Highline Trail – Glacier National Park

• 12.27 miles
• Elevation gain: 1,262 ft
• Min/Max Altitude: 4,279.53 ft, 7,265.42 ft
• GPS file: Highline Trail
• One way hike

Glacier National Park in Montana is a hiker’s paradise offering spectacular mountain views, pristine lakes, wildlife and wildflowers, and of course, the glaciers.  Depending on how much time you are fortunate enough to spend in Glacier, you can have an awesome day hike or an incredible many day adventure in the remote backcountry.  One of the most scenic and popular trails in all of Glacier is The Highline Trail.  The Highline Trail is an easily accessible trail starting at Logan Pass just off Going to the Sun Road.  If you have one  day at Glacier to get a taste of the park this trail will give you a mouth full.

Elevation 6,646 ft

The first 7.5 miles of the trail from Logan Pass to the Granite Peak Chalet is the actual Highline Trail, which runs along the ‘The Garden Wall’ and from the Chalet down to the parking area is ‘The Loop Trail’.

We parked at ‘The Loop’ parking area and shuttled to Logan Pass. Well, my parent’s shuttled to the Pass while Angelina and I hitched a ride up with a couple of nice folks from Whitefish, otherwise we may have been waiting for another hour to catch a shuttle.  Driving along Going to the Sun Road up to Logan Pass offers spectacular views, albeit a little nerve racking for some. If you want the best views on the way up, sit on the right side and don’t be the driver.

Classic ‘U’ shaped valleys

Logan’s Pass is crowded, so if you plan to park at the visitor center, we recommend getting there EARLY.  The hike starts off a bit crowded but soon people will find their places and you’ll no longer have people on your heels.  Within the 1st mile you’ll come to the well known cliff hanger section where you’ll walk along a 3-6 foot wide cliff with hundred foot drops.  The trail is narrow, but the views are far and wide! If you’re afraid of heights, don’t fear too much, the park has installed a hand cable along the entire stretch of the cliff that you can use for stability should you need it.  Once you reaffirm yourself that you’re awesome and can do it, you’ll be rewarded with incredible views of the iconic ‘U’ shaped valleys carved outed by glaciers hundreds of millions of years ago.

The Garden Wall

The mountain goats and big horned sheep love hanging out in the rocky cliffs so there is a good chance of having a run in with these guys on the trail.  They’re generally very docile, just give them their space and don’t feed them.  We didn’t see any on the trail the day of the hike, but we drove back to Logan Pass the next day and saw the big Billy below. I had a run in with a group of about 5 on a hike to Gunsight Pass a year ago and they were very friendly, even a bit of a nuisance since they were blocking the trail along the cliff for a while.

Majestic Mountain Goat of Glacier

The majority of the hike is lined with wildflowers so be sure to stop and smell them from time to time.

Glacier

About 3.6 miles in, you’ll reach Haystack Pass which lays neatly between The Garden Wall and Haystack Butte. This is a great spot to stop for lunch and take in the views at over 7000 ft.  For many people this is the turn around point to make a 7.2 mile out and back trip to Logan Pass.

Haystack Pass

About 3/4 miles before the Chalet you’ll come to a side trail for The Glacier Overlook. Unfortunately it was getting late in the day so we didn’t have time to make it to the overlook (next time!), But from what we’ve heard the view is amazing and worth the extra 1000 ft of elevation over one mile. Just down the trail around the 7.5 mile point you’ll come upon the Granite Peak Chalet. They don’t have a water spigot, but they do have a pit toilet and water and snacks for sale.

The last 4 miles are all downhill so prepare your shins and calves for the task. This part was especially trying for my parents; walking poles would definitely help for this section.  It’s a somewhat drab section compared to the rest because the majority of the trees are torched from a 2003 wildfire, so you’re walking along a mountainside toothpick field with limited shade.  But since you were smart and planned ahead, your car awaits you at ‘The Loop’! Now go grab a cold one.

Who will enjoy this hike

• Anybody with working eyes
• Wildlife or wildflower lovers

Logistics
The shuttle toward Logan Pass stops running earlier than the shuttle back to Apgar, so if you intend to park at Logan’s Pass then hike down to ‘The Loop’ and shuttle back to your car, ensure that you finish before the last shuttle, otherwise it’s a long 8 mile walk along the road.  We recommend parking at ‘The Loop’ to shuttle up to Logan Pass and hike back down to your car.  This made the hike more enjoyable for us since we didn’t have to worry about rushing to catch the shuttle.

Tips:

• Be sure to check trail status.  Just 2 weeks after we did the hike the trail was closed due to increased bear activity on the trail.
• If you prefer not to do 3-4 miles downhill or want a shorter distance, turning around at Haystack Pass would make a good 7.6 mile hike
• Take into consideration the Shuttle schedule when deciding where to park and what time to start
• Bring sunscreen, plenty of water, snacks, layers of clothing, and ideally a good pair of hiking boots