Best Hikes in the Parks: Glacier’s Grinnell Glacier Trail
ByMary Anne Potts
June 13, 2011
2 min read
By Robert Earle Howells; Photograph by M. Scott Brauer, Alamy
Celebrating Great Outdoors Month With 35 Great Hikes
Grinnell Glacier Trail
When to Go:June to September
Round-Trip: 11 Miles
Level: Moderate Day Hike
See the Trail Map
View many of Glacier’s most iconic features—big, clear, glacial valley lakes, alpine meadows filled with wildflowers; the omnipresent possibility of seeing a grizzly—en route to a glorious view from the maw of Grinnell, one of the park’s signature glaciers. The trail skirts Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes (opt for a tour boat if you want to knock 3.8 miles off the approach) before ascending 1,600 feet to the narrow, fissured glacier hanging high above milky blue Grinnell Lake.
Insider Tip: Push on past the glacier’s outflow for a jaw-dropping view of Grinnell Lake and a host of alpine summits. The incredible vistas are worth the 1,200-foot climb, first to the saddle between Mount Gould and Angel Wing, and then up to the ridge just below the summit of Angel Wing.
See All 20 Best Parks Hikes, Photos, and Maps >>
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