Best Easy Day Hikes in Glacier
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.













Nat Geo Trail Map
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.













top-trails-glacier-national-park
Top Trails: Glacier National Park. Local author Jean Arthur leads visitors to secluded trails and unique settings while providing details of current and past human activity, wildlife, and geology.


Glacier National Park hikes by Difficulty Rating

Hiking in 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 Glacier National Park hikes sorted by 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 in Glacier National Park, please click here.

By clicking on any of the hiking trail names below you'll find more detailed information for each hike, including trail descriptions, directions, key features, photos, elevation profiles and maps.

R/T on the table heading below stands for total round trip mileage.

For a general idea on the location of any hiking trail in Glacier, please visit our park map page.



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 2.7 25 2.75
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
Sun Point Nature Trail St. Mary Lake Waterfalls, Lake Views 4.7 460 5.62
Upper McDonald Creek Trail Lake McDonald Waterfalls, Scenic Views 5.3 210 5.72
Avalanche Lake Lake McDonald Lake, Waterfalls 4.5 730 5.96
Lake Josephine Loop Many Glacier Outstanding Lake Views 5.8 225 6.25
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
Dragon's Tail Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows 5.4 1190 7.78
Bullhead Lake Many Glacier Lakes, Waterfalls, Scenic Views 7.2 425 8.05
Hidden Lake Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Lake 5.4 1325 8.05
Fish Lake Lake McDonald Lake, Forest Hike 5.8 1210 8.22
S. Shore St. Mary Lake St. Mary Lake Waterfalls, Lake Views 7.2 755 8.71
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 7.1 1415 9.93
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
Poia Lake Many Glacier Lake Views 8.6 1750 12.10
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
Scenic Point Two Medicine  Outstanding Views, Alpine Tundra 8.0 2300 12.60
Snyder Lake Lake McDonald Subalpine Lake, Scenic Views 8.7 2045 12.79
Piegan Pass Logan Pass Outstanding Views 9.2 1850 12.90
Siyeh Pass Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers 8.9 2090 13.08
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 12.2 915 14.03
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
Siyeh Pass Loop Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers 10.4 2280 14.96
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
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
Gable Pass Many Glacier Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows 13.1 2250 17.60
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
Swiftcurrent Pass Many Glacier Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Lakes 14.2 2400 19.00
Sperry Chalet Lake McDonald Outstanding Views, Waterfalls 12.3 3360 19.02
Two Medicine Pass Two Medicine Outstanding Views, Alpine Lake 14.2 2410 19.02
Granite Park Chalet (via Highline) Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers 15.2 1920 19.04
Triple Divide Pass Two Medicine Outstanding Views 14.6 2400 19.40
Pitamakan Pass Two Medicine  Outstanding Views, Lake Views 15.4 2500 20.40
Grinnell Glacier Overlook Logan Pass Outstanding Views, Alpine Meadows, Wildflowers 15.5 2830 21.16