At this elevation snow tends to linger around well into the summer. The trail begins as a paved surface, but soon turns into a raised boardwalk after only a short distance. You'll also have the option of using the park's shuttle system throughout the day. If you wish to avoid the crowds I highly recommend starting your hike as early in the morning as possible. As a result, parking is usually an issue during peak tourist season. You should also expect extreme crowds, as the Hidden Lake Overlook area is one of the most popular destinations in Glacier National Park. At this lofty elevation visitors should normally expect a lot of sun and wind. The entire length of this trail is completely open and exposed as you proceed through the alpine meadows known as the Hanging Gardens. The trail is more commonly referred to as the Hidden Lake Nature Trail. Once on the back side of the visitor center, after climbing the stairway, stay towards the right and look for the Hanging Gardens Trailhead. The hike to Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park begins from the west side of the Logan Pass Visitor Center. ( This article from HikinginGlacier.Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks provides details for more than 60 hikes, including trail descriptions, best hiking seasons, difficulty ratings, average hiking times, GPS- compatible maps, and hikes suited to every ability. Be sure and factor that into your drive time when making your plans! It took us about an hour to drive from our campsite at Two Medicine to the St. It usually doesn’t fully open until mid-June (in 2019 it wasn’t until about the 20th) and can close as early as October, depending on snowfall.Ī note about driving distances in Glacier: Even though the mileage doesn’t seem that far, these are mountain roads, so it takes longer to get places. If you’re heading to Glacier before the end of June or into October, be sure and check that the Sun Road is open before planning your hike. These purple rocks are common at Glacier, and make a nice foreground for this beautiful mountain view Mary entrance on the east side or the Apgar entrance on the west side. You can enter Going-to-the-Sun Road either at the St. The Hidden Lake trailhead starts right at the Visitor Center at the Logan Pass parking lot. Your best bet are waterproof trail runners or hiking boots with good support. When we were there in late June, most of the trail was still snow covered. Hidden Lake Trail is well-trodden and not particularly rugged, but there could be mud and snow in places. If the sun is shining, you’ll be in the open the whole trail, at an elevation of between 6,000 to just over 7,000 feet. A rain jacket also helps as a windbreaker. It very likely will be cooler at Logan Pass than wherever you come from lower down, and, being in the open, may be windy. Shorts? Well, okay, they’re grown-ups now-I can’t dress them anymore! 🙂 Bring a rain jacket along, even if the skies are blue when you leave your campsite or lodge. Wear layers you can either add or take off.
It’s always a good idea to be prepared for changeable weather anytime you’re in the mountains.
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If you’re up for braving the cold alpine water temps, even go for a swim! How to Dress for this Hike
It would make a super half-day activity if you pack some snacks or lunch. If you decide to continue on the trail down to the lake itself, there will be far fewer people joining you. Mary Visitor Center) and there were plenty of spots left.īut on our way back down the mountain, there were many more people starting on the trail and the parking lot was almost full. We arrived at the Logan Pass late morning (having stopped here and there on the way, coming from the St. I think partially because we happened to drive the Sun Road on a day when an all-day rain was forecast, there wasn’t as much traffic. Dramatic clouds float between the mountains above a still iced-up Hidden Lake Or head out later in the afternoon for an evening hike. Shoot to be at the parking lot before 10:00 am, especially in July and the first half of August. To avoid these crowds and find a parking spot, your best bet is to get going early. The parking lot at the Visitor Center at Logan Pass fills up quickly during the busy summer season. How to Avoid the Crowdsīecause the Hidden Lake Trail is along Going-to-the-Sun Road and is so accessible and family-friendly, this hike is extremely popular. A couple of marmots were poking their noses out quite near us on the overlook platform.īighorn sheep and the occasional grizzly bear are also around (we heard of a bear in the area a day or two after we were there). We saw a mama mountain goat with her two kids running around on the sheer mountainside. This is one of the shortest hikes you can do in the park to get these dramatic views.
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