Grinnell Glacier from Many Glacier

The walk starts at the Many Glacier Hotel parking lot, from the trailhead just south of the hotel. The trail follows Swiftcurrent Lake and then the north shore of Lake Josephine, before climbing steadily across the slopes of Mount Grinnell, high above turquoise Grinnell Lake, to Upper Grinnell Lake. Grinnell Glacier, which has shrunk greatly over the past century, lies across the lake beneath the Garden Wall. Return the same way.

It is 11.1 miles (17.8 km) round trip with 1,660 feet (506 m) of climbing; allow about 6 hours. The grade is Hard: a long day, with a steady climb and steep drop-offs beside the upper trail.

This is grizzly country: carry bear spray, hike in a group and make noise. The park closes the trail for bear activity, as it did after a hiker was injured by a grizzly here in May 2026. The upper trail crosses steep slopes above cliffs and stays closed until the snow has melted, often into July.

From June 10 to September 19, 2026, boats across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine from the Many Glacier Hotel cut the round trip to about 7.6 miles ($41.70 for adults). Many Glacier Road usually stays open until the third weekend in November, weather permitting.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.