Hiking the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail in Glacier National Park
Hiking the Hidden Lake Overlook trail in Glacier National Park is a must! This short hike has amazing views, lots of wildlife, and colorful wildflowers during the summer.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission from clicks and/or purchases made through affiliate links on our website.Hidden lake Overlook was one of our favorite hikes in Glacier National Park. Going-to-the-Sun Road didn’t fully open until the last day of our trip, but this hike ended our visit on a high note. Looking back, we probably should have been more prepared to hike through snow, but it made the hike more fun. We chose to hike around sunset (which is very late during the summer in Montana), so we could capture the view in the best light.
Parking
Parking for this trailhead is at the Logan Pass Visitor Center, located at the midpoint of Going-to-the-Sun Road. This parking lot has access to other trailheads as well, so if you’re not arriving early in the morning, you might have to wait for a parking space. When we arrived in the evening, we just so happened to grab the last spot.
Distance
This hike is about 2.7 miles roundtrip. It is an out and back trail.
Difficulty
If the trail wasn’t covered in snow, we’d say it is a relatively easy hike. There is an elevation gain which has this trail rated as moderate on AllTrails.
Best Time to Hike
We would recommend hiking at sunset, especially if you plan to take pictures. However, sunset and during the day are popular times for this trail. If you’re wanting to avoid the crowds, we’d recommend hiking early in the morning.
Finding the Trailhead
The trailhead for Hidden Lake Overlook is right behind the Logan Pass Visitor Center. (If you plan to hike around sunset, the visitor center might be closed, however bathrooms are still available.).
The Hike
The trail begins with a paved portion before you reach a series of boardwalks with steps. Once you get past the boardwalks, the trail turns to a dirt path. The trail is pretty straightforward and easy to follow, As you continue your hike, you’ll reach a viewing platform. It’s not time to turn around yet!
The View
This platform is a great place to view Hidden Lake. However, it can become crowded pretty quickly. If you exit the platform to the right and continue walking, you’ll find some large boulders that overlap the trail. This is a great place to take it all in, away from others. While the entire hike had amazing views, we were in awe overlooking Hidden Lake. This is also where we saw a pika and a mountain goat! As we came up on the large boulder where we wanted to snap some photos, we had to wait for a mountain goat to walk away. He was being photogenic for us.
Please don’t approach wildlife and remain a considerable distance away.
Tips
- Please follow the Leave No Trace principles and stay on the trail. Walking off the trail into the surrounding meadows can cause damage. We saw so many people in the meadows at the beginning of the hike, trampling the wildflowers for a photo. Don’t be that person. 🙂
- Bring a wide angle lens to fully capture the scenery. We shoot Canon and used a 24mm lens for most of these pictures.
Read More: The Best Camera Gear for Travel Photography
- Wear a good pair of worn-in hiking boots or sneakers. We chose to wear boots, because the trail was snowy, but they really aren’t necessary. This was during our early days of adventuring, and my hiking boots were cute but not practical. Notice how wet they are? After walking through the snow, they were soaked. After hiking with cold feet, I learned my lesson. I have recently invested in a pair of Sorel Hi-Line Hiker Boots and love them.
- This year (2023), a vehicle reservation is required to access different areas of Glacier National Park that include Going-to-the-Sun Road, the North Fork, Two Medicine, and Many Glacier.
- A vehicle reservation is required to access Going-to-the-Sun Road for each vehicle entering through the West entrance from May 26- September 10, 2023, from 6 am to 3 pm. It is also required for each vehicle entering through the St. Mary entrance from July 1-September 10, 2023, from 6 am to 3 pm. The vehicle reservation is good for three consecutive days. For more info, visit the National Park Service website. To book your reservation, visit recreation.gov.
