2 Days in Glacier NP!

2 Days in Glacier NP!

I'm going to break this trip down on a day to day basis of what we did so let's jump in!
Day 1:
​Our first day in Glacier NP and boy did we learn a lot that first day about the park!

First, let me tell you when they say get there early, they mean get there early!!! Nick and I wanted to do a bunch of trails and when we rolled into the park at 6 am the parking lots were already full!! Every hike we had pinned we kept passing because we couldn’t find a spot to park.

We drove up the "Going to the sun road" passed Logan’s pass which again was full and we both looked at each other and said whichever parking lot we can find, let’s just take it and hike! We were done driving and trying to find anything so next spot open, we took it!

What’s so great about going with the flow is you never know what you’re going to get and the trail we ended up on was so epic and wasn’t even listed as a top hike in Glacier! Sometimes you just have to roll with it and in this case it ended up being amazing! We ran into a lot of people on the trail to see which way they were going and most kept saying Siyeh pass so we decided to follow!

You start near beautiful falls and a river that then takes you into a forest bed, eventually leading to beautiful meadows, and then bam you’re surrounded by mountain sides, more waterfalls, glacier lakes, and tons of prairie dogs! You continue your ascend up and up till you get great 360 degree views of both sides of the park! Then once you hit the pass you descend down into another canyon but this time with tons of wildflowers, waterfalls, another glacier lake, and long horn sheep! I mean come on, this trail has it all!

This trail was actually a point to point trail because we learned that you could take a shuttle back to our cars which was clutch because the trail one way is over 11 miles and 2200 elevation gain. It ended up taking us over 5 hours to complete. I would rate it hard just because of the distance but it really wasn’t too steep which was nice.

If you need a plan b or c or d to Glacier NP then I would 100 % add this one to your list if your other hikes don’t work out. It’s less touristy and worth all the rewards!

Day 2 Part 1:
​First stop of the day, Avalanche Lake in Glacier NP!

This is one of your iconic and well known hikes in Glacier NP. It is a very touristy spot but the views don’t disappoint and it’s definitely worth going to.

If you go early in the morning, you can beat the rush and enjoy the lake peacefully. When we got to the lake, there were only a handful of people there but by the time we started heading back the crowds were rolling in.

This trail is very beginner friendly and great for families! It’s 5.3 miles out and back and only 730 ft of elevation gain. I know we don’t typically like the overly touristy spots but there’s a reason they are this way.

This lake is incredible! The trail going to the lake is in very dense forest vegetation but then once you get to the lake it opens up and bam! You feel like you just got transported to a whole new world. Beautiful teal blue water, towering mountain sides, multiple waterfalls, cute ducks, rich pine vegetation, and a luxurious beach side. We walked up and my jaw just dropped! I’m convinced this might be the most beautiful lake I’ve ever hiked to.

Now remember, this is bear country so please pack your bear spray and stay alert. I forgot to mention that before, but seriously this place and Canada is no joke for bears so be prepared, even on the most touristy sites you just never know!

Day 2 Part 2:
After avalanche lake, Nick and I hopped on the shuttle and went up to Logan’s pass to do Hidden Lake trail. 

Another touristy trail but again so worth it! I will say a lot of people just hike to the overlook and then turn back so if you continue to the lake then it gets less crowded.

We went all the way to the lake and I’m so glad we did. It is absolutely magical! I even stepped in for a bit to get my feet wet and it felt so good. Then chilled and snoozed for a bit.

The trail starts with amazing views of the mountain sides, beautiful meadows, luscious wildflowers, and lots of wildlife. Yes this trail had the most wildlife we had seen on a single trail. Mountain goats, long horn sheep, marmots, prairie dogs, chipmunks, and different birds. You eventually get to the overlook and boom! Beautiful views of hidden lake and all the mountain sides surrounding it, plus some glaciers.

It is so stunning and again I can see why so many people do this trail. If you do the full trail to the lake it’s just over 5 miles out and back and 1300 ft of elevation gain (the trail going down to the lake goes very low so this is where you gain all your elevation, when you come up from the lake). I would rate it moderate and if you just go to the overlook then I would say it’s an easy trail.

If you need a quick hike with great views in glacier then add this one to your list. Advice: In regards to parking if you don’t want to deal with missing out on a spot then I suggest taking the shuttle around, the only downside to it is it starts at 9 am so if you’re an early bird like me then it may not be ideal to wait. But if you’re in the park and then need to get to another place then take the shuttle, they run every 30 min at each location.

We only had 2 days in glacier and I think with the 3 hikes we got in, we hit it well but there’s still a lot of trails I want to do there. Looks like we’ll have to come back again! xoxo Kimmy

*To see photos from our trip head to my Instagram page @getlostoutdoors2023*