Bald Butte (aka Baldy Hill):
Difficulty: moderate. Trail follows horse excursion trails and is also an ATV trail
Location: To access from East Glacier, from Hwy 49 head West on First Street (behind Mtn Pine Motel). At the intersection with Clarke Drive, continue forward on the dirt road; the golf course will be at your right. After the road splits around a little island of land and joins back to one road, look to the right for a dirt jeep track heading uphill. For more of a hiking trail, pass this track (but either will get you there) and a few yards ahead, also on right is a dirt singletrack that is also a spur trail of the Continental Divide Trail, to bring CDT hikers into town
Length: 5 miles round trip
Description: elevation at top - 5588 ft
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Hikes from the East Glacier Park area. This is all bear country – be prepared! As with all hiking and climbing in and near Glacier National Park, use caution and practice good manners with the wildlife. Carry bear spray or a big stick, don't hike alone, and make some noise.
Ratings range from Easy to Moderate to Strenuous
Those on the Blackfeet Reservation require purchase of a once yearly $20 Recreation Permit from Tribal Fish Game & Wildlife. Visit: https://blackfeet.nagfa.net/online/ 406-338-7207.
This page is courtesy of Dana Turvey of East Glacier.
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Scenic Point/Mt Henry Trail:
Difficulty: strenuous
Location: Should you have ticketed entry, there is a trail head on the other end, at Two Medicine Lakes, with a dedicated parking lot. Lacking Park access, you can start from East Glacier and just go out and back to the top of the route, or continue over to Two Med IF you have a car shuttle available.
From East Glacier, from Hwy 49 head West on First Street (behind Mtn Pine Motel). At the intersection with Clarke Drive, continue forward; the golf course will be at your right. After the road splits around a little island of land and joins back to one road, look to the right for a trail heading uphill, just past the brown sign post (with no sign on it).
Length: East Glacier to top of Scenic Point – 6.2 miles. Top to Two Medicine – 3.8 miles
Description: Elevation at top of Scenic Point is at 7310 ft. It can be very blustery and much cooler up top, and bring more water than you think you'll need. Besides being in bear country, many hikers can see big horn sheep on this trail.
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Reservoir Road aka Midvale Creek Dam Road:
Difficulty: Easy
Location: From Hwy 49, head West on First Street (behind Mtn Pine Motel). At the intersection with Clarke Drive, continue forward; the golf course will be at your right – this is the road out to the dam.
Length: 2.2 miles roundtrip
Description: a moderate walk on a dirt road, suitable for strollers and bikes, it travels parallel to Midvale Creek.
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Buffalo Lakes
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: The hike begins from an unmarked pullout on the southside of Highway 2, approximately 4.5 miles southwest of East Glacier. This pullout/parking is only big enough for 2-3 cars, but parking is available on the railroad tracks side of the highway. The trail and pullout are between mile markers 204 and 205, but closer to #205.
Length: 3 miles roundtrip
Description: The route initially follows an old road, before climbing moderately through open country and aspen stands to reach the lakes.
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Dancing Lady Mtn
Difficulty: moderate elevation gain: 2,533 summit: 7,333 feet.
Location: The mountain can be approached from the Autumn Creek Trail southwest of town, but the shortest, most direct approach starts from East Glacier. The start of the trail to where one leaves it to climb Dancing Lady it is an easy 1 to 1.5 hour walk. The distance if continuing to the summit is approximately 5 miles with an elevation gain of about 2,533 feet.
To reach the trailhead, turn west off Highway 49 on Midvale Road. [if staying at the Lodge, ask the front desk for the short cut] The road immediately curves left and once behind the Glacier Park Lodge, you will cross Midvale Creek. After the bridge, stay on Midvale – ignore Hotel Drive. Shortly past the bridge is a private driveway on your right. The next road to the right – at the decrepit old building - is the trailhead, with a sign saying Trail. Once you're on this road, take the very next right onto a forest trail. From there, continue to take a LEFT at each junction, and eventually you will reach the Glacier National Park Boundary.
Once at the GNP boundary you'll be hiking through thick lodgepole forest with occasional glimpses of Dancing Lady after you gain elevation. As you hit the high point on the trail, watch for a fairly good (but unmarked) trail to your right. It looks like a game trail but you should be able to follow it climbing fairly steeply through more forest. The trail is very overgrown especially in the meadows. This trail will take you to a spur ridge of the mountain where you emerge from the trees. Follow this ridge while scouting a route through broken cliffs to the top of the mountain OR look for a route to your right (no trail) that will take you to the "Dancing Lady" herself...a huge, dark massive rock outcrop that gives the mountain its name. Much of the way is on very loose scree making the final climb difficult, ditto on the descent.
Length: 10 miles roundtrip
Description: Dancing Lady Mountain stands above East Glacier and is the visual backdrop for the historic Glacier Park Lodge. The 40 ft tall rock protrusion is named the Dancing Lady, after a Blackfeet legend. Renamed in 1999, Dancing Lady was previously called Squaw Mountain and still appears with that name on most maps and hiking guides.
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Firebrand Pass
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Total Elevation Gain: 1950 Feet
Location: Just northeast of Marias Pass on Highway 2, the trailhead is near mile marker 203. It is a pullout (on your left when headed towards East Glacier) that drops below the highway and alongside the railroad tracks, which you will need to cross to reach the trail.
Length: 10.2 miles roundtrip
Description: The trail starts through aspen groves and meadows, on easy singletrack trail. It then becomes more moderate as you start gaining elevation. Follow the signs through two trail junctions to continue towards Firebrand Pass. Climbing up, you'll have views of Dancing Lady, Red Crow, Calf Robe, and Bearhead mountains. The trail joins Autumn Creek Trail for a bit, and as you head higher, there can be big wind gusts.
At 1.5 miles, hikers will reach the Firebrand Pass Trail / Autumn Creek Trail junction. A turn to the left will take hikers through Stevens Canyon, and eventually down to Marias Pass. To continue on towards Firebrand Pass you should turn right here. Up to this point the trail has followed a westerly course. It now begins traveling north as it makes its way around Calf Robe Mountain.
At 2.5 miles the Autumn Creek Trail branches off to the right, and begins heading towards East Glacier. To continue on towards Firebrand Pass hikers should stay to the left here. At 5.1 miles hikers finally arrive at the top of the pass. The views on both sides are simply outstanding. On the west side of the pass you'll enjoy commanding views of 7347-foot Skeleton Mountain and the Ole Creek drainage area.
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Lubec Pass
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Trailhead: Lubec Trailhead, US Hwy 2 Mile Marker 203
Length: Roundtrip: 4.8 miles Roundtrip Time: 5.5 hours Elevation Gain: 876 feet
Description: The Lubec is a looped trail that starts and ends at mile marker 203 on Hwy 2, about 5 minutes drive from East Glacier Park.
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Autumn Creek Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Location: Park at Marias Pass near the Obelisk, cross the railroad tracks, and walk eastward along the edge of the trees until you encounter the trail. It begins with a brief walk in trees and peekaboo views into Three Bears Lake and the surrounding mountains to the Autumn Creek Trail.
Length: 5.7 miles to 17 miles - several options
Description: After a lot of treed walking at the start, the trail begins to open up at the base of Elk Mountain, revealing a picturesque field against the mountain backdrop. If you do not have a way to shuttle vehicles, you may need to make this trip an out and back from Marias Pass before losing all of your elevation.
Cross U.S. Highway 2 and precede down a gravel road towards the railroad control building and white propane tanks that are located on the highway side of the tracks. When convenient cross over the tracks and look for a use trail that takes off towards the left if your back is to the tracks and highway. Head down the use trail and look for an orange marker and white blaze on a tree. It is near there that you will find the official “Glacier National Park” trailhead sign.