.12 |
| Trail of the Cedars | Lake McDonald | Forest Hike, Waterfalls | 1.0 | 60 | 1.12 |
| Forest and Fire Nature Trail | Lake McDonald | Scenic Views, Wildflowers | 1.1 | 180 | 1.46 |
| Appistoki Falls | Two Medicine | Waterfalls | 1.3 | 175 | 1.65 |
| Paradise Point | Two Medicine | Scenic Lake Views | 1.4 | 220 | 1.84 |
| St. Mary Falls | St. Mary Lake | Waterfalls | 1.7 | 215 | 2.13 |
| Johns Lake Loop | Lake McDonald | Waterfalls, Lake Views | 1.8 | 225 | 2.25 |
| Twin Falls | Two Medicine | Waterfalls | 2.3 | 115 | 2.53 |
| Rocky Point Nature Trail | Lake McDonald | Lake, Scenic Views | 1.9 | 350 | 2.60 |
| Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail | Many Glacier | Scenic and Lake Views, Forest | 2.9 | 25 | 2.95 |
| Apikuni Falls | Many Glacier | Waterfalls | 1.7 | 625 | 2.95 |
| Hidden Falls | Many Glacier | Waterfalls, Forest Hike | 2.5 | 250 | 3.00 |
| Aster Falls | Two Medicine | Waterfalls | 2.8 | 320 | 3.44 |
| Grinnell Lake | Many Glacier | Lake, Scenic Views | 3.0 | 220 | 3.44 |
| Deadwood Falls | Logan Pass | Waterfalls, Forest Hike | 2.3 | 665 | 3.63 |
| Hidden Lake Overlook | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 2.7 | 540 | 3.78 |
| Beaver Pond Loop | St. Mary Lake | Meadows, Forest Hike, Historic | 3.6 | 350 | 4.30 |
| Howe Lake | Lake McDonald | Lake | 4.0 | 240 | 4.48 |
| Virginia Falls | St. Mary Lake | Waterfalls | 3.6 | 525 | 4.65 |
| Redrock Falls | Many Glacier | Waterfalls, Lake, Scenic Views | 4.2 | 285 | 4.77 |
| Upper Two Medicine Lake | Two Medicine | Lake Views, Meadows, Wildflowers | 4.8 | 350 | 5.50 |
| Aster Park Overlook | Two Medicine | Scenic Views, Waterfalls | 4.0 | 780 | 5.56 |
| Avalanche Lake | Lake McDonald | Lake, Waterfalls | 4.5 | 730 | 5.96 |
| Ptarmigan Falls | Many Glacier | Oustanding Views, Waterfalls | 5.0 | 768 | 6.54 |
| St. Mary Area Waterfalls Hike | St. Mary Lake | Waterfalls, Lake Views | 5.2 | 700 | 6.60 |
| No Name Lake | Two Medicine | Alpine Lake, Scenic Views | 5.4 | 905 | 7.21 |
| Rockwell Falls | Two Medicine | Waterfalls, Scenic Views, Wildflowers | 7.0 | 375 | 7.75 |
| Fish Lake | Lake McDonald | Lake, Forest Hike | 5.8 | 1210 | 8.22 |
| Bullhead Lake | Many Glacier | Lake, Waterfalls, Scenic Views | 7.8 | 425 | 8.65 |
| Highline Trail to Haystack Pass | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 7.2 | 825 | 8.85 |
| Preston Park | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 6.6 | 1460 | 9.52 |
| Poia Lake | Many Glacier | Lake Views | 7.0 | 1750 | 10.50 |
| Apgar Lookout | Lake McDonald | Scenic Views, Historic | 7.1 | 1845 | 10.79 |
| Grinnell Glacier | Many Glacier | Outstanding Views, Glaciers | 7.6 | 1840 | 11.28 |
| Florence Falls | Logan Pass | Waterfalls, Forest Hike | 9.8 | 975 | 11.75 |
| Ptarmigan Lake | Many Glacier | Oustanding Views, Alpine Lake | 8.8 | 1700 | 12.20 |
| Iceberg Lake | Many Glacier | Outstanding Views, Alpine Lake | 9.7 | 1275 | 12.25 |
| Piegan Pass | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views | 8.8 | 1890 | 12.58 |
| Scenic Point | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views, Alpine Tundra | 8.0 | 2300 | 12.60 |
| Siyeh Pass | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 8.4 | 2135 | 12.67 |
| Snyder Lake | Lake McDonald | Subalpine Lake, Scenic Views | 8.7 | 2045 | 12.79 |
| Granite Park Chalet (via The Loop) | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Wildflowers | 8.4 | 2450 | 13.30 |
| Medicine Grizzly Lake | Two Medicine | Subalpine Lake, Scenic Views | 12.4 | 625 | 13.65 |
| Belly River Ranger Station | Many Glacier | Outstanding Views, Historic | 12.2 | 870 | 13.94 |
| Cobalt Lake | Two Medicine | Scenic Views, Alpine Lake, Waterfalls, Wildflowers | 11.2 | 1450 | 14.10 |
| Firebrand Pass | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views, Wildflowers | 10.2 | 1950 | 14.10 |
| Dawson Pass | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views | 9.4 | 2450 | 14.30 |
| Lake McDonald West Shore | Lake McDonald | Lake Views | 14.0 | 300 | 14.60 |
| Siyeh Pass Loop | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 10.3 | 2225 | 14.75 |
| Otokomi Lake | St. Mary Lake | Alpine Lake, Waterfalls | 10.8 | 2180 | 15.16 |
| Ptarmigan Tunnel | Many Glacier | Oustanding Views, Alpine Lake, Historic | 10.7 | 2300 | 15.30 |
| Cracker Lake | Many Glacier | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 12.6 | 1400 | 15.40 |
| Gunsight Lake | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Subalpine Lake, Wildflowers | 12.6 | 1500 | 15.60 |
| Red Eagle Lake | St. Mary Lake | Lake Views, Meadows | 15.0 | 300 | 15.60 |
| Highline Loop | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 11.8 | 1950 | 15.70 |
| Scalplock Mountain Lookout | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views, Historic | 9.4 | 3175 | 15.75 |
| Trout Lake | Lake McDonald | Lake | 8.4 | 4200 | 16.80 |
| Oldman Lake | Two Medicine | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 13.3 | 1850 | 17.00 |
| Quartz Lake Loop | Lake McDonald | Lake Views, Forest Hike | 12.8 | 2350 | 17.50 |
| Swiftcurrent Pass | Many Glacier | Outstanding Views, Waterfalls | 13.2 | 2300 | 17.80 |
| Mt. Brown Lookout | Lake McDonald | Outstanding Views, Historic | 10.1 | 4250 | 18.60 |
| Huckleberry Mountain Lookout | Lake McDonald | Scenic Views | 12.0 | 3400 | 18.80 |
| Sperry Chalet | Lake McDonald | Outstanding Views, Waterfalls | 12.3 | 3360 | 19.02 |
| Granite Park Chalet (via Highline) | Logan Pass | Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers | 15.2 | 1920 | 19.04 |
| Pitamakan Pass | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views, Lake Views | 15.4 | 2500 | 20.40 |
| Two Medicine Pass | Two Medicine | Outstanding Views, Alpine Lake | 15.8 | 2350 | 20.50 |