Answer 1 of 14: Hello Does anyone know the mileage from where the boat ride ends at lake Josephine to the grinnell glacier overlook? If you are visiting this place then don’t forget to visit Lake Mcdonald. You most likely will not be the only one looking for a ride. Pitamakan Pass and Dawson Pass. Along with the trails already mentioned, portions of such trails as Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier may be open. Highly recommend this route as. But once you get to the top, it’s a short walk to the Grinnell Glacier viewpoint. Also does anyone know if the trail is open all the way to the glacier yet? This arduous track climbs 1,500 feet to the glacier above Grinnell Lake. Keep up a conversation, carry bear spray, and keep a lookout for bear, not only in front of you on the trail, but also in the brush and the trees along the trail. Gould standing tall behind it. The main hiking trail is yellow. The massive wall of ice that constituted the terminus of Grinnell Glacier has receded beyond view from this point. We were told to come back in spring when more snow from the winter is still around. However, if there is availability, you can ride the shuttle one way from Lake Josephine to the Many Glacier Hotel. We went in September and it was snow cold. There’s still so much left to explore… Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. The beginning of the trail traverses the shoreline of Swiftcurrent Lake for roughly half a mile. Its vistas are incredible (and well documented online) and the trail is well maintained and can be hiked if you are in reasonable shape. The first two miles follow the north shores of Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine (Boat rides across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine can shorten the hike to about 7 miles). The West is Big! Grinnell Glacier is fully open to the end, as is Highline from LP to Chalet, spur trail to Grinnell Glacier overlook also clear of snow. 3.6.3 3. The red lines are the short hikes between the two lakes and the hike to get to the main trail from Lake Josephine. Thanks a lot Sadly the glacier itself was much smaller than expected. i can plan to go later since i want to avoid the july 4th weekend crowd. Grinnell Glacier was named for George Bird Grinnell, who is credited with coining Glacier as the “Crown of the Continent.” Grinnell was one of the early Americans who explored the park and he certainly made his mark on the Many Glacier Valley, as there are two lakes, a Glacier, a mountain, and an arete (Grinnell Point), all bearing his name. We traveled to Glacier primarily to see the view from Grinnell lake unfortunately with covid the Blackfeet have closed their roads. The glacier is named for George Bird Grinnell, an early American conservationist and explorer, who was also a strong advocate of ensuring the creation of Glacier National Park. Can you let me know? Answer 1 of 2: The trail status site says this trail is scheduled for opening July 27, 2018; do the trails ever open earlier than expected? Hike 6.8 miles on a pleasantly gradual trail to get to the overlook trail. Grinnell Glacier is the most accessible glacier in the park, and the trail one of the most scenic. Learn more. It was 1.25 miles high. I’m keeping my fingers crossed these two trails will be open. Grinnell Glacier was named for George Bird Grinnell, who is credited with coining Glacier as the “Crown of the Continent.” Grinnell was one of the early Americans who explored the park and he certainly made his mark on the Many Glacier Valley, as there are two lakes, a Glacier, a mountain, and an arete (Grinnell Point), all bearing his name. If you have a large group, hitchhiking will probably be your best option. Just when you think the view can’t get any better, somehow, it does. We continued thinking just a little further to the end, but it kept going. I noticed NPS trail status report still outdated this am. more, Recommended experiences in and around Glacier National Park. 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The higher you go, the more the views open up. You can shorten this hike by taking the boat across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine. The view of the Grinnell Lake from Grinnell Glacier Trail Grinnell Lake Hike - Easy To shorten the hiking effort, one can also take Boat tours by Glacier Park Boat Company from Many Glacier Hotel that is a 2-lake cruise with a 0.25 mile walk over moderate hills between the Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes. I hope so too! You cannot book a one-way ticket from Many Glacier Hotel to Lake Josephine. If you have a scheduled backpack trip and are coming around that time, it is advisable to call or check in at a visitor center or ranger station upon arrival. The views on Highline after rain yesterday were amazing and perfectly clear. It is a mostly flat walk so it goes by fast. This historic image is one of the oldest images re-photographed among the collection. Staying at Swiftcurrent made access to great hiking trails very easy. Three gorgeous miles. We were able to see the beautiful scenery by air. Elevation Gain: 1600 feet Route Type: Out and back. Stops at The National Bison Range as well as Flathead Lake. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from June until October. This is a very popular hike in Glacier National Park. CLOSED as part of general east side closure due to pandemic. This hike has it all…stunning alpine scenery, waterfalls, emerald green lakes, wildflowers, the chance to see wildlife, and of course, a glacier. or can you only reach it if you enter from the east entrance? September was not too crowded in the park so I definitely recommend that timing for a visit. Users have reported that Grinnell Glacier can still be accessed from the western side of Glacier National Park. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Length of Time: 5 to 7 hours You stop to take a photo, walk another twenty feet, and stop again. The first two miles of the trail are essentially flat. Not five minutes later, as we rounded a bend, a black bear and her cub walked right up onto the trail. We. This is not the most exciting walk, so if you choose to take the boat shuttles, you really are not missing out on much. Glacier National Park. The view of Lake Josephine and the boat shuttle from the hiking trail. The steep trail, branching to the right (east), climbs almost 1,000-ft in 0.8 miles to a view point on the ridge looking down upon the Salamander and Grinnell Glaciers, Upper Grinnell Lake and Mount Gould. After a brief wait, and yet another mountain goat sighting, it was safe for us to continue on our way. Similar to the Grinnell Glacier trail, the Highline Trail is around seven miles in length, although the elevation gain is much lower at eight hundred and twenty five feet. Required fields are marked *. This happened during our visit, not to us, but to other visitors. that entrance is going to be closed for the rest of 2020 and I want to be sure we can still access this Grinnel Glacier on our trip in August as if not, we may skip this NP. The Grinnell Glacier Trail is gorgeous, and that in itself is worth the trip! A Complete Itinerary, How to Hike the Highline Trail: Logan Pass to the Loop, Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks: 10 Day Road Trip Itinerary, 8 Amazing Things to do in Grand Teton National Park, Utah’s Mighty 5: Travel Guide & Road Trip Itinerary, 18 Amazing Things to do in Yellowstone National Park, Half Dome: A Step-By-Step Guide to Hiking Half Dome, 10 Days in the American Southwest: The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary, Florida Keys Road Trip: Best Things to do between Key Largo and Key West, How Many Days Do You Need in Glacier National Park: A Complete Itinerary, Highline Trail: Logan Pass to the Loop, Glacier National Park. Get trail status updates here. Thank you for this comprehensive guide to hiking Grinnell and your other blog post referencing the Highline/Granite Chalet. Answer 1 of 4: Hi I will going to Glacier National Park on July 4. All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Piegan Pass Trail (Upper Route) From Hotel to Featherplume Falls Jct./ 4.1 mi. Projected initial clearing date: 7/30/2020 per 658 . Hitchhiking is common along The Loop because there are a ton of cars driving up to Logan Pass and plenty of Glacier visitors desperately wanting to get up Going To The Sun Road. There are spectacular views of Grinnell Lake to the south, with Mt. Cheers, Julie, I just checked with the park and it looks like Many Glacier trailheads may open on 7/1 as of now. Easily one of the best hikes in Glacier National Park, Grinnell Glacier has it all: wildflowers, lakes, valley views, waterfalls, wildlife and a glacier! This is when we had our best animal sightings. wild flowers bloomed? 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