It’s no secret that Glacier National Park in Montana is one of America’s most majestic places. With a wilderness area of over a million acres, the park features 175 mountains, 762 lakes, 563 streams, 200 waterfalls, 25 active glaciers and 750 miles of maintained hiking trails. Spending one week in Glacier National Park is the perfect way to experience the enchantment of one of the best areas in Montana.
My Itinerary for Spending One Week in Glacier National Park
Most of my trips are spontaneous and include a minimal amount of planning. I like having the freedom to roam as I please while being devoid of time restrictions. Although I wouldn’t classify myself as an expert mountain trekker, I am quite the adventurer; I’ll wander on trails until my legs fall off and meander off the beaten track to find hidden gems. On days between the long treks, I like to break up the trip by road tripping around or shooting photography.
I’m an extreme budget traveler. This means I prefer sleeping in the back of my SUV or my tent over spending $200 a night for lodging. I pack loads of snacks for the road, filter most of my water from streams and lakes, use my JetBoil to make instant coffee and create my own freeze-dried meals for dinner, all to save a buck.
This type of traveling and adventuring definitely isn’t for everyone but it allows me to explore more than the average person. If this sounds like you then my itinerary for spending 1 week in Glacier National Park is right up your alley.
Day 1
Assuming you haven’t applied to the lottery for backcountry permits beforehand, the first thing you should do when arriving to Glacier is to visit a ranger station. You can snag permits for backcountry campsites the day of or day before departing.
Because sites are in high demand, it’s unlikely walk-in permits are available for your first choice so having no expectations is the way to go. Skim through the information books they have available to see pictures, know the distances you’re trying to cover and how many nights you want to spend out in the wilderness.
First Hike
Start the trip off with a 2 night trek, something easy to introduce you to what the backcountry is like here at Glacier. Apply for a Logging Lake and Adair or Grace Lake backcountry permit and head on out to the trailhead near Polebridge to begin your hike.
5.5 miles through dense forest and meadows, you’ll arrive to camp. Hang up your food, pitch a tent, make some dinner and bask in the stillness of the backcountry here in Glacier’s quietest spot.
Read More: Logging Lake: The Easiest Backcountry Overnight Trek in Glacier NP
Day 2
Waking up to the misty fog rolling in over the lake, have your morning cup of joe and prep to hike on. 4.5 miles later, you’ll arrive to the Adair backcountry site. If you want to push on a little further, roughly 3 more miles will bring you to the Grace Lake camp site.
Need some gear for the backcountry? Checkout my full guide here
Day 3
After packing up your belongings once again, hike back out to your vehicle. The distance from Adair back out is around 11 miles and from Grace Lake it’s about 13 miles.
On the road back through to the heart of Glacier NP, stop by the Apgar Visitor Center to research another backcountry trek to begin tomorrow. The Many Glacier region, Two Medicine and the Granite Park area are popular spots that won’t disappoint!
Now it’s time to experience some of the best views in the state of Montana. Spend the rest of your day driving and pulling off at various stops along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier’s 50 mile “transmountain highway.”
Read more about driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road here
Once night falls, grab some real grub at one of the cafes or restaurants in the St. Mary Village and head off to find a spot to car camp. Multiple pull outs exist along Highway 89 south of St. Mary. At the back of most pull outs are dirt roads, leading you deeper into the wilderness. Pick a convenient spot off of the main path to sleep for the night but be sure you’re following the Leave No Trace principles as always.
Day 4
With permit in hand, head on down to the Two Medicine area of Glacier. This serene piece of land is rich in Native American history and a quieter area on the southeast side of the park. While the Two Medicine Lake is a popular day recreation spot, the backcountry trails on the west side are the true hidden gems.
To cut out roughly 3 miles of the hike, purchase a boat ticket from the dock to take a ride across the lake. Upon arriving on the west side, begin your 2.2 mile trek to the Upper Two Medicine backcountry site.
Click here to read more about the backcountry trip to Upper Two Med
Secure your food, set up camp, filter some extra water from the lake and relax for a moment. Soon enough, you can start stuffing a day pack full of hiking essentials to get out exploring the trails. The Two Medicine area is known to be rich with wildlife. Because of that, bull moose and grizzly bears are frequently sighted near the streams. Along with the abundance of animals, colorful meadows full of wildflowers present themselves at the base of elevated mountains.
After around 3 miles on the trail, you’ll arrive to the banks of No Name Lake, a hidden glacial pond nestled below 8500 foot Mount Helen. As you hear the birds singing and watch fish surface to catch bugs, enjoy the moment sitting on the banks of the aqua-teal lake dipping your toes in the chilly water.
Read more about the hike to No Name Lake here
Retreat on the path you came to arrive back to Upper Two Medicine Lake. After some dinner and an epic sunset, watch the stars take hold of the sky before retiring to your tent for the night.
Day 5
Hike out the remaining 2.2 miles through the lush forest and back to west Two Medicine Lake. Using your return ticket, depart on the boat back to the east side. Driving north towards Saint Mary, hop on the Going-to-the-Sun Road to experience it again, this time viewing it from the west. Spend some time hiking on the nature trails along the pull outs. One quick and noteworthy jaunt is to Hidden Lake, located at the Logan Pass Visitor Center.
Spend the evening watching the clouds roll in over the mountains and enjoy the sunset taking hold of the sky at one of my favorite places, the Wild Goose Island Lookout. Attempt to find a front-country spot in one of Glacier’s campgrounds. Beings it’s very busy in the summer, you may have to car camp instead. Another area to do that is on the southwest side of the park near Hungry Horse.
Day 6
Today should be spent on the water! And there are many places to experience that. Head over to Many Glacier on the northeast side of the park where you can take kayak or canoe on the quaint Swiftcurrent Lake. Since Glacier’s largest lake is another popular spot for some day boating, multiple types of watercraft are available for rent. Try out paddleboarding, kayaking, motorboating or rowboating with a rental from the Lake McDonald Lodge. With the majestic mountains touching the water in the distance, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try this on day one!
For information on renting boats in Glacier NP, click here
Day 7
And now, for the grand finale of the trip, the most epic hike in all of Glacier NP. The Highline Trail is the bucket list of all treks, winding you along the cliff face above the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It swings through lush vegetation at the peaks of Glacier’s mountains, giving the most panoramic views you could ever imagine. You won’t ever want to hike anywhere else again!
To learn about the hike on the Highline Trail, click here
Read More Glacier NP Posts HereBefore heading into the backcountry, it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the “Leave No Trace” principles.
Read More: Leave No Trace: The 7 Rules of the Backcountry
Learn more about Leave No Trace on their website here.
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