Glacier National Park – A Perfect 4 Day Itinerary

In this post, I will share a list of places, hikes and things to do to spend the perfect 4 days in Glacier National Park. My travel style usually is to not pack too much into one day and instead focus on 2 to 3 epic experiences per day. This allows me to enjoy the place at a much relaxed and enriching pace and I think this will benefit you as well. Glacier National Park is one of the most insanely beautiful National Parks that I have ever been to and it was on my bucket list for the longest time!

Every section of the park is unbelievably stunning and 4 days is definitely not enough to cover all parts of the park. This is one place that I can see myself visiting multiple times in the future.

Without further delay, let’s get into spending the perfect 4 days in Glacier National Park. Planning to visit the National Park requires a whole other post, so I will share those details in a separate article. If you want to know how we traveled to Glacier National Park for under 500 USD per person without camping, read this post.

Day 1

1. Hike the Highline Trail

For the purposes of this article, I will assume that you have already reached Glacier National Park and had enough time to relax before day 1. If you have extra time on the day of your arrival, I will include some additional suggestions at the end of this post for you to explore.

The Highline Trail is one of the most beautiful hiking trails not just in Glacier National Park, not just in Montana, but in all of US. Be prepared for some jaw-dropping views throughout the trail.

• Total distance: 14.9 mi
• Elevation gain: 2621 ft
• Optional addition: Grinnell Glacier Overlook (additional 1000+ ft elevation gain)
• Estimated time: 7 to 8 hours (+ 1 to 2 hours for the overlook)

The Highline Trail starts at the Logan Pass Visitor Center. Parking here starts filling up fast after 7am so get here early. The trail gets very hot during the day, so starting early is crucial. You will start the hike above Going-to-the-Sun road with a huge wall on one side and steep dropoffs on the other side. There is enough space but for someone with fear of heights, you can hold on to the railing.

This hike offers beautiful views of Lake McDonald Valley. You will come across multiple switchbacks and the views keep following you. Wildlife such as bears, marmots, bighorn sheep, mountain goats etc are quite common in this trail, so carry a bear spray and be aware of your surroundings. We had a Bighorn Sheep running down the trail when we were hiking back.

After 6.5 miles, you have the option to either continue hiking to the Chalet on top which has a small store where you can buy memorabilia and snacks. There are lots of tables to stretch out and have lunch as well.

You can also take a detour and hike up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook. This is the best view on this trail, so if you do not mind the extra 1000+ ft climb in 0.8 mi, I highly recommend that you do this. This extended our overall hike by about 1.5 hours.

2. Relax at Lake McDonald

After the tiring hike, grab some lunch and relax by Lake McDonald. Or I highly recommend taking a quick nap and then watching sunset at the Lake. The best views of the lake are on the Apgar side. There is a little nook by the lake where we had the whole area to relax unlike the Apgar campground areas which were very crowded. This is called the Apgar Amphitheatre. It is a beautiful place and we had very few people there.

Day 2

1. Trail of the Cedars

This is a gorgeous hike amidst tall Cedar trees and is very different from the views that you get in Highline Trail. A lot of this hike is on boardwalks so it is wheel-chair and stroller-friendly. If you have kids, identifying the different types of Cedar, Hemlock and Maple trees can be a fun activity for them.

• Total distance: 0.9 mi
• Elevation gain: 50 ft
• Estimated time: 20 mins

The most beautiful part of this hike is the cascading waterfalls in between moss covered rocky gorges called the Avalanche Gorge. You can combine this hike with the Avalanche Lake hike mentioned below.

2. Avalanche Lake

Want to see one of the bluest and clearest lakes in Glacier National Park? This trail starts right by the Avalanche Gorge Footbridge on the Trail of the Cedars hike so you can combine both of these hikes together.

• Total distance: 5.9 mi
• Elevation gain: 757 ft
• Estimated time: 2.5 hours

Look for the distant trickling waterfalls while enjoying the panoramic mountain views all around the lake.

3. Going-to-the-Sun Road

This is one of the most stunning roads to drive along in the US. It can take around two hours to enjoy the views at the various stops on this road. The places listed below do not require much of a hike. I have included all the best hiking trails in the other sections of this post.

• Lake McDonald – The best views are from the Apgar side. You can also hike to McDonald Falls from here.
• Trail of the Cedars is a short 1.6 mi out and back hike amidst beautiful trees ending at the Avalanche Gorge.
• The Loop – this is a stunning hairpin turn along Going-to-the-Sun road. Stop here for panoramic views and a view of Heavens Peak.
• Haystack Creek Falls – this is hard to miss because it’s on the road and you can hear the waterfalls flowing over an arch.
• Weeping Wall – we could feel the drizzle of this waterfall as it was right next to the road as well.
• Big Bend – this is a must stop with insane views of Mount Oberlin, Heavens Peak, Clements Mountain and Cannon Mountain.
• Logan Pass Visitor Center – the visitor center itself is worth checking out. If you get lucky, you can spot wildlife here. We had a Bighorn walk into the parking lot which was unbelievable! You can hike either the Highline Trail or the Hidden Lake Overlook from here. Both are stunning hikes but the Highline Trail is my favorite in all of Glacier National Park.
• Wild Goose Island Lookout – this was featured in the movie “The Shinning”, so movie lovers cannot miss this! This is a beautiful spot for sunset.
• St. Mary Lake – one of the most stunning lakes that I have seen in Glacier National Park. I definitely recommend making a stop here to get out and enjoy the expansive lake views. It is HUGE!

Feel free to skip the places on the East side of the park and explore them over the next two days.

Day 3

On day 3, we will be visiting the Many Glacier area in the East side of Glacier National Park. Please know that it takes about two hours to drive from the West entrance to Many Glacier. If you want to stay closer, then it is best to book accommodations on the East side for a few nights.

1. Hike the Grinnell Glacier Trail

On day 1, if you get to see the Grinnell Glacier Overlook, you will realize how stunning this place is and this trail will take you right next to the glacier.

• Total distance: 10 mi
• Elevation gain: 2047 ft
• Estimated time: 5.5 hours

Grinnell Glacier is an absolute must-see in the park for its up close view of the 150 acre Grinnell Glacier. You will also get to hike through beautiful forests with views of multiple gorgeous blue lakes. The trail is exposed after the first two miles, so sun protection is a must. This trail has amazing views of Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine, Grinnell Lake and Upper Grinnell Lake.

If you prefer to cut the hike short, you can take a boat from Many Glacier Hotel where you will take a couple of boats until you cross Lake Josephine which will reduce your hike by 3.5 miles. Be sure to book this in advance to reserve your spots if you want to do this option.

2. Have lunch and relax at the Many Glacier Hotel

The Many Glacier Hotel is one of the iconic hotels in the area. You can grab some coffee and lunch at the Historic Lodge restaurant. Don’t forget to take in the views from the hotel deck facing the Swiftcurrent Lake and Grinnell Point. The restaurant does not accept reservations.

3. Take a Boat Tour or go Kayaking on Swiftcurrent Lake

This gives beautiful views of the lake and the Many Glacier area and it is a great option for those who prefer an alternative to hiking.

You can book tours and kayak/ canoe rentals with the Glacier Park Boat Company.

Day 4

Let us continue exploring East Glacier on day 4.

1. Spot Moose taking a dip at Fishercap Lake

The Fishercap Lake is one of the easiest hikes in Many Glacier and there are high chances of seeing Moose on this trail. Bears and deer also frequent the area.

• Total distance: 0.8 mi
• Elevation gain: 19ft
• Estimated time: 15 mins

2. Hike to St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail

This hike takes you up close to two beautiful waterfalls St. Mary and Virginia Falls. It is a relatively shorter trail with one of the best waterfall views in Glacier National Park. You can also take a dip in some places to cool down on a hot summer day after the hike.

• Total distance: 3.1 mi
• Elevation gain: 452 ft
• Estimated time: 1.5 hours

Take the rest of the evening to have a nice dinner, relax and take in the beauty of Glacier National Park before heading out.

Hope you enjoyed this 4 day itinerary in Glacier National Park. This will always be one of the most stunning National Parks that I have ever visited and I am super excited for you. Here are a few other places to add to your bucket list of you have more time at the park.

• Two Medicine Valley
• Iceberg Lake
• Hidden Lake hike
• Go Whitewater Rafting
• Cracker Lake
• North Folk area

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