My Top 30 Hikes of All-Time

Looking back at my childhood, I must say that I was extremely fortunate to have grown up in a semi-rural area. Though it's more than likely you never heard of Mack, Ohio, you're probably well aware of our largest suburb just to our east: Cincinnati. The dead-end street we lived on backed-up to a fairly large wooded area covering several hundred acres. No doubt, this is where my love for the outdoors was ingrained into my soul. My friends and I spent countless hours in those woods; hiking, riding our Huffy bikes on trails blazed by us and others, building tree camps and camping around open fires. After we learned how to drive we discovered the Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky where we started taking our first real hikes. We later graduated to the Great Smoky Mountains where we enjoyed our first real taste of big mountains and expansive wilderness areas. Then in 1986, while enjoying a couple of beers in the basement of a friend, the three of us came up with the wild-eyed idea of taking a grand road trip out west. This trip took us to the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, before reaching our ultimate destinations of Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain national parks. The die was cast at this point, and I was forever hooked on the outdoors.

I was also very fortunate to have found a wife who enjoys hiking as much as I do. Together we have explored dozens of national parks, monuments and forests over the years. As a result of the hundreds, probably thousands of miles of hiking I've done over the years, I wanted to put together a list of what I consider to be my all-time favorite hikes. Though I've attempted to rank them in order of best/most favorite, you may not want to assume that this ranking is absolute. I must admit that there is likely a great deal of recency bias, as I have tendency to think that my latest hike was the greatest. Ultimately, I hope this list will inspire you, or provide you with some new places to explore in the future.

I also wanted to point out that 24 of these hikes are included in my trail guide: Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Rocky Mountains: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico


Without further ado, here are my top 30 hikes:

1) Lake O'Hara (Yoho National Park): Parks Canada now limits the number of people that can visit this pristine area. For good reason! In addition to the epic scenery, Lake O’Hara is also famous for its alpine circuit, a loop hike that traverses precipitous ledges with frightening exposure to steep drop-offs. However, there are many other options that hikers can take to enjoy this truly spectacular landscape.

2) Skyline Loop Trail (Mt. Rainier National Park): "Oh, what a paradise!" was Martha Longmire’s reaction upon seeing the lush meadows and spectacular wildflowers of Mount Rainier’s southern valley for the very first time in 1885. The description would stick, as the most popular area in the park is now known as “Paradise”. Once you set your own eyes upon it you’ll understand why. This hike was so incredibly beautiful that it was the first time that I ever kept a camera in my hand for the entire trip. The amazing scenery never ended!

3) Grinnell Glacier Overlook (Glacier National Park): This hike travels along the world famous Highline Trail for much of its distance. The incredible views, the wildlife, and the wildflowers, all combine to make this a trek you'll remember the rest of your life. Though hikers will have a couple of options for enjoying the Highline Trail, I highly recommend taking the steep side trail that leads up to the spectacular Grinnell Glacier Overlook atop the Garden Wall. For a similar, but easier route, you may want to consider the Highline Loop.

4) Wenkchemna Pass (Banff National Park): The hike to Wenkchemna Pass begins from Moraine Lake, which sits at the foot of the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Both the lake and the valley were featured on the reverse side of the Canadian twenty dollar bill between 1969 and 1979. At the foot of the lake is a large pile of boulders and rocks, leftovers from the glaciers that retreated thousands of years ago. A climb to the top of the rock pile is a popular destination for photographers. The view there of the lake and the valley is considered to be one of the most photographed scenes in Canada, and is now known as the "Twenty Dollar View".

5) Swiftcurrent Pass (Glacier National Park): Although this is one of the toughest hikes in Glacier, it includes tons of spectacular scenery. You'll pass by three lakes and a waterfall while traveling up the Swiftcurrent Valley. Once above the valley floor the trail offers outstanding birds-eye views of six glacial lakes, as well as Swiftcurrent Glacier. At the pass you'll enjoy stunning views of Heavens Peak and Granite Park.

6) Iceline Trail (Yoho National Park): While ascending an avalanche path hikers will enjoy views of Takakkaw Falls across the valley. Once at the top the trail begins crossing over the broken terrain of ancient glacial moraines. From this point forward you’ll enjoy epic alpine scenery, including outstanding views of Emerald Glacier, several small tarns, as well as the spectacular surrounding mountains within Yoho National Park.

7) Ice Lakes (San Juan National Forest): Ice Lake just might have the most intense cobalt blue color I’ve ever seen in nature. Combine this extraordinarily beautiful alpine lake with outstanding mountain scenery and several thousand wildflowers, and you have one of the best hikes found just about anywhere.

8) Static Peak Divide (Grand Teton National Park): Cascade Canyon gets all the accolades whenever outdoor media types discuss hiking in the Grand Tetons. However, in my humble opinion, the pundits simply haven't done their homework. I'll admit this is an extremely tough hike, but the alpine scenery is simply epic, and easily makes this the best hike in Grand Teton National Park.

9) Lake Solitude (Grand Teton National Park): This hike just about has it all: a beautiful subalpine lake, stunning mountain scenery, wildlife, wildflowers, and the largest waterfall in the park. Although this is another tough hike, it does provide hikers with the opportunity to explore more of the stunning scenery in the Cascade Canyon area. For an easier option, you could end your hike in Cascade Canyon.

10) Siyeh Pass Loop (Glacier National Park): This one-way hike offers visitors the chance to take-in some of the best of what Glacier has to offer. Hikers will pass through the incredibly beautiful Preston Park, climb along one of the highest maintained trails in Glacier, and then travel back down the Baring Creek Valley where you'll enjoy a relatively close-up view of Sexton Glacier.

11) Mt. Ida (Rocky Mountain National Park): Hands down this is the best hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The views from the summit are simply epic. In fact, hikers will enjoy outstanding panoramic views along much of the route. Although the terrain becomes fairly rugged on the final leg to the summit, you'll have very little exposure to steep drop-offs. If this still sounds like this might be a little bit out of your comfort zone, you could simply end your hike atop Peak 12,150, a sub-peak along the ridge approaching the summit.

12) Sneffels Highline (Mount Sneffels Wilderness): The Sneffels Highline is among the best hikes I've ever done. This spectacular loop offers several miles of exceptional views as it travels above treeline through the Uncompahgre National Forest and Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area. I highly recommend this hike during the fall when the aspens explode in brilliant shades of yellows.

13) Blue Lakes (Uncompahgre National Forest): The Blue Lakes Trail travels to an extremely scenic glacial basin within the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness area. Although not a national park, the San Juan Mountains near Ouray could easily qualify as one, and would probably rank as one of the crown jewels within the entire national park system. You could also make a strong argument that the hike to Blue Lakes would rank high on the list of the best hikes among all of our national parks.

14) Dragon's Tail (Glacier National Park): This is a great alternative if you're looking to avoid the extreme crowds at Hidden Lake Overlook. Although you'll start-off on the same trail, the "climbers route" to the Dragon's Tail splits off the main trail after roughly a mile. Hikers will enjoy sweeping views of Hidden Lake and the surrounding mountains from the east and southeast side of the lake.

15) Grinnell Glacier (Glacier National Park): This is an extremely popular hike in the Many Glacier area, and for good reason. This spectacular trail visits the edge of the famous 300-acre glacier that sits just below the Continental Divide.

16) Mt. Elbert (San Isabel National Forest): Why not just go to the top of Colorado? Not only is 14,440-foot Mt. Elbert the highest point in Colorado, it’s also the highest point between Mt. Whitney in California, Fairweather Mountain in Canada, La Malinche Mountain in Mexico, and Mont Blanc in France. From the “roof of Colorado” hikers will enjoy outstanding panoramic views. Moreover, as “fourteeners” go, the trek to the summit is relatively easy.

17) Chasm Lake (Rocky Mountain National Park): In my humble opinion this is the best lake hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. In addition to the outstanding panoramic views you'll encounter on the way up, you'll also enjoy up-close views of the famous "Diamond" - the east-facing wall of Longs Peak which rises more than 2,400 feet above this incredibly beautiful alpine lake.

18) Huron Peak (Collegiate Peaks Wilderness): At 14,003 feet, Huron Peak just barely qualifies as a “fourteener”. However, that doesn’t mean the views are any less stunning than peaks that are hundreds of feet higher. The summit still offers mind-blowing views of Colorado’s Sawatch Range, including the Three Apostles.

19) Hallet Peak (Rocky Mountain National Park): For those that feel that Longs Peak is just a little too hard, or maybe a little too dangerous, Hallett Peak just might be the perfect mountain to satisfy your big mountain, "summit fever". Reaching a height of 12,713 feet, the mountain provides a great opportunity to feel like you're on top of the Rockies, without being exposed to dangerous drop-offs.

20) Pitamakan Pass (Glacier National Park): Dawson Pass usually gets all the attention in the Two Medicine area. However, at least for me, I think the views from Pitamakan Pass are much more dramatic. From the knife-edge pass you can see five lakes on either side of you.

21) Chapin / Chiquita / Ypsilon (Rocky Mountain National Park): This is another alpine hike that ventures up into the highest elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park. On this hike you'll have the choice of either summiting one, two or all three mountains along the so called "CCY Route". The highest among these three peaks is Ypsilon Mountain, which is also the 5th highest mountain in the park. No matter your choice, the views from either of these mountains are quite amazing.

22) Piegan Pass (Glacier National Park): Maybe not quite as scenic as its more popular neighbors, the hike to Piegan Pass is far less crowded. Big expansive views, that include Jackson Glacier and Blackfoot Glacier, await hikers along much of this route near Logan Pass.

23) Ptarmigan Tunnel (Glacier National Park): If you're anywhere near Many Glacier the hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel shouldn't be passed up. The highlight of the hike is passing through a 240-foot tunnel that cuts a hole through the Ptarmigan Wall. It was built for horses and early park tours by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's. After hiking all morning in the Many Glacier Valley, walking to the other side of the tunnel is like passing into another world.

24) Black Face Mountain (Lizard Head Wilderness): Although Black Face Mountain may look fairly nondescript from the top of Lizard Head Pass just outside of Telluride, you shouldn't be deceived - the views from the summit are quite amazing. After a relatively easy climb hikers will enjoy stunning panoramic views of several 13 and 14,000-foot peaks, as well as the iconic Lizard Head.

25) Sheepherder Lakes (Beartooth Highway): This hike passes through an exceptionally beautiful basin that visits several alpine lakes. The entire route travels through open terrain known as the High Lakes.

26) Lake Josephine Loop (Glacier National Park): This loop takes you around both Lake Josephine and Swiftcurrent Lake in the Many Glacier Valley. The hike is mostly flat, making it a great choice for almost everyone in the family. Oh yea, the views are simply outstanding! Moreover, nearly every time we've hiked in this area we've seen at least one moose.

27) North Rim Trail (Yellowstone National Park): The North Rim Trail allows you to see sights along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This includes stops at overlooks that provide spectacular views of Crystal Falls, the Brink of the Upper Falls, the Brink of the Lower Falls, Red Rock Point, Grand View Point and Inspiration Point.

28) Beehive Basin (Beartooth Highway): This hike visits an unnamed lake below the rugged Spanish Peaks of Montana. During the summer months the meadows that surround this beautiful jewel are filled with a plethora of wildflowers.

29) Lion Lake No. 1 (Rocky Mountain National Park): For whatever reason, I didn't take the opportunity to take this hike until 2021. Wow! What was I waiting for? The rugged subalpine landscape that surrounds this lake offers some of the most beautiful scenery in the park, while making it by far the most scenic lake in Wild Basin.

30) Sky Pond (Rocky Mountain National Park): Surrounded on three sides by sheer cliff walls, Sky Pond offers hikers dramatic alpine scenery. What makes this hike a RMNP classic is that you'll visit two waterfalls and two other stunning lakes along the way. However, the scramble alongside Timberline Falls to reach the basin may present a challenge to some with a fear of heights.



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From Montana to New Mexico, the American Rockies stretch for more than a thousand miles. Within this spectacular mountain range are thousands of miles of hiking trails. With such an overwhelming number of options, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Rocky Mountains takes all the guesswork out by focusing on some of the most amazing hikes across this range, and provides you with a handpicked list of options that will allow you to make the most of your trips in the Rockies:

Why did hiking become so popular across the globe?

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Since the dawn of mankind, humans have walked the planet to hunt, forage, explore, trade goods with neighboring communities, and migrate to other regions. At some point in our long evolution, we realized we didn’t need a utilitarian reason to walk. Somewhere along the line we discovered the joy of traipsing through the countryside, observing the beauty of a wildflower, watching wildlife in their natural habitat, marveling at the roar of a waterfall, or contemplating the scenic grandeur from the top of a mountain. Is this a fairly recent phenomenon, or is this an innate characteristic of human beings?

While history has preserved a few examples of men scaling mountains for an assortment of reasons prior to the early modern era, these feats appear to be extremely rare. Before the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, mountains were commonly seen as dangerous and mysterious by most Western cultures, at least according to prevailing wisdom. People from the Middle Ages purportedly regarded them with fear, loathing and superstition. Moreover, they thought the alpine world was inhabited by evil spirits, witches, wild beasts and bandits. Some men even swore affidavits before magistrates that they had seen dragons in the mountains.

However, as the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods progressed and spread across Europe, fear of mountains slowly began to subside, and more men began venturing into the highlands. Several modern historians contend that attitudes towards mountains started to shift as a result of the religious and philosophical tenets of natural theology, which proposed that God is revealed through reason and nature, rather than sacred texts, divine revelation or supernatural beliefs. They argue that individuals from this era began to realize that fear and loathing of mountains wasn’t justified. The perception that they were inherently dark and evil inevitably changed after it was understood that it was God who had created them. Consequently, people started viewing mountains as images of the Creator, as sources of spiritual inspiration, or even as proof of God’s existence. Leslie Stephen, on the other hand, claimed that attitudes simply evolved in conjunction with the revolution in ideas and thinking that occurred during the Age of Enlightenment. As one of the most famous British climbers from the “Golden Age of Alpinism,” Stephen argued in 1868 that "The history of mountaineering is, to a great extent, the history of the process by which men have gradually conquered the phantoms of their own imagination."

By the mid-1700s, we begin to see the first documented rambling and walking excursions. While the historical record seemingly indicates that mountaineering preceded hiking by several decades, or even centuries, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people didn’t hike or walk for recreational purposes prior to this timeframe. Rather, it seems more likely that those who did set out on foot never would’ve considered a leisurely walk in the countryside to be a noteworthy event. Therefore, very few individuals would’ve taken the time to record their rambles for posterity, even if they were literate. As a result, hiking doesn’t have a date of birth, or even an approximated timeframe for its origins. It seems most likely that walking for pleasure has always been a natural form of recreation that evolved over time to a point where individuals began to take it more seriously, whereupon we begin to see the first descriptions of walking excursions in diaries, letters, poems and travelogues.

The roots of hiking and walking for pleasure were firmly established by the late 1700s, especially in Great Britain and certain parts of Europe. However, during the earlier part of the century, walking was generally looked down upon. “Respectable” citizens during this era usually rode in carriages or on horseback to travel any significant distances. For the most part only the poor walked. In Victorian England, during the mid-1800s, wandering vagrants were derogatively known as tramps, a word that would eventually refer to hikers, and now used by New Zealanders to describe backpacking.

While overcoming the fear of mountains, and the gradual breakdown in the social stigmas associated with walking certainly enabled mountaineering and hiking to germinate, I would argue that the single most important event to spur the development of hiking and walking for pleasure was the Industrial Revolution. The social changes brought about by industrialization were profound. As I explain in more detail in my book, industrialization triggered a massive backlash from certain segments of society, which inspired movements in art, philosophy and religion. These movements, in turn, would motivate people, in one way or another, to visit wilderness areas for recreational purposes. As industrialization progressed, especially in America, it gave rise to the labor movement, which eventually resulted in increased wages and significant reductions in the average number of hours worked each week. Thus, workers began to enjoy more free time, many of whom pursued recreation in the great outdoors. Industrialization also gave rise to railroads, automobiles and roads, which provided people with the ability to travel more easily to wilderness areas. As a result of these social transformations and movements, hiking emerged as a pastime. Though it was only a fringe activity in the early 1800s, the sport grew steadily through the Great Depression. After World War II, however, it exploded, and has now become one of the world's most popular outdoor activities.

You can learn more about the history of hiking on my author page.


Other excerpts from Ramble On:

* The Etymology of Hiking

* The Historic Circle Tours of Glacier National Park

* Women’s Hiking Attire During The Victorian Era

* The Evolution of Hiking Boots



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

At least 2.5 miles of The Colorado Trail has been extensively damaged

Yesterday, I received this letter from the Executive Director of the The Colorado Trail Foundation regarding the massive flooding in Durango:

By now, you have most likely seen the devastating flooding, loss of property, and extensive damage that the historic flooding in the Durango area caused. We have spent the past several days checking on our volunteers, crew leaders, partners, and board members who live in that area and are relieved to report that they are safe.

Unfortunately, we have now confirmed that at least 2.5 miles of The Colorado Trail has been extensively damaged in the Junction Creek area. While it will take several weeks until we understand the full amount of damage, we know that most of the Trail and bridges from the bottom of the switchbacks below "Gudy's Rest" to the trail "Terminus" were swept into the floodwaters. Extensive damage also occurred to the trailhead, parking lot, and road system leading into Junction Creek. It is not yet known how far the damage extends north up the CT. Our hope is that in the near future we will be able to access any potential damage further north.

Right now, there are more questions than answers; however, in our spring TreadLines, I made a promise to be honest, forthcoming, and optimistic about the challenges we face when these climate events occur.

As of today, we know that almost 8 miles of The Colorado Trail have been severely damaged this season due to forest fires and flooding. Rebuilding these damaged sections will not be quick, easy, or cheap, but we are committed to rebuilding.

Over the past 52 years, The Colorado Trail has become something bigger than we could have ever dreamed. The CT is where you walk through untouched forests, laugh with friends, hike on the weekend, go on epic bike rides, walk your dog after a long day, and refuel your soul. The CT is more than just a trail, it is a part of the community of Colorado.

This season over 800 people from 48 states and 27 countries reported that they thru-hiked or thru-biked the CT. Over 100,000 people enjoyed a day hike at Waterton Canyon, thousands more skied across the CT at Copper and Monarch, and fished the 8 major watersheds that flow from the Trail. Over 50,000 went on a bike ride at the Crest and Buffalo Creek and thousands more used the Junction Creek area. Whether you drove across the CT at Cottonwood Pass or walked in the aspens at Kenosha Pass this fall, one thing is clear, the CT is not just a trail, it is a 567 mile recreation corridor connecting communities and people across Colorado.

It will be months before we can better understand what the next steps need to be on the sections damaged by climate events this season. Over the winter, we will work with the USFS, our local partners, and our volunteers to determine next steps, timelines, and project budgets. As we better understand our plan of attack in early 2027, we will be open with you about how you can help.

While we do not yet know what it will take to rebuild, we do know what we will need. We will need your support, we will need our dedicated volunteers, and we will need that community spirit that makes the CT so special.

Sincerely,

Paul Talley
Executive Director

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Keep Colorado Wild Pass raises $43.2M to support state parks, wildlife conservation, and county search and rescue teams

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) published the 2026 Keep Colorado Wild Act Report to share how revenue from the sale of the Keep Colorado Wild Pass (KCW Pass) is being used to meet outdoor recreation and conservation needs in Colorado.

As part of the Keep Colorado Wild (KCW) Act of 2021, CPW and the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) created an optional $29 annual state parks pass (Keep Colorado Wild Pass) for Colorado residents, which can be added when registering passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. The Keep Colorado Wild Pass offers a 60% savings compared to a traditional annual state parks pass and provides entry into 43 Colorado state parks.

Since the pass became available in January 2023, the Keep Colorado Wild Pass has generated approximately $146 million through June 30, 2026, demonstrating its significant contribution to funding for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation. Funding directly supports CPW’s mission to provide quality state parks, conserve wildlife, support local communities and ensure lasting benefits for Colorado's natural resources.

“Colorado is known for our grand outdoor spaces, offering Coloradans and visitors an amazing variety of world-class outdoor recreational activities. In Colorado, we uplift and invest in conservation efforts to preserve our state parks for future generations, protect our ecosystems and make sure parks are accessible for everyone to enjoy,” said Governor Polis.

In Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), CPW sold approximately 1.6 million KCW passes, a 5% increase from the previous fiscal year, generating over $43.2 million in revenue. In Fiscal Year (FY25), approximately 1.5 million KCW passes were sold, generating $41 million in revenue, a 3% increase over the prior year.

Initial Keep Colorado Wild Pass revenue (the first $32.5 million) is dedicated to state park maintenance and staffing. Remaining funds are allocated as follows: $2.5 million to the Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue Program; $1 million to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC); and the remainder to the Wildlife Cash Fund and the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Cash Fund for broader wildlife and outdoor recreation initiatives.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

The Historic Circle Tours of Glacier National Park

The following is an adaptation from my book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Almost immediately after Glacier was established as a national park, Louis W. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railway, began building a series of hotels, chalets and tent camps throughout the park. The buildings were modeled on traditional Swiss architecture, and were part of Hill's strategy to portray Glacier as the "American Alps" or "America's Switzerland." The accommodations would in-turn help the railway promote tourism to the new national park, while at the same time promote their rail line as the primary mode of travel to the park. This would also allow them to compete against their chief rivals; the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway, who were already transporting tourists to Banff and Yellowstone.

The Belton Chalet in West Glacier, and the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier Park were the first two hotels to be constructed by Great Northern. Both acted as gateways from railroad depots to the interior of the park. Between 1910 and 1915, the railway also constructed eight Swiss-style backcountry chalet complexes, each connected by a network of trails. The complexes were strategically located at Two Medicine Lake, Cut Bank, St. Mary, Sun Point, Granite Park, Many Glacier, Gunsight Lake and Sperry Glacier. Tent camps were also established at Red Eagle Lake, Cosley Lake, Fifty Mountain and Goat Haunt. The chalet and tent camps were located roughly 10-18 miles apart. During their prime most of the chalet camps could host between 100 and 150 guests per night. Hill would explain to newspaper reporters that the “lodges would be located only far enough apart so that the man on foot even could make the trip and obtain sleeping accommodations,” and that “hotel accommodations of a more prestigious type or tents for the most modest could also be furnished.”

As construction on the new chalets progressed through the early 1910s, the railway also constructed the trails that would connect each of them by foot or horse travel. Because of a lack of federal funds, the Great Northern Railway assumed financial responsibility for all trail construction during this time period, but was eventually reimbursed as funding became available. Some of the earliest trails developed by the railway included Swiftcurrent Pass, Gunsight Pass, Mt. Henry, Red Gap Pass, Gable Pass, Triple Divide Pass, Piegan Pass, Pitamakan Pass and the St. Mary Lake trails. Many of these early trails were routed along Indian paths, prospector trails or old game trails. Great Northern would continue to improve or construct new trails within the park into the early 1920s. As the network of trails expanded, organized tours by horse concessionaires began to emerge. In 1915, the Park Saddle Horse Company became the sole concessionaire for the park, and began organizing a series of guided tours that utilized the existing network of chalets and trails. This included the North Circle, South Circle and Inside Trail trips, which encompassed roughly 163 miles of trails, each of which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The company also offered the Logan Pass Triangle Trail trip, which traversed across the heart of the park utilizing routes from the other tours, as well as the now abandoned Logan Pass Trail, which I discussed in detail yesterday. The concessionaire offered a variety of options, from half-day excursions to extended trips lasting up to two weeks. Most of the so-called circle tours, however, lasted between three and five days. During the 1920 season, the company charged roughly $4.00 per person, per day to take one of its saddle-horse tours.

Although there were several variations of each of these trips, depending on the number of days tourists chose, the direction they wanted to take, as well as the evolution of routes over time, these are the routes described on the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form and various park brochures:

The North Circle: Connects Many Glacier with Cosley (aka Crossley) Lake; Cosley Lake with Goathaunt; Goathaunt with Fifty Mountain; Fifty Mountain with Granite Park; Granite Park with Many Glacier.

The South Circle: Connects Lake McDonald Lodge with Sperry Chalets; Sperry Chalets with Sun Point via Gunsight Pass; Sun Point with Many Glacier via Piegan Pass; Many Glacier with Granite Park via Swiftcurrent Pass; Granite Park with Going-to-the-Sun Road at Packer's Roost.

Logan Pass Triangle trip: Three-day trip made as follows: Many Glacier Hotel to Granite Park Chalets via Swiftcurrent Pass, thence along the west side of the Garden Wall through Logan Pass to Going-to-the-Sun Chalets, thence back to Many Glacier Hotel via Glacial Meadows and Piegan Pass. Rate for guide and horses, $12.50 per person. Going-to-the-Sun Chalets is also a point of departure for this trip.

Inside Trail: Guide and horses may be obtained for a five-day trip over the inside trail from Glacier Park Hotel, via Two Medicine Chalets, thence via Mount Morgan Pass (now known as Pitamakan Pass) to Cut Bank Chalets, thence via Triple Divide, Red Eagle Lake, to St. Mary Chalets, thence via boat across St. Mary Lake to Going-to-the-Sun Chalets, thence via Piegan Pass to Many Glacier Hotel, at the rate of $18 for each person, including boat fare, if five or more make the trip. This trip may be made in either direction.

The park visitors that took these tours were “guided by ‘cowboys,’ lunched near glacial lakes and then dined in comfort on Chinese linen and blue willow china”. Park rules dictated that the Park Saddle Horse Company had to furnish at least one guide for each ten tourists on a trip. Parties could reach as large as 180 people and 200 horses. It’s estimated that the concessionaire used more than 1000 horses during its peak, with at least one source estimating as many as 1500 head of horses. The 1922 park brochure bragged that there were "more saddle horses used in Glacier than in any other similar recreational area in the world". From everything I’ve read that record has never been surpassed.

The saddle-horse tours were the dominant method of seeing the park until the Going-to-the-Sun Road was completed in 1933. Although the tours continued for another ten seasons, they came to a permanent end after the 1942 season when America became fully involved in World War II.

Ramble On chronicles the history of the first hikers, trails, and hiking clubs, as well as the evolution of hiking gear and apparel. This broad-based book on hiking history is available on Amazon.


Other excerpts from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

* The Etymology of Hiking

* How did hiking become so popular across the globe?

* Women’s Hiking Attire During The Victorian Era

* The Evolution of Hiking Boots



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Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier: