Trailside Glacier: Hiking in Glacier National Park

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: When you check in and get your room assignment, collect your Road Scholar welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes and other important information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: 3:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will ride in 15-passenger vans to trailheads for field trips. Trail selections will be made by Group Leaders each day based on weather, trail conditions, and group ability. Each day we’ll have a choice between hikes of different levels of difficulty. We will break into hiking groups based on preference and ability. Groups will be led by local experts who will share their knowledge along the trail. Bring two reusable, one-liter, leak-proof water bottles for lunch on the trail and throughout the day. Restrooms available at most trailheads. “America the Beautiful” passes cover entrance fees at national parks for up to 4 adults. If you have one of these national park passes, please bring it with you to the program and on field trips. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In our meeting room at the hotel.

Evening: A local expert will join us at the hotel for a presentation focused on the natural history of Glacier National Park.

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 50 miles each way, approximately 1.5 hours. Hiking 5 to 7 miles throughout the day; maintained dirt trails, mountainous terrain that may be rocky and uneven. Maximum elevation gain of 800 feet; maximum elevation 4,500 feet. Restrooms available at most trail heads.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Setting out from the hotel aboard our 15-passenger vans, we will ride to Glacier National Park and explore Lake McDonald Valley. There will be several hike choices. Each will be led by a local expert who will provide interpretation along the trail. Trail selections will be made by the Group Leader and field instructors on the day of the hike and are subject to change based on weather, trail conditions, and group ability. Hikes may include the Avalanche Lake Trail, McDonald Creek Trail or Lake McDonald Trail. The Avalanche Lake Trail winds through an old-growth forest of western red cedar and western hemlock. The trail passes a narrow gorge carved by glacial water and ends at an idyllic, subalpine lake rimmed with waterfalls. The McDonald Creek Trail meanders through a mixed woodland of hemlock, western larch, and Douglas fir. The trail parallels McDonald Creek’s cascading turquoise waters and thundering falls. Observant hikers may get a glimpse of harlequin ducks that breed along McDonald Creek. The Lake McDonald Trail hugs the western shoreline of a glacially carved lake surrounded by towering peaks. The trail travels through the remains of recent wildfires, providing the unique opportunity to witness the rebirth of a forest.

Lunch: On the trail, we’ll have sack lunches.

Afternoon: Our expert-led hiking field trip will continue through the beautiful Lake McDonald Valley where we will learn about the unique ecosystem west of the Continental Divide. After hiking, each group will load into their van and ride back to the hotel.

Dinner: In the hotel meeting room.

Evening: We’ll learn more about Glacier National Park’s ecosystems, culture, and history from a local expert. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving 105 miles, approximately 3 hours with stops. Motel elevation 4,900 feet. Hike 5 to 7 miles throughout the day; maintained trails may be rocky and uneven. Hike elevations 6,660 feet to 7,500 feet. Restrooms available at most trail heads.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll head to Many Glacier Valley by way of the historic Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is a National Historic Landmark and the only road that crosses through Glacier National Park. The narrow, winding road that hugs the mountainside was designed to complement the landscape and give visitors the opportunity to enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery Glacier National Park has to offer. We will stop on the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, the highest point along the road. We’ll then set out on our expert-led interpretive hikes and explore the fascinating alpine ecosystem. We will learn about the hearty plants and animals that live here and the adaptations that help them thrive in this unforgiving environment.

Lunch: Sack lunches.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our hiking field trip and learn about the past glaciation that sculpted this impressive landscape. After we complete our hikes, we will ride on over Going-to-the-Sun Road where we’ll view sky scraping peaks, waterfalls and meadows teeming with wildflowers and wildlife. Later in the afternoon, we’ll check in to the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. The motel is located at the end of the road in Many Glacier Valley and is just steps away from trails that lead into the heart of Glacier National Park.

Dinner: At a restaurant in walking distance of motel.

Evening: At leisure. You might like to scan the surrounding slopes for wildlife, stroll over to the nearby campground to listen to an evening program by a park ranger, or just relax and enjoy the scenery.

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving approximately 20 minutes to/from trailhead. Hiking 5 to 8 miles throughout the day; mountainous terrain, maintained dirt trails that may be rocky and uneven. Starting elevation 4,890 feet, maximum elevation 6,550 feet. Restrooms available at most trail heads.

Breakfast: At a restaurant in walking distance of the motel.

Morning: We’ll ride a short distance in vans to the trailhead, then set off on foot to explore the majestic Grinnell Valley. We will choose from multiple hiking options that vary in difficulty. Thousands of years ago, a massive glacier carved Grinnell Valley, leaving behind a picturesque landscape of towering mountains and a chain of pristine lakes. Tucked high along the steep slopes of the continental divide, two small glaciers remain from the Little Ice Age of the mid-19th century. These glaciers feed waterfalls that cascade hundreds of feet into turquoise lakes below. A quiet forest covers the valley bottom providing abundant habitat for wildlife. While we hike, be on the lookout for bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and moose. Along the trail, our field instructors will share information about the geology, flora, and fauna that make this valley such a spectacular place.

Lunch: Sack lunches.

Afternoon: Our expert-led interpretive hikes will continue in this extraordinary setting.

Dinner: At a restaurant near the motel.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Most of today’s trail choices will leave directly from the motel; otherwise, getting in/out of vans; driving approximately 20 minutes to/from trailhead. Hiking 5 to 8 miles; mountainous terrain, maintained dirt trails that may be rocky and uneven. Starting elevation 4,900 feet, maximum elevation approximately 6,200 feet.

Breakfast: At a restaurant in walking distance of the motel.

Morning: We will have multiple hiking choices of varying difficulty levels to choose from. We’ll head out the front door and hit the trail — no driving required! Keep eyes open for waterfalls and wildlife as we begin a full-day, expert-led, interpretive hike in the Swiftcurrent Valley.

Lunch: Sack lunches.

Afternoon: We will continue to deepen our knowledge and appreciation of the ecosystem we are hiking through with trailside lessons from our expert field instructors. After the hike, we’ll return to the motor inn.

Dinner: At a restaurant in walking distance of the motel.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 105 miles, approximately 3 hours with stops. Hiking 4 to 7 miles; mountainous terrain, maintained dirt trails that may be rocky and uneven. Maximum elevation 7,600 feet, maximum elevation gain 1,850 feet. Restrooms available at most trail heads.

Breakfast: At a restaurant in walking distance of the motel.

Morning: After checking out of the motor inn, we will ride along the gorgeous stretch of highway between Swiftcurrent and Two Medicine. Along the way, we will stop for our final hikes. We’ll have a chance to view the majestic peaks in the Eastern part of Glacier National Park. Sinopah Mountain dominates the western area of Two Medicine Lake, while immediately to the north, Rising Wolf Mountain rises over 4,450 feet above the lake. We will have a chance to view Running Eagle Falls, which gets its name from a remarkable young female Blackfeet warrior.

Lunch: Sack lunches.

Afternoon: After completing our hikes, we’ll finish our ride along the mountainous highway and check back in to the hotel in Kalispell.

Dinner: In the hotel meeting room. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00am.

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!