Hiking with kids in Glacier National Park is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your little ones.
Last updated: June 4, 2024
Hiking in Glacier National Park with Kids: Top 9 Family-Friendly Trails
Glacier National Park, or as it’s often referred to as Crown of the Continent, is a hiker’s paradise. With scenic trails spread for miles on end and splendid alpine lakes and glaciers at the end of these hikes, the area has been an outdoor adventurer’s playground since 1910. Hiking with small kids in Glacier National Park, however, can be a little bit tricky.
While older children can hike almost every trail in the park, the youngest hikers often find steep hikes challenging.
You need to take plenty of breaks is the most frequent advice families with small kids receive while hiking in Glacier National Park. And guess what, it does work magically. On the flip side, this way of hiking slows down the entire group. But as they say, slow and steady wins the race.
Adjusting to your child’s speed is the second most popular tip for hiking in Glacier with preschool-age kids. Again, this advice sounds reasonable. Moreover, it may work perfectly for families that hike with older children, think 7 years old and above. For younger kids… it may not do the trick you’ve expected.
Hiking with Little Kids in Glacier National Park… Impossible?
This brings us to the most important question. Is hiking with small kids (4-6 years old) in Glacier National Park possible? How can children that are too old to be carried in a carrier, but too young to walk miles on end enjoy the park beyond roadside attractions in the Going-to-the-Sun Road area?
First, you need to be selective with your hiking adventures when visiting Glacier National Park with little kids. Sticking to shorter trails is preferable. You can also squeeze in a longer hike or two, something that you and your kids will enjoy without pushing yourself to the limit.
Yet while hiking along the longer trails in Glacier National Park, be prepared to carry your young adventurers from time to time. It’s inevitable, unless your child was born to be a superstar hiker and has plenty of trekking experiences.
Let’s Begin Our Hiking Adventures with Kids in Glacier National Park
A couple of weeks ago, we spent a few days in Glacier. Traveling as a family with a 4-year-old boy can have its own struggles. The first thing we had to keep in mind was that many trails were too long for us to hike. We had to stick to shorter hikes, suitable for kids of all ages.
Some travelers believe that you need to wait until your children get older to show them how big the world is. Others don’t say too much, but prove that traveling and hiking with kids is possible. It’s not always easy, but certainly doable.
I’d like to believe that we belong to the second group. So despite all the challenges hiking in Glacier with kids could present, we decided to give it a try. With that said, here are some of our favorite family-friendly trails in Glacier National Park.
HIKING IN GLACIER WITH KIDS: 9 FAMILY-FRIENDLY TRAILS
l. KID-FRIENDLY HIKES IN THE GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD SECTION OF GLACIER
1. Trail of the Cedars
The Trail of the Cedars inaugurated our hiking adventures with kids in the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Stretching out for 0.7 mile, this loop trail is easy for any young hiker. The trail starts as a paved path that ventures into the wood. As you walk deeper into the old-growth forest, a raised boardwalk takes over and extends all the way until Avalanche Gorge.
Hiking with kids in this part of Glacier is easy and enjoyable. The tall cedars scattered on both sides of the trail arouse your child’s interest. This, in its turn, makes it easier to divert their attention from walking to exploring the trees, trail, and anything else around.
When you think that it’s all the trail can offer, stunning Avalanche Gorge with Glacier’s powerful cascades surrounded by moss-covered rocks comes into view. At this point, you don’t need any other stimuli to keep your kids hiking and exploring more of Glacier National Park.
2. Avalanche Lake Hike
Shortly after you pass a small footbridge at Avalanche Gorge, the Trail of the Cedars comes to a trail junction. The right fork takes you back to the parking lot. The left fork continues for 2 more miles before terminating at the shore of Avalanche Lake.
TIP: The favorite path in West Glacier has little to no attractions to distract your youngest kids and ignite their interest in hiking forward. So try to spend enough time at a creek near the trail junction to feed your child’s curiosity for what comes next.
Overall, the trail is easy. Even the smallest kids can hike in this section of Glacier without any help. If your children are not accustomed to long walks, you may need to carry them on your back or shoulders at some point.
On average, the Avalanche Lake hike takes about 2 hours to complete. Hiking with small kids along one of the favorite trails in West Glacier, however, can take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.
3. Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
The Hidden Lake Overlook is another beautiful trail to add to your hiking adventures when visiting Glacier with kids. Nestled at panoramic Logan Pass, the trail starts behind the Logan Pass Visitor Center, runs up the mountainside, and ends at a wooden observation deck overlooking the lake.
The entire journey is approximately 2.7 miles. Hiking uphill along a series of boardwalks (Glacier has them only on some of the most popular trails) at the beginning of the trail is easy for all kids. As you continue ascending, the trail becomes trickier.
Snow may still linger in the area even in the middle of summer, adding excitement to the younger hikers. Their parents, however, have more things to worry about as hiking along the slippery Glacier National Park’s trail can be tedious and even dangerous, although kids may disagree with it.
Eventually, even adults come around and see the hike as an adventure they can’t miss. Apart from the snow (this was the most exciting part of hiking for Dylan), Glacier’s wildlife often pop up on the trail and around it.
TIP: Be sure to use hiking staff for additional support for yourself and your kids while traversing the slippery trail in the heart of the Going-to-the-Sun Road area, the most visited section of Glacier National Park.
4. St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Hikes with Kids
For the majority of kids, hiking to water sources – be it a lake or a waterfall – is the ultimate pastime when in Glacier. The 3.6-mile, round-trip adventure to Virginia Falls with not less remarkable St. Mary Falls along the way can certainly keep your bundles of joy entertained and motivated.
TIP: Start your hike either at St. Mary Falls Shuttle Stop (shorter trail) or the St. Mary Fall trailhead (longer trail). It takes about 3 hours to complete the walk.
5. Baring Falls Trail – Ideal for Hiking with Kids of All Ages
Like Dylan, many kids would do anything, including hiking to any secluded corners of Glacier, if you tell them that there’s a waterfall at the end of the trail. To get to Baring Falls in the Going-to-the-Sun Road area, follow the following routes.
Hike 1: The 0.6-mile, round-trip Baring Falls Trail is the fastest and easiest way to reach the coveted waterfall. The trailhead for this particular hike sits near the Sunrift Gorge parking area.
Hike 2: A slightly longer hiking adventure to Baring Falls (it may excite your younger kids even more thanks to aquamarine St. Mary Lake to your left) starts from the Sun Point area in East Glacier. The trail begins at the far end of the parking lot and stretches out for one mile.
ll. THE BEST TRAILS FOR HIKING WITH KIDS IN MANY GLACIER
6. Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
The 2.3-mile Swiftcurrent Nature Trail loops the area and offers some of the best opportunities to introduce your young hikers to Glacier’s wildlife. Your kids might not be interested in hiking any more at this point, but seeing a real pika or bear can surely ignite their interest in Glacier for a little bit longer. (Be sure you know how to protect yourself from bears in the wild.)
To start your adventure along this easy trail in Many Glacier, head over to the Many Glacier Hotel or the Grinnell Glacier Trailhead, located just one mile away from each other.
Regardless of the trailhead you choose, some of the main attractions to show to your children include a couple of footbridges across Swiftcurrent Creek, a channel between Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, and views of Grinnell Point and Mt. Wilbur.
7. Josephine Lake Trail
If you start your family hiking adventures from the Grinnell Glacier trailhead, walk along the well-trodden path toward Lake Josephine.
The trail is short, just one mile long, and provides enough shade for a pleasant walk even in the middle of the day. The place at the end of the trail is breathtaking, often considered one of the most photogenic spots in Glacier National Park.
8. Grinnell Lake Hike in Many Glacier – Slightly Challenging, but Still Appropriate for Hiking with Kids
If your kids are willing to hike more, continue on along the Grinnell Glacier Trail toward Grinnell Lake. Sitting approximately 3.4 miles from the trailhead, this prime jewel of Many Glacier is one the favorite hikes for families with small children and experienced hikers alike.
The Grinnell Lake Trail follows the Grinnell Glacier Trail for approximately 1.5 miles before forking to the left.
TIP: A ride on a concession boat that departs from the shore below the Many Glacier Hotel makes this day adventure even more enjoyable, especially if your kids are not thrilled about hiking long distances. The two-part boat tour takes the hikers across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine before dropping them off just 1.1 miles away from Grinnell Lake.
9. Grinnell Glacier Trail: One of the Longest Trails to Hike with Kids in Many Glacier
Try to challenge your entire family and complete the 10.6-mile, round-trip Grinnell Glacier Trail. Follow the trail that would take you to Grinnell Lake. Once you reach the trail junction, instead of walking downhill to the lake, hike uphill for another 3.8 miles.
Hiking to Grinnell Glacier can be challenging even for adults, let alone small kids. The trail ascends gradually, occasionally treating the hikers to bear and mountain goat viewings. Overall, the elevation gain comes close to 1,600 feet.
TIP: You can’t have too high of expectations from the kids while hiking along this challenging trail in Many Glacier. Carrying your children at least a portion of the trail may be needed. Make it easier for yourself and let your kids hike as long as they can before offering them a “lift”.
TIP: If you take the concession boat across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, you have only 3.6 miles left to hike toward the final destination of the trail.
Hiking with Kids in Glacier National Park: Tips
Bring plenty of water and snacks. Your hiking adventure may take longer than expected. Make sure your young hikers stay hydrated and can replenish their energy on the go.
Take time and make frequent stops. Don’t let your youngsters feel too tired, unmotivated, and steered away from hiking forever.
Bring hats and sunscreen. Moreover, make sure to reapply the sunblock on your kids every two hours while hiking along the longer trails in Glacier National Park.
Have extra layers. Hiking with kids in Glacier is a packing test for parents. The weather in the park can be temperamental. Keeping your young hikers warm or cool is one of the main factors of how far you can hike.
Hiking in Glacier with Kids: Animal Safety
Keep bear spray within easy reach. The bear spray is essential in Glacier National Park whether your hiking adventures include small kids or don’t. What is this spray anyway? The bear spray is in essence a strong pepper spray that you disperse in the bear’s face if it tries to attack you.
Keep your kids at a safe distance from Glacier National Park’s wildlife during all of your hiking trips. In general, the distance between you and a bear or wolf should be at least 100 yards. Neither you nor your kids should approach any other animals, leaving at least a 25-yard distance between you and the wild inhabitant.
Stay away from animals with babies. Although some animals are normally unaggressive, any wild dwellers with babies can be dangerous. Give them space. Alternatively, you can make noise (putting bells on your kids’ backpacks while hiking in Glacier is a common practice). The animals will hear the sound and walk away before you even spot them.
