Hikes in Montana

The Historic Highway 2 East Trail is a moderate day adventure for intermediate hikers and families with older children. Located near Troy, this scenic route contours the timbered ridges that bound the gorgeous Kootenai River valley.

Sweeping mountain views await you from the shoreline of Bramlet Lake. The Bramlet Lake Hike is a short, but steep adventure into the Cabinet Mountains that explores a swathe of wilderness occupied by a diversity of flora and fauna.

The Little Ibex Lake Hike is an arduous day hike to one of the highest alpine lakes in the Cabinet Mountains. Ford creeks, navigate boulder fields, wander through scenic woodlands and montane meadows up to the idyllic lake fed by the perpetual snowfield.

The panoramic views of the Cabinet Mountains from atop Spar Peak are a sight to behold! This arduous ascent through forests of hemlocks, cedars, and mixed pines and up scree fields to the summit is tiring, but the scenery is worth the sweat—trust us.

Get outside and reconnect with nature on the Big Spar Lake Hike. This family-friendly adventure explores the shady cedar shoreline of the picturesque lake, intersecting with meandering creeks along the way.

The McGuire Mountain Trail is an excellent adventure that is worth adding to your hiking itinerary. Wander through lodgepole pine forests carped with lush undergrowth and up to the exposed summit adorned with a beautiful lookout tower.

Located in the far northwestern corner of Montana in the Kootenai National Forest, the Northwest Peak Trail is quite a scenic and secluded adventure. Explore a lush forest of pines and larch, passing by idyllic lakes before culminating at the soaring summit.

Wandering through Bullhead Lake trail will reward you in more ways than one. Discover Fishercap Lake and its surrounding mountains shortly into the hike. Continuing on, you will come across Redrock Lake with stunning views of Mount Grinnell with Redrock Falls below and Swiftcurrent Glacier to the West. If you are looking to spot wildlife on your hike, Bullhead Lake trail is known for its abundance of animals roaming in their natural habitat.

The remote Firebrand Pass Trail grants hikers the opportunity to marvel at wildlife and enjoy beautiful views of Calf Robe and Red Crow mountains in solitude. In the summer months, wildflowers encompass the fields and compliment the mountains surrounding them. The layout of Firebrand Pass can produce strong winds, so a windbreaker is advised!

Sunrift Gorge is a visually stunning, short hike to the narrow channels carved through the bedrock due to water melting down from Sexton Glacier. This hike is family-friendly and does not have much acceleration, so it is great for kids. Round up the family and explore this beautiful natural phenomenon right off of the Going to the Sun Road.

Dawson Pass Trail is a beautiful hike that is quite challenging and is not for the faint of heart. While trekking through this heart-pumping trail, you will be rewarded with incredible views. Make sure to bring you bear spray as you will be hiking through prime grizzly bear habitat.

Grinnell Lake Trail begins from Many Glacier Hotel and takes you through stunning scenery of glacier-fed lakes. As you gaze at the beautiful mountains in the distance across from Grinnell Lake, you can see the water running down creating tiny waterfalls. This hike, although somewhat long, does not entail much elevation change.

Lake Josephine Trail takes you on a circuit hike around the lake, with views of the mountains at every turn. This hike is great for people who want a relaxing journey with a chance to see some wildlife that lives along the trail. This is prime grizzly bear habitat, so keep your eyes open and remember your bear spray.

McDonald Creek Trail is a family-friendly trail that has many highlights. Traveling through lush green forests, you will discover McDonald Falls rushing through the rock formations. You will also get to see views from Avalanche Creek Outlook, which showcases beautiful views of the surrounding area.

Rockwell Falls Trail has one of the most stunning backdrops in all of Glacier National Park. Gaze at views of Lone Walker and Sinopah Mountain with Painted Tepee Peak and Mt. Helen in the distance. The peaks engulf emerald green Two Medicine Lake and give life to Rockwell Falls.

Running Eagle Falls Trail is a great kid and wheelchair-friendly hike that takes you through stunning scenery. Upon arrival at the waterfall, you will see the smaller rush of water at the base; however, there is more than meets the eye. The Running Eagle Falls are also known as Trick Falls, as a second, only-visible-in-the-summer, 12 m waterfall lays overhead and blocks the smaller waterfall. This second, large waterfall only flows in the spring and summer months.

Sun Point Nature Trail is a stunning hike through some of the most picturesque landscapes in Glacier National Park. The hike is underrated because it is a shorter hike, but you don’t need a long trail to pack in what this one does! Wander through the forest and surround yourself with lakes, waterfalls and mountains and gaze at the most stunning views.

The Trail of Cedars takes you through a forest of Western Hemlock and Red Cedar trees along a boardwalk that is stroller and wheelchair friendly. Explore the amazing views that the trail has to offer, the highlight being the footbridge over Avalanche Creek that showcases the Avalanche Gorge below. If you want to see Avalanche Creek up close, climb the short but steep trail to get to the banks and see the power that the glacially melted water has as it rushes through the gorge.

Glacier National Park is home to over 1,126.5 km of incredible trails; however, the Lee Ridge Trail has a special view that expands past the United States. Atop the winding ridge, when you emerge from the trees, you will be met with views of Chief Mountain, Gable Mountain and the plains of Calgary, Canada. You can view two countries at once on this spectacular hike and explore all of the reasons this is a popular place to be.

The Triple Divide Pass Trail is a unique piece of Glacier National Park as it brings together three oceans as water flows off of its soaring mountain peaks and sweeps down into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The surrounding area is prime grizzly bear and white wolf territory, so make sure you pack some bear spray and make a lot of noise as you hike in this beautiful landscape. On your hike, keep a lookout for Medicine Grizzly Lake, but watch your balance as it can be windy, and there are some narrow and steep ledges!