Glacier National Park is essentially a trails park. The system was constructed many years ago during early park years, initially by railway construction workers, laid off once the railway was completed.

Designed to accommodate travel by horseback, trails seldom exceed a grade that would tire the stock.

Today's hikers in Glacier National Park enjoy the moderate grades which enable visitors to ascend to grand vistas and cross passes that would present obstacles to even the most hardy trampers.

All streams and rivers of a size great enough to cause difficulty crossing have been bridged. Some are suspension bridges which have the planking removed each fall to prevent overloading by the heavy winter snows.

The National Park Service has published a topographical map of the park on waterproof stock at a scale of 1:100,000. This is an ideal reference for all park visit- ors and is an absolute necessity for hikers and backpackers.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map™ number 215 covers both Glacier and Waterton Lakes Park at the same scale and is widely available at many sporting goods outlets.

Visitors planning to enjoy day hikes of varying lengths have several scenic options.

Trail of the Cedars: This half mile trail is designed to be wheelchair accessable, works well with strollers, and makes a very scenic loop through ancient cedars and along Avalanche Creek.

Avalanche Lake: Day hikers with children may enjoy the walk to this lake, surrounded by huge mountains, about 2 miles distant from Going-to-the-Sun Road at Trail of the Cedars. Nearly level terrain with a vertical gain of only 350 feet makes this the ideal family half day hike.

Hidden Lake Pass: The trail from Logan Pass visitor's center to this pass on the Continental Divide is another easy hike, though more strenous than Avalanche Lake.

Mountain goats often inhabit the Hidden Lake Pass area and are easily viewed and photographed.

Note: Early in the season, the Hidden Lake Pass Trail is only marked with posts and wands which indicate the very easy route over the snowfield. As the summer progresses and the snowpack melts, a boardwalk with stairs emerges which is used to reach the suberb view, yet protect the very fragile alpine environment.

High Line Trail: In July, after the snowfields have been shoveled through, this trail opens. This 28 mile long beauty runs along the Garden Wall above Going-to-the-Sun Road, passes Haystack Butte at about 3 miles and reaches Granite Park Chalet at 7.5 miles from Logan Pass.

Most hikers are content to reach the pass behind Haystack Butte and return to Logan Pass, viewing sheep and mountain goats above the trail.

Hikers that make it to the chalet usually walk down about 4 miles to Going-to-the-Sun Road at The Loop, returning to Logan Pass by shuttle. Backpackers may by permit continue north from the chalet on the High Line Trail, eventually reaching Goat Haunt on the southern shore of Waterton Lake about 28 miles from Logan Pass.

Siyeh Pass Trail: This trail is passable by July and is the highest trail in Glacier at 8,200 feet. Starting at Siyeh Bend on Going-to-the-Sun Road, it circles Going-to-the-Sun Mountain in about 10 miles with a spectacular up close view of the Sexton Glacier. Hikers emerge at Sunrift Gorge and return to Siyeh Bend by shuttle.

Note: Early season hikers find that the Siyeh Pass Trail switchbacks numerous times under a large snowfield, just past the highest point on the trail. If the trail is obscured by snow and cannot be followed, hikers should just admire the spectacular view, then reverse direction and return to the parking area at Siyeh Bend.

Iceberg Lake & Ptarmigan Tunnel: These two incredibly scenic destinations share the same trail about halfway, before splitting off in different directions.

The trailhead is at the parking lot at Swiftcurrent 1 mile west of the Many Glacier Hotel.

Iceberg Lake maintains snowbanks and floating ice well into the summer months.

When the snow melts through and the heavy metal doors that protect the Ptarmigan Tunnel from snow damage are shoveled out and opened, hikers may cross into the Belly River drainage for a spectacular, close up view of 10,000 ft. Mount Merritt and the Old Sun Glacier clinging to it's upper face.

Scenic Point: Located near Two Medicine Lake, this popular dayhike is part of an old trail that winds it's way back to East Glacier

Most hikers are content to climb the couple thousand feet up to the overlook to enjoy a grand view of the prarie to the east and the Continental Divide to the west.

Around Two Medicine Lake: Trails circle middle Two Medicine Lake and launch service provides transportation to hikers. See Boating for concessioners.

Hikers intending to camp overnight on extended hikes carry their own shelter and provisions.

50 backcountry campgrounds are available. About half of the tent sites in each of the backcountry campgrounds are by prior reservation and the rest offered, 24 hours in advance only, to visitors already in Glacier.

Wood fires are generally not permitted, so backpackers must rely on carrying stove and fuel.