Discover classic destinations and lesser-known jewels of Glacier National Park through 42 incomparable hikes.

With its crystalline lakes, towering mountains, impressive waterfalls, diverse plant and animal life, and, of course, dynamic glaciers, Glacier National Park offers countless opportunities for outdoor adventure. To find the best of them, follow expert author Jean Arthur—who has spent decades hiking hundreds of miles of trails throughout the park!

Leave the roads to explore the hearts of both Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks—whether you’re looking for an easy family stroll through a grove of majestic red cedars, a 6-mile trek with spectacular views of snowfields that melt into wildflower meadows, or a 20-mile overnighter through some of the finest mountain scenery in the country. You’ll experience the best of the treasured national park that lies in the wilderness area of Montana’s Rocky Mountains. If you want to take a scenic walk to stretch your legs, a full-day hike, or a rewarding backpacking trip, you’ll find it in Top Trails: Glacier National Park.

Inside you’ll find:

• 42 favorite routes for hikers, backpackers, and cyclists
• Detailed maps and elevation profiles
• Trailhead directions and “don’t get lost” milestones
• Key at-a-glance information, including trail length, difficulty, features, and facilities
• Expert trail commentary

Jean Arthur has hiked, backpacked, skied, biked, boated, and floated Montana’s trails, slopes, rivers, and lakes for 45 years. As a teenager, she began writing for her high school newspaper, which led to a journalism degree from the University of Oregon and a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from the University of Montana. Jean has taught writing at Montana State University since 2003.

Jean has written four books: Hellroaring: Fifty Years on The Big Mountain, Timberline and a Century of Skiing Mount Hood, Winter Trails Montana: The Best Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoe Trails, and Top Trails: Glacier National Park. She has contributed chapters to several books on outdoor adventuring, and her writing frequently appears on the pages of travel magazines, ski-adventure publications, and many other adventure and travel publications.

The Top Trails Series

Map Legend

Glacier National Park Overview Map

Glacier National Park Trails Table

Using Top Trails

Introduction to Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park

On the Trail

Chapter 1: West Side Trails: Lake McDonald Area and the North Fork of the Flathead River

• Trail of the Cedars
• Avalanche Lake Trail
• Sperry Chalet via Gunsight Pass Trail
• Snyder Lake Trail
• Fish Lake via Snyder Ridge Fire Trail
• Mount Brown Lookout Trail
• Going-to-the-Sun and Sacred Dancing Cascade Loop (Winter Trail)
• Apgar Lookout Trail
• Huckleberry Mountain Lookout Trail
• Forest and Fire Nature Trail (formerly Huckleberry Nature Trail)
• Akokala Lake Trail
• Quartz Lake Loop
• Logging Lake Trail
• Boulder Pass Trail to Hole in the Wall
• Bowman Lake Trail to Brown Pass and Goat Haunt

Chapter 2: Logan Pass and Saint Mary Area

• Hidden Lake Trail
• Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet and the Garden Wall
• Loop Trail to Granite Park Chalet
• Siyeh Pass Trail (Siyeh Bend to Sunrift Gorge)
• Piegan Pass Trail
• Gunsight Pass Trail to Gunsight Lake, Pass, Sperry Chalet, and Lake McDonald
• Sun Point Nature Trail from Reynolds Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook
• Saint Mary Falls Trail
• Otokomi Lake/Rose Creek Trail
• Beaver Pond Trail

Chapter 3: Two Medicine and South Boundary Area

• Running Eagle Falls Nature Trail (aka Trick Falls)
• Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail and Twin Falls
• Dawson Pass and Pitamakan Pass Trail (Oldman Lake)
• Cobalt Lake via Two Medicine Pass Trail
• Mount Henry Trail to Scenic Point
• Autumn Creek Trail
• Firebrand Pass Trail

Chapter 4: Many Glacier Area

• Apikuni Falls Trail (aka Appekunny Falls Trail)
• Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail
• Grinnell Glacier Trail
• Iceberg Lake
• Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail

Chapter 5: Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada

• Bertha Lake Trail
• Crypt Lake Trail
• Bellevue Prairie Trail and Bison Paddock
• Red Rock Canyon and Blakiston Falls Trails
• Cameron Lakeshore Trail

Appendix 1: Top-Rated Trails

Appendix 2: Campgrounds and RV Parks

Appendix 3: Hotels, Lodges, Motels, and Resorts

Appendix 4: Major Organizations

Appendix 5: Useful Books

Index

About the Author