The Best Easy Hikes in Glacier National Park

Short trails, big payoffs: waterfalls, lakes, and old-growth cedar without the all-day climb.

By Chris Hayworth, Nestward

Glacier has over 700 miles of trails, and most of the famous ones are long, steep, and exposed. The good news: some of the park's most jaw-dropping scenery sits at the end of short, mostly flat walks. Here are the easy hikes worth your time, with real distances so you can plan around small legs and short attention spans.

The short list (and what makes each one easy)

• Trail of the Cedars, 0.9 miles, flat loop. A boardwalk and paved path through old-growth cedar and hemlock near Avalanche on the west side. Stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, shaded, and a welcome cool-down on a hot afternoon. The easiest "real" trail in the park.
• St. Mary Falls, about 1.6 miles round trip. A gentle downhill walk on the east side to a vivid double waterfall over layered red rock. Remember it's downhill on the way out, which means a modest climb back. Easy for most kids over 5.
• Running Eagle Falls, 0.6 miles round trip. A flat, accessible path in the Two Medicine area to a waterfall that appears to pour out of solid rock. Quick, quiet, and often missed by the crowds.
• Hidden Lake Overlook, about 2.7 miles round trip from Logan Pass. Boardwalk and trail to a stunning alpine overlook. It's the hardest pick here (some climbing, high elevation, snow lingers into July), but the scenery is the best-per-mile in the park.
• Sun Point to Baring Falls, roughly 1.4 miles round trip. A short lakeside-and-forest walk along St. Mary Lake to a tucked-away waterfall. Good shade, big views.

If you only have time for one

Pick by where you're staying. On the west side, do Trail of the Cedars: it's nearly flat, shaded, and you can add the climb toward Avalanche Lake later if everyone still has gas in the tank. On the east side, do St. Mary Falls for the most reliable wow-per-effort. If you've made it up to Logan Pass on a clear day and the snow has melted, Hidden Lake Overlook is the one you'll remember.

Getting there: the road and the reservation

Almost every hike on this list hangs off the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the park's famous alpine drive. Two warnings. First, the road usually doesn't fully open over Logan Pass until late June or early July, since snow removal at that elevation takes a while, so a June trip may not reach the high trailheads. Second, Glacier has used timed-entry vehicle reservations in summer for the Going-to-the-Sun corridor; check the park's current-year rules before you go, because they change. Entrance is $35 per vehicle for seven days. The nearest airports are Kalispell and Great Falls, Montana.

Hiking with kids (and keeping it pleasant)

• Start early. Parking at Logan Pass and the popular falls trailheads fills by mid-morning in summer, and the free park shuttle helps but adds wait time.
• This is grizzly and black bear country. Talk loudly, hike together, and carry bear spray, even on short, busy trails. Make the noise a kid game.
• Weather here flips fast. The park straddles the Continental Divide, so a sunny start can turn cold and wet by afternoon. Pack a layer per kid even in July.
• Grab a Junior Ranger booklet at a visitor center. It turns Running Eagle Falls or Trail of the Cedars into a scavenger hunt and buys you a calmer walk.

A note on dogs

Be honest with yourself before you load the dog: Glacier is one of the most restrictive parks for pets. Dogs are not allowed on any hiking trails, in the backcountry, or along lakeshores. They're limited to roads, parking lots, drive-in campgrounds, and picnic areas, and must stay leashed. That means none of the hikes above are dog-friendly. If you're traveling with a pup, plan for kennels outside the park or build a trip where one adult does the trail while the other stays with the dog at the car.