Highline Trail: Glacier National Park’s Greatest Walk

There’s a moment on the Highline Trail where you realize you’ve been walking for two hours and haven’t thought about a single thing except what’s in front of you. The Garden Wall stretches ahead. Mountain goats pick their way across a scree field below. Somewhere in the brush, something large enough to concern you is moving. The sky is the particular blue that only shows up above 6,000 feet.

This is why people come to Glacier.

The Route

Distance: 11.8 miles one-way (Logan Pass to The Loop shuttle stop) Elevation: Starts at 6,646 ft; mostly flat with rolling terrain; minimal net elevation change Difficulty: Moderate — the length and altitude are the challenge, not the grade Trailhead: Logan Pass Visitor Center (on Going-to-the-Sun Road)

The Highline is a one-way shuttle hike. You start at Logan Pass and finish at The Loop, where a free park shuttle returns you to the visitor center. This means no backtracking — 11.8 miles of forward progress with the views constantly changing.

The first quarter mile has a narrow ledge with a fixed cable handhold bolted into the cliff face. The exposure is real but the cable makes it manageable for most hikers. After that, the trail opens into wide alpine meadows and stays there.

The First Thing You Notice

Mountain goats. They are everywhere on the Highline, and they have absolutely no interest in moving for you. You will walk within 20 feet of them. You will photograph them until your storage card is full. They will continue doing whatever mountain goats do, completely unbothered.

Bighorn sheep are also common. Grizzly bears are less common but present — Glacier has a healthy grizzly population, and the Highline corridor is active habitat. Carry bear spray, hike in groups of 3+, and make noise in brushy sections. This is real bear country.

The Optional Side Trip

At roughly mile 7.6, a 0.5-mile spur trail climbs to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook. This is not optional. The view of Grinnell Glacier from above — a remnant of ice that once covered everything you’re standing on, visibly shrinking with each passing decade — is one of the most striking sights in Glacier National Park. Add it.

The Logistics Problem (And How to Solve It)

Logan Pass parking fills by 7–8am on summer mornings. If you arrive after that, the parking lot is full and rangers will turn you away. The solution: take the park shuttle from Apgar, St. Mary, or one of the intermediate stops. The shuttle is free, runs on a schedule, and drops you directly at Logan Pass.

The shuttle back from The Loop runs throughout the day. Check current schedules at the park visitor center.

Snow coverage: The Highline typically opens in mid-July. Before that, snow covers sections of the trail and conditions can be dangerous. Check current trail status at the Logan Pass Visitor Center or the park website before you go.

Backcountry Options

The Highline passes several backcountry campsites — Haystack, Granite Park Chalet — that allow multi-day extensions deeper into the park. Granite Park Chalet is a historic stone structure that offers bunk beds and meals (reservation required months in advance). A backcountry permit is required for camping; apply through Glacier’s permit system in spring.

What to Bring

Bear spray (required, not optional)
Layers — conditions change fast at elevation; afternoon thunderstorms are common
Microspikes for early season snow coverage
2+ liters of water (water sources are available but filter everything)
Trekking poles for the longer sections

Getting There

Glacier National Park is 30 miles from Kalispell, MT. Park entry is $35/vehicle. Going-to-the-Sun Road, which leads to Logan Pass, has a vehicle size restriction (21 feet length limit, including tow vehicles) and requires a timed vehicle reservation to drive May 15–September 10 — book at recreation.gov.

Coordinates: 48.6963°N, 113.7180°W | Glacier National Park, MT