BACK TO THE STATES
After leaving Banff, we took the scenic route across the border into the lower 48, crossing at Chief Mountain. Once across, we headed to Glacier National Park, arriving just as the sun was setting. That night we had our first bout of trouble finding a campsite since leaving California.
We spent over an hour driving between different campgrounds in the park, only to find they were all full. We began to worry we’d have to drive on throughout the night, but luckily we found a spot at a private campground a few minutes outside the park’s east entrance. Needless to say, we were missing the overflow camping in Jasper and Banff.
GRINNELL GLACIER
The next day, any frustration we felt from the long hunt for camping the night before quickly faded once we hit our first trail, Grinnell Glacier. We knew it was an incredibly popular hike, so we readied ourselves for the crowds, and once there we saw what all the hype was about.
Starting at a turquoise lake, we headed up the mountainside, and were treated to views of that same lake and the forest below. A bit further along, the landscape became more surreal as we walked through areas carved by long gone glaciers. Finally, we reached the melting glacier that gives this trail it’s name. We were so hot from the hike, that a pool of ice water actually looked appealing.
SIYEH PASS
Later in the week, we were able to snag a campsite in the park, and discovered one of our favorite things about Glacier—the free shuttle. This meant we could choose any of the point to point hikes without worrying about having to shuttle cars, hitchhike back, or double the distance by hiking back to our starting point.
After Grinnell Glacier we were excited to check out the Highline Trail, but it was closed to hikers due to increased bear activity, so we opted for Siyeh Pass instead. While we’d heard not to miss the Highline Trail, we’re stoked we didn’t miss Siyeh Pass, it was incredible.
CAMPING
Chewing Blackbones Campground, $20
[48.82525, -113.4187]
Rising Sun Campground, $20
[48.69516, -113.52207]
HIKING
Grinnell Glacier Trail
~10.5 miles
[48.77476, -113.69788]
Siyeh Pass Trail
~10 miles
[48.70233, -113.61333]