A Hiker's Paradise: Discovering the Highline Trail at Glacier National Park

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The Highline Trail is the most beautiful hike in Glacier National Park. At every turn, at every step, you will see jaw-dropping views of the valley and mountains. You might also encounter wildlife - Black bears, Mountain Goats, Big Horn sheep etc., 

The trail seems pretty dangerous too, at some places where the narrow hiking path hugs canyon walls. It is just one slip away from the valley. There are rails at most places for safety.

Stats:

Distance(One-way): 13.3 miles

Total Elevation gain: 1950 ft

Trail Difficulty: Strenuous

Since it is very lengthy, many hikers either choose to do a whole day trail till 'The Loop' and take a shuttle from there. OR hike as much as possible and return to Logan Pass. 

The best way is to go to 'The Loop', including the extra 0.8-mile path, which takes you to Grinnell Glacier Overlook. Summer or early fall is the best time to visit. Going to the Sun road is open only for around 4 to 5 months in Summer, weather permitting. Shuttles run regularly to Logan Pass from the main entrance.

Where to Start?

The trailhead is at the Logan Pass Visitor Center. So, hikers can fill water bottles, use restrooms, and stock up with energy bars and snacks before starting this trail. Logan Pass also has an area with several exhibits explaining the geology, flora, fauna, and wildlife of this area.

Parking:

It is very difficult to almost impossible to find parking at Logan Pass. This parking lot usually fills up by 7 or 8 am, it seems. So, the best way is to take a free park shuttle to Logan Pass. 

Hiking Essentials:

If you’re gearing up for Glacier (or any big hike), here are a few must-have items you can easily grab online:

• 🥾 Waterproof Hiking Boots – Good ankle support is a lifesaver on rocky trails.

• 🥤 Hydration Pack / Water Bladder – Easier than carrying bottles, and you’ll drink more often.

• 🦌 Bear Spray – Non-negotiable in Glacier. Clip it to your belt for quick access.

• 🚶 Collapsible Trekking Poles – Lightweight and perfect for long hikes with steep climbs.

• 🌞 UV Protection Hiking Hat – Wide brim for sun protection.

• 🎒 Lightweight Hiking Backpack – Comfortable, with enough room for snacks, jackets, and gear.

• 📸 Compact Travel Camera – Because your phone photos just won’t do justice to Glacier’s beauty.

Our Experience of Hiking:

We attempted this hike with our two kids - a 14-year-old and a 10-year-old. We trained for long hikes up to 6 miles before visiting Glacier National Park. So, distance is ok for us. Handling elevation gain is tough on our stamina. 

This might have been possible if it were the only hike in Glacier. We did the Grinnel Glacier hike 2 days ago, which was challenging (an 11-mile round trip with 1500 ft elevation gain), and it took some time to recover from that to do another 6+ mile hike.

So, we decided to hike as far as we can and return. We also had a plan to hike the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail after this. 

The first half mile is just a climb down on a regular hiking trail, then the most awaited part came! We were walking along the edge of canyon walls with majestic views of the valley and dangerous drops just below our feet. This hike for sure is like none other we've experienced. 

Since we were hiking with kids, we were extra careful, holding the rails and trying not to take out our phones for photos. As the name suggests, it is like walking on a high line. But there are rails to hold, and it is safe to hike. 

Beautiful views at every step:

We were careful, walking slowly, relishing the nature around us. We stopped at multiple places to take photos with great views. We might have walked around 2 miles and returned. 

Still, it was worth it. 

When compared to the Grinnell Glacier trail, this trail seemed pretty simple without much elevation, at least in the initial 2 miles. 

It is thrilling for sure, with sheer drop-offs very near to our feet and narrow hiking trails. There is not much shade on the trail, so a lot of Sun exposure. It is not at all recommended with kids below 6 years, because it is difficult for an adult to hike while carrying a kid. 

We didn't come across any wildlife within 2 miles. But we saw many Big Horn sheep on the way to the trail and nearer to Logan Pass.

The remaining part of the Trail till The Loop:

We didn't do this part, but I researched a lot.

After 3 miles, hikers reach Haystack Pass(little elevation involved). At around the 7-mile mark, hikers will reach the Garden Wall Trail. At 7.6 miles, we can reach Granite Chalet junction, which will lead to Granite Chalet. The Grinnel Glacier overlook trail is 0.8 miles(one-way) from the main route. It is a steep climb, and on a hot sunny day, it takes a lot of effort to reach, but the views will be amazing, as per the photos and videos I watched. 

Once back on the Highline Trail, Granite Chalet is 0.8 miles. The Granite chalet has restrooms available. Granite Chalet is a simple hostel with no amenities. There are 12 guest rooms with bunk beds. There is a place to rest, relax after a tiring hike, and you can buy any basic snacks and water. Only cash is accepted. 

Now, there are 4 miles of hiking left to reach "The Loop", where hikers can get a shuttle back to Logan Pass. These 4 miles I heard are tough as well, as they continuously climb down and are tough on the knees. Many hikers mention that it seems like an unending series of switchbacks.

Photo by Kyle Richards on Unsplash

Just before the loop trailhead, hikers reach the Packers' roost junction. They have to take the left here to reach the loop, which is 0.5 miles away.

We couldn't do this part of the trail as we were hiking with kids, but I would love to do this next time. It is one of our bucket list favorite hikes.

So, that's about the most popular and dangerous-looking High Line Trail. Hope you enjoyed my travelogue.

Other Places to See in Glacier National Park:

Avalanche Lake

Highline Trail

Hidden Lake Overlook Trail

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Grinnel Glacier Hike

Until next time,

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2025

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The Views from the window #BlogchatterBlogHop

Mindfulness is the new way of life. Many of us know that being mindful and present at the current moment is very important.

Do you agree with this quote?

This is the new mantra in my life recently. Enjoying little things like watching the colors in the sky, tending to my plants, observing the weather, nature around me etc., give me happiness and satisfaction in life.

The view from our window is wonderful most of the days. 

Image by Joe from Pixabay

Summer Sky

I am saying most of the days because here in Austin, summers are quite harsh with temperatures going above 100 F.  It is usually a clear sky and less clouds on a bright sunny day as such. 

I wonder how plants survive this heat.  Plants in our garden like mint quickly die due to over heat until unless protected indoors by watering twice a day. We experience the dangerous heat conditions from June to August end. Those are the days we don't venture out until the evening when the earth cools down a little around 7.30 PM. 

Rainy Days

I love the rainy days. Thunderstorms, downpour, Strong fresh breeze, Lightenings, Sun peeping behind clouds, and A Colorful rainbow :-)

I wait like a child for a rainbow after every rain. When sky puts up on a show, how can I see somewhere else? Event from the window or driving in a car, I always search for a little sun shine and rainbow.

The colors of rainbow make my day.

Lovely rainbow on a rainy day

Freezing days

It is not common to see snow or freezing temperatures in Austin. But, we experienced freezing temperatures the last winter and the view from window is enchanting.

The plants, grass blades and leaves shined with freezing ice. Even with temperatures in single digits, we couldn't stop ourselves going out and capturing photos. The driveway and footpaths were frozen and slippery. However, it was fun to watch the ice embracing everywhere around.

How beautiful are those views just form our window?

Sunset

I like the golden hour in the evening. The time when the sky changes colors from orange shades to deep reds. Some days, we get lucky with this kind of Sunset view.

So, what do you say? Aren't these little things wonderful?

Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop.

The Beauty of Nature

 Do you enjoy Nature? Did you try hiking in deep forests, beside waterfalls overlooking mountains, and realized the impact of it on your body and soul?

I did. I forget myself in nature. I love staying outdoors relishing the beauty of trees, lush forests, misty mountains, and wonderful beach sunsets.

Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels

 

Fortunately, I am in a mountain town. Watching the Sunrise above the snowy mountains in the morning is a beautiful feeling. 

Nature heals. Scientists have found that there is a profound impact of nature on our mental wellness. Nature can help relieve stress, relax our minds, and improve our physical,  mental, and spiritual well-being. I hope, you all get to experience the beauty of nature.

Here are a few nature pics by me which will make sure that you crave for outdoors. 

Let me know how they are! 

Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer and never owned a DSLR. All photos are taken from my phone - Samsung galaxy or my husband's iPhone. 

Linking this post to Fiction Monday by Vinitha Dileep.

Until next time,

Tent Rocks #wordlesswednesday

Do you love cones?

Until next time, 

Linking this post to #wordlesswednesday hosted by Natasha and Esha.

A Snowy day #ThursdayTreeLove

For today's #ThursdayTreeLove- this tree sprinkled with snow.

Today morning #Coloradosprings looked very beautiful with snow showers and foggy roads with trees coated with snow.

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

A different tree #ThursdayTreeLove

Found this tree different and unique on the way to Cripple creek,  Colorado.

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

Trees that look like upside down paint brushes #ThursdayTreeLove

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

Sprinkled with Snow #ThursdayTreeLove

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

Chimney Rock, Nebraska #WordlessWednesday

Until next time,

Linking this post to #wordlesswednesday hosted by Natasha and Esha.

Golds, Oranges and Reds #ThursdayTreeLove

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

Thus, the fall season starts

Today is the third day of fall season. The color change hasn't begun yet. Will be happy to share fall colors in the coming days 🙂

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

A large tree in Utah #ThursdayTreeLove

We found this tree during a strenuous hike to see 'Delicate Arch' in Arches National Park.

Looked enormous with big branches and facing the heat above 100 Fahrenheit there.

Until next time,

Linking this post to #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop hosted by Parul.

When it Rains.. #WordsMatter

I enjoy nature and outdoor walks, but was not a fan of rain from childhood.

Rain and Crawlies

During summer holidays and rainy season, we used to visit our Grand mother's house which is in a village. The house had a big backyard with lots of plants and trees. It was really pleasant in the evenings with flowers and lovely breeze. We used to play with our cousins in the backyard every evening.

But, when it rains, the garden used to fill with disgusting crawlies everywhere. I hate crawlies so much that I never used to step out during and after rain. From that time, my mind associates rains to crawlies and so, I never really enjoyed rains in my childhood.

Rain in movies

Rain is depicted very well in movies. When I reached my teenage, I was awestruck by the Hindi movie 'Taal'. There is a beautiful rain song in Taal picturized with Aishwarya Rai and the director Subhash Ghai is really brilliant to show the purest form of Mother nature.

After watching this movie, I decided that I should visit some place with heavy rains like Kerala in monsoons or North east to enjoy the pure form of nature. I couldn't visit these places till now, but that's another story.

Fast Forward to Now in USA

I haven't experienced heavy rains both in Colorado and Texas until last year. In India, we have monsoons every year around June, but in USA, there is no specific rainy season.

But, this year, first time in my life I have experienced what damage a heavy rain can do. Here, When it rains, there will be hail too sometimes. Hail is like pellets of frozen rain falling from the sky. Depending on the size of hail, damage will be more or less. 

It is beautiful to see small ice balls in the size of thermacol balls. But, once during a trail, we were stuck in a large hail which was hitting hard on the skin and there was lightning and thunderstorm too to make the experience horrible. We literally ran to the car with kids before getting wet completely. 

Recently, We drove through South Dakota during a heavy rainfall with lightning. It was frightening to drive with zero visibility and water splashing on car front window very fast. By the way, South Dakota is known as 'Blizzard State' and these kind of heavy rains are common there. 

Since we stay in a place surrounded by mountains at high elevation, Rains usually come with thunderstorms and lightning which is a dangerous combination. Lightning can cause spot death. 

When it rains, it's cool to watch from the window or even drench in the light drizzle but, when there are lightening and thunderstorms, better be at home and safe. By the way, I love to have snacks like corn cob or pakoda enjoying ginger tea during rains.

What do you like about rain? What comes to your mind when it rains?

Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Linking this post to #WordsMatter bloghop hosted by Corinne, Parul and Shalini.

 I received this tag from Sunita Saldhana at https://sunitasaldhana.com/. 
It’s my pleasure to pass on this tag to Holly Jahangiri at https://jahangiri.us/2017. 

There are 42 of us on this Blog Hop and it will be spread over 3 days – 6, 7, 8 September 2019. Do follow the #WordsMatter Blog Hop and prepare to be surprised!