Glacier National Park

The “Crown of the Continent,” Glacier National Park was established in 1910 in northwestern Montana. This majestic wilderness, defined by glacial carving, features dramatic U-shaped valleys, over 700 crystalline lakes, and the Continental Divide. It serves as an ecologically intact sanctuary for iconic wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, and mountain goats. The park is traversed by the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road and offers over 700 miles of trails for high-mountain adventurers.

 

The Journey to the Overlook

We took the convenient shuttle up the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road to reach the trailhead at Logan Pass. This hike was distinct from any others we’d done in the park, defined by long stretches of boardwalk, numerous wooden and stone steps, and necessary snowfield crossings designed to protect the fragile alpine tundra.

Unfortunately, we had to stop at the Hidden Lake Overlook as the final section of the trail was closed due to heavy bear activity. However, the closure proved to be for good reason: using his 600 mm lens, my husband captured an incredible sight of three bears playing and fishing in the lake below. The panoramic view of Hidden Lake and the surrounding mountains was absolutely gorgeous and well worth the effort, even with the final section of the trail closed.

 

Hike Overview
  • • Location: Logan Pass Hidden Lake Trail in Glacier National Park
    • Start/Finish: Parking lot at Logan Pass Visitors Center
    • Course Type: Out and back
    • Course Surface: Boardwalk, gravel, rocks, and snow
    • Distance: 3.15 miles
    • Moving time: 1:17:02
    • Average Pace: 24:28 minute/mile
    • Elevation Gain: 619 feet
    • Elevation Range: 6,649 to 7,183 feet
    • Weather: 64°, sunny, and windy
    • Date of Hike: July 8, 2025
    • Start time: 11:42 AM

 

Hiking to Hidden Lake at Logan Pass

The trail to Hidden Lake Overlook, starting from the heart of the Going-to-the-Sun Road at Logan Pass, is easily one of the most stunning hikes in Glacier National Park.

 

The ascent begins immediately after leaving the Visitors Center, with long stretches of boardwalk and numerous wooden steps leading to natural and carved stone steps that climb high above the pass.

 

After leaving the comfort of the man-made walkway, we encountered several snowfields that made the footing more difficult. It was easy to lose balance, and we saw several people fall on the slippery surface. Meanwhile, children were having a blast throwing snowballs – our daughter-in-law even took a direct hit!

 

Our journey took us across alpine meadows thick with wildflowers and a small pond.

 

After a final push of climbing, we reached the breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the glacial lake nestled far below. The area was busy with other hikers, all of us pausing to absorb the beauty. We, like everyone else, spent a good amount of time snapping pictures while constantly zooming in to capture a closer look at the striking blue-green lake glittering beneath the mountains.

 

Of course, we made sure our son captured a picture of just my husband and me to document the achievement, and afterward, I took a moment to photograph our daughter-in-law as she soaked up the stunning scenery.

 

To gain a fuller perspective, we eventually moved around to the opposite side of the overlook—the area from which the trail would have continued had it not been closed due to heavy bear activity. From this vantage point, we could see more of Hidden Lake as its deep blue waters beautifully hugged the mountain in a sweeping semi-circular fashion.

 

We paused right by the “Bear Danger” sign, where I couldn’t resist getting a fun picture of myself pointing at the official warning.

 

Unfortunately, we had to stop at the Hidden Lake Overlook as the final section of the trail was closed due to heavy bear activity. However, the closure proved to be for good reason: Hearing a nearby hiker with binoculars report movement far below, my husband immediately pulled out his 600 mm lens. Zooming in, he captured an incredible sight: a momma grizzly and her two cubs fishing and playing in the lake! Had the trail not been closed, we might have had a very close encounter with the three grizzlies.

 

The Descent, More Wildlife, and Wildflowers

After spending a delightful amount of time enjoying the views from the overlook, we began our descent. It wasn’t long before we spotted a beautiful mountain goat grazing peacefully way up above us, which my husband quickly captured with his long lens.

 

Once again, we crossed back over several alpine meadows covered with vibrant pink Indian Paintbrush, white Dryad, and countless other beautiful wildflowers.

 

Our final wildlife sighting occurred just before we reached the visitors center when we saw two mule deer grazing contentedly along the barren, rocky terrain, ignoring the lush, open meadows with much tastier food just beyond them.

 

Garmin Stats

Garmin map and elevation graph…

 

Final Thoughts on Our Hike

We absolutely loved this memorable high-mountain trek, especially for the incredible wildlife sightings it provided. While the ascent to the stunning lake overlook involved a fair bit of climbing, the trail itself was generally wide enough for hikers to comfortably stop and rest. The only real point of difficulty was crossing the snowfields, which would be significantly easier with the aid of hiking sticks. Overall, we would highly recommend this beautiful and rewarding hike!

 

Questions
  • • Which of our wildlife sightings (the distant grizzlies, the mountain goat, or the mule deer) would you be most excited or most nervous to encounter on a hike? ~ definitely the grizzlies on both accounts
  • • Should you visit Glacier National Park, does this recap inspire you to add the Hidden Lake Overlook to your itinerary?
  • • Have you visited Montana or Glacier National Park? ~ This was our second visit to Montana, our first to Glacier.