Looking for the best easy hikes in Glacier National Park?
Hiking is one of the best ways to explore Glacier National Park. The park offers over 700 trails, ranging from easy walks to challenging backcountry treks.
And we’ve got the perfect list of easy and family hikes. Glacier National Park offers many short hikes that are suitable for kids, even toddlers. There are many manageable and rewarding hikes.
Glacier National Park might have something perfect for you if you want short hikes with great rewards.
In fact, we visited Glacier National with our kids twice so far. We did a few different hikes and had so much fun each time. And my boys loved seeing all the wildlife on the trails.
Let’s see those 9 best short hikes in Glacier National Park
Best Easy Hikes in Glacier National Park
Hiking allows your family to immerse themselves in the park’s natural beauty and experience it up close. Here are our top 9 easy and family hikes in Glacier National Park. All the hikes below are day hikes.
ARE YOU READY FOR HIKING IN GLACIER NP?
📱 DOWNLOAD ALLTRAILS: AllTrails is our go-to app for looking at trail’ reports and seeing if the trail is kid-friendly. You’ll also find recent information about the status of the trail.
🥾 PACK THE RIGHT GEAR: Always bring layers and be prepared for sudden mountain weather changes
🐻 BRING BEAR SPRAY: Glacier National Park is in bear country (both black and grizzly bears). It’s essential to bring bear spray and know how to use it
👶 BRING A HIKING CARRIER: A good baby/hiking carrier is a must when hiking and walking with toddlers.
🩹 DON’T FORGET A FIRST AID KIT: Keep your travel first aid kit somewhere accessible.
1. Trail of the Cedars
The Trail of the Cedars in Glacier National Park is a perfect introduction to the park’s lush forests and scenic beauty. It’s ideal for those with limited mobility or families with young children.
This easy, wheelchair-accessible trail is a loop that spans approximately 1 mile. We did this hike with my little ones on our first visit to Glacier National Park. For that trip, we could only explore the park after 3 PM, so the Trail of the Cedars was the perfect trail for us. Short and pretty close to West Glacier, where we were staying.
Starting near the Avalanche Creek campground and accessible from the Going-to-the-Sun Road, this trail offers a leisurely walk through a dense forest of ancient western red cedars and western hemlocks. Wooden boardwalks and paved paths make it easy to navigate.
One of the trail’s highlights is a footbridge over Avalanche Creek. You’ll have a stunning view of the rushing water below and the surrounding forest canopy.
The Trail of the Cedars also serves as the gateway to the more challenging Avalanche Lake Trail, making it a good starting or ending point for those looking to extend their hiking adventure.
🥾 Trail of the Cedars Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.4 km (0.9 miles) loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 15 m
2. St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Trail
St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Trail is another gem in Glacier National Park that should be noticed, especially if you’re a fan of waterfalls.
This moderate hike is approximately 3.1 miles round-trip and will take you to both waterfalls. It’s a perfect half-day adventure for families and hikers of all skill levels.
The trailhead is conveniently located near the Sunrift Gorge parking area, just off the Going-to-the-Sun Road. As you embark on this hike, you’ll traverse through a mix of forested areas and open meadows, offering glimpses of the park’s iconic mountain ranges.
The main attraction is St. Mary Fall itself—a stunning cascade that tumbles over a series of rocky ledges and Virginia Falls.
The area around the waterfall provides ample space for visitors to relax, take photos, and even enjoy a picnic.
Wildlife enthusiasts will also find this trail rewarding, as it’s common to spot various bird species and if you’re lucky, larger mammals like deer, moose or even bears. As always in Glacier National Park, carrying bear spray and being bear-aware is recommended.
In fact, when we were hiking to Virginia Falls, we saw a grizzly bear walking down the trail, so we quickly hiked back to the parking lot. Sadly, we never saw Virginia Falls, but we returned safely.
🥾 St. Mary/Virginia Falls Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 5.0 km (3.1 miles) out-and-back to Virginia Falls
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 138 m
3. Redrock Falls
Redrock Falls lies in Many Glacier, on the east side of Glacier National Park north of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Redrock Falls trail begins at the Swiftcurrent Pass Trailhead at the end of Many Glacier Road.
This out-and-back trail leads hikers through gold Aspen forests in the fall and past rushing streams and bushes filled with huckleberries in the summer. It’s a longer hike, so you might want to bring a hiking carrier if your kids are little.
When hiking during the summer and early fall months, be aware and carry bear spray as Glacier National Park is home to many grizzly and black bears!
The glacier-covered mountains in the background and the bright green valleys surrounding the trail create a beautiful landscape. Parts of the trail are in full sunlight, so bring sun protection such as a hat and sunscreen.
Along the way, there are two mountain lakes with beach areas directly off the path, perfect for a family picnic or a spot to wade in cool glacier water during the hike.
With a total elevation gain of fewer than 300 feet, the trail is listed as “easy” and is perfect for all ages. The highlight is Redrock Falls, a powerful cascading waterfall with plenty of surrounding boulders to climb on and explore!
🥾 Redrocks Falls Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 6.9 km (3.7 miles) loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 74 m
4. Baring Falls
This one is one of the best family hikes in Glacier National Park! What’s better than a waterfall hike? You’ll want to add Baring Falls to your Glacier National Park itinerary!
This easy hike is just 0.7 miles from the parking lot at Sunrift Gorge, which is closest to the Saint Mary Entrance to the park. Nestled off the Going-to-the-Sun Road, you’ll walk through a forested trail before arriving at the beautiful waterfall. Watch for signs to Baring Falls because this trail shares the path with a few others.
Baring Falls is a 25-foot (roughly) waterfall nested in a peaceful setting. Bring a snack and sit and enjoy the falls! There are quite a few seating areas for families to enjoy.
The water rushes too fast; consequently, there’s no place to get in the water and swim at this waterfall. But if you take the trail a bit further, you can reach Saint Mary Lake and a rocky beach where your kids can play in the water.
🥾 Baring Falls Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 1.1 km (0.7 miles) out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 34 m
5. Hidden Lake Overlook
The trail to Hidden Lake Overlook in Glacier National Park is one of the most picturesque spots in the entire park.
Starting right behind the Logan Pass Visitor Center, you’ll want to arrive early to start this one, as the parking lot fills up quickly. As soon as you hop on the trail, you’ll be mesmerized by the surrounding views of the towering mountains.
A quick 3-mile round-trip hike is all it takes to see the beautiful Hidden Lake, sitting below the fields of trees. Behind the lake, Bearhat Mountain makes its great appearance.
Keep an eye out for mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, and bears along this trail because they are everywhere. My boys loved seeing the bighorn sheep and the mountain goats on the side of the trail. We even saw a baby mountain goat. It was a wonderful moment.
The best time to visit Hidden Lake Overlook is early morning during the summer months, since it’s located on Going-to-the-Sun Road. This road shuts down at different times of the year, so you must plan your visit accordingly.
People of all ages, even beginner hikers, will fall in love with Glacier National Park after completing this short hike.
🥾 Hidden Lake Overlook Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 4.3 km (2.7 miles) out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 168 m
6. Avalanche Lake & Trail of the Cedars
The Avalanche Lake trail at Glacier National Park is one of the park’s best-known and picturesque hiking experiences. Coming in at 4.5 miles round trip, you can expect to spend 2-3 hours on this hike-in, hike-out trail.
While the length may be bordering on difficult for less experienced hikers, the trail is relatively flat, with a total elevation gain of 730 feet, mostly at the beginning.
This is an excellent trail for kids because it features a variety of plant life, views of the park’s iconic mountains, several waterfalls, and a pristine, glacier-fed stream. The leading destination is Avalanche Lake, which sits at the foot of Bearhat Mountain, rising almost 4800 feet above the lake.
The water is cold year-round, but it’ll be hard to pass up the opportunity to dip your toes in it!
This trailhead is located off of Going-To-The-Sun Road, the main street through the park. You’ll start at the Trail of the Cedars trailhead and then follow the signs to Avalanche Lake.
This trail is best hiked from June to October due to potential ice throughout the rest of the year.
🥾 Avalanche Lake Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 9.5 km (5.9 miles) loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 231 m
7. Lake McDonald Trail
Lake McDonald is one of the first points of interest you’ll encounter in Glacier National Park as you drive along its famous Going-to-the-Sun Road so why not get a closer look at it?
Along this flat 13.7-mile out-and-back hike (although, given the fact that you can turn around at any time, this is like a choose-your-own-adventure trail!), you’ll hike along the western coast of this enormous lake, which stretches almost 10 miles long.
Along the way, you’ll peek into the lake’s glacial waters and the rainbow-colored rocks, rich with iron, lining the lake’s bottom and gazing up at the incredible glaciated mountains around you. Plus, this hike is usually not crowded, so this can be a great option if the other hikes near the West Glacier entrance, like Avalanche Lake, are too packed for you.
After the first couple of miles, the trail can get quite overgrown, so an excellent alternative, if you’re looking for a shorter and more easily navigable hike, is the 2.2-mile hike to Rocky Point.
The hike departs from the Lake McDonald Trail, diverging 0.5 miles in, and curves to a rocky outcropping overlooking the lake below. If you’re visiting on a hot summer day, this can be a great place to scramble to shore and jump in the glacial water!
🥾 Lake McDonald Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 22.2 km (13.8 miles) out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 383 m
8. Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
The Swiftcurrent Nature Trail in Glacier National Park is perfect for a blend of natural beauty and wildlife viewing.
This relatively easy trail is approximately 2.6 miles round-trip.
The trail starts at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn in the Many Glacier area. As you set out on this loop trail, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including Grinnell Point and Mount Wilbur.
The path meanders alongside Swiftcurrent Lake, offering serene water views that are especially captivating during sunrise and sunset.
One of the highlights of this trail is its abundant wildlife. For those interested in botany, the trail also features various plant life, from wildflowers to towering pine trees.
🥾 Swiftcurrent Nature Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 4.2 km (2.6 miles) loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 39 m
9. BONUS – Bear’s Hump Trail in Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is the Canadian side of Glacier National Park. And it has plenty of trails that are good for kids and people of all ages.
One standout is Bear’s Hump, an awesome hike that offers stunning views of the valley and Waterton Village.
Bear’s Hump Trail is 2.8 km long and is an out-and-back trail. It’s marked as moderate because it has a steep climb and goes up by 255 m. But even young kids can manage this hike.
While climbing, you might get lucky like we did and spot some big horn sheep.
Once you reach the top, you can see amazing all-around views of Glacier and Waterton Parks, the Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Valley, and Upper Waterton Lake.
There’s also plenty of space for kids to play around. My boys played hide and seek in little rock houses with other kids.
For the effort you put in, the views you get are worth it, making it one of the best trails in Waterton Lakes.
🥾 Bear’s Hump Trail Technical Information (from AllTrails) 🥾
Distance: 2.4 km (1.5 miles) out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 217 m
F.AQ. Easy Hikes in Glacier National Park With Kids
How busy is Glacier National Park?
During the summer months, from May through September, Glacier National Park welcomes millions of visitors. You can expect a lot of traffic and crowds during this period. If you rather visit during the off-season, you can go during early May or late September for a calmer experience.
Is there a lot of wildlife in Glacier National Park?
Yes! Being a national park, you can expect to see goats, bighorn sheep, deer, marmots, coyotes, wolves and bears. Remember to bring your bear spray as you’ll be in bear country. Also, learn how to use it in case you need it!
Final Thoughts: Best Easy Hikes in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park has many easy hikes for people of all ages and fitness levels. Each trail lets you see different beautiful spots in the park.
The Trail of the Cedars is calm and easy to walk, and Hidden Lake Overlook has pretty views. Baring Falls and Swiftcurrent Nature Trail are good for families and anyone wanting a relaxed walk. If you like watching waterfalls, you’ll enjoy St. Mary Falls, and Lake McDonald is another nice place to explore.
All these easy hikes mean everyone can have fun and see the beauty of Glacier National Park. These trails make sure visitors leave with happy memories and great pictures!
Which of these easy hikes in Glacier National Park will you add to your itinerary?
