How long is the Northern Loop in Glacier National Park?

My loop from the Many Glacier Road over Red Gap Pass was 64.9 miles (104.5 km) on my GPS, with about 11,180 ft of climbing, in three days in October 2024. Through the Ptarmigan Tunnel from Many Glacier, trip reports give about 53 to 65 miles; most people take four to six days.

Do you need a permit to backpack in Glacier National Park?

Yes. Every night in the backcountry needs a wilderness permit, at designated campgrounds only. In 2026 it cost $10 per permit plus $7 per person per night from May 1 to October 31. Advance reservations on Recreation.gov cover trips from June 15 to September 30; the rest are walk-up permits, in person, the day before or the day you start.

Can you get a walk-up permit in October?

Yes, and it's the only way in October. On the 2026 schedule, Many Glacier's permit office closed September 27 and St. Mary's October 4, so Apgar, on the west side, was the only office open through October 31 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., last permit 3:30 p.m.).

When is the Ptarmigan Tunnel open?

The park says its doors usually open in mid-July and close by late September. When it's closed, Red Gap Pass is the way from the Many Glacier Road to Elizabeth Lake, which is what I did on October 10, 2024.

Is it safe to hike alone in Glacier National Park?

The park advises against it: hiking in groups greatly reduces bad bear encounters, and no attack on a group of four or more has been reported in Glacier. I went alone. If you do, carry bear spray within reach, call out and clap often, and finish before dusk.

Where do you camp on the Northern Loop?

Only at designated wilderness campgrounds on your permit. I camped at Elizabeth Lake Foot and Stoney Indian Lake, and had Granite Park booked for a third night. Other camps on the loop include Poia Lake, Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake, Mokowanis Junction and Fifty Mountain.

The Glacier North Loop film: Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park, Montana · 3 days · 65 miles

Glacier North Loop Hiking Guide

3 days over Red Gap Pass, Stoney Indian Pass and the Highline in Glacier National Park.

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Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
Permits and rules

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The route

My GPS recording of 3 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Glacier North Loop route: 3 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Many Glacier, Mount Cleveland and Elizabeth Lake. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 3 days
Distance: 65 miles
Climbing: About 11,180 ft (3,410 m) up
Season: Summer to early fall
Permit: A wilderness permit for every night (2026: $10 plus $7 per person per night)

What's inside

All three days. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings for each day, with waypoints for the passes, the camps and the trailhead, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Wilderness permits. The lotteries and online sale for summer, walk-up permits, the October permit offices, fees, the 16-mile rule and the camps' night limits, checked in October 2026.
October, my month. The closed Ptarmigan Tunnel and Red Gap Pass, the bridges that come out, short days, cold nights and what's closed at Many Glacier.
Bears and safety. Bear spray, food storage, hiking alone, fords and finishing before dark.
Other ways to do it. The classic Northern Loop through the Ptarmigan Tunnel, and four to six day plans.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the whole loop.

About this trip

In October 2024 I hiked alone for three days in Glacier National Park, Montana: about 65 miles on a loop from the Many Glacier Road over Red Gap Pass to Elizabeth Lake, along Cosley and Glenns lakes, over Stoney Indian Pass, up to Fifty Mountain and south on the Highline to Granite Park, then over Swiftcurrent Pass back to Many Glacier. It's the trip from my film Hiking Alone in Glacier National Park. This guide has my GPX files, maps and notes for every day, how wilderness permits work in 2026 (and in October, when they're walk-up only), the camps, bears and food storage, the Ptarmigan Tunnel and the fall bridges, and what I carried.

Watch the film on YouTube (262K views).

The Day 2, Elizabeth Lake past Glenns Lake to Stoney Indian Pass page from the Glacier North Loop Hiking Guide

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Elizabeth Lake past Glenns Lake to Stoney Indian Pass

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 49-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How long is the Northern Loop in Glacier National Park?: My loop from the Many Glacier Road over Red Gap Pass was 64.9 miles (104.5 km) on my GPS, with about 11,180 ft of climbing, in three days in October 2024. Through the Ptarmigan Tunnel from Many Glacier, trip reports give about 53 to 65 miles; most people take four to six days.
Do you need a permit to backpack in Glacier National Park?: Yes. Every night in the backcountry needs a wilderness permit, at designated campgrounds only. In 2026 it cost $10 per permit plus $7 per person per night from May 1 to October 31. Advance reservations on Recreation.gov cover trips from June 15 to September 30; the rest are walk-up permits, in person, the day before or the day you start.
Can you get a walk-up permit in October?: Yes, and it's the only way in October. On the 2026 schedule, Many Glacier's permit office closed September 27 and St. Mary's October 4, so Apgar, on the west side, was the only office open through October 31 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., last permit 3:30 p.m.).
When is the Ptarmigan Tunnel open?: The park says its doors usually open in mid-July and close by late September. When it's closed, Red Gap Pass is the way from the Many Glacier Road to Elizabeth Lake, which is what I did on October 10, 2024.
Is it safe to hike alone in Glacier National Park?: The park advises against it: hiking in groups greatly reduces bad bear encounters, and no attack on a group of four or more has been reported in Glacier. I went alone. If you do, carry bear spray within reach, call out and clap often, and finish before dusk.
Where do you camp on the Northern Loop?: Only at designated wilderness campgrounds on your permit. I camped at Elizabeth Lake Foot and Stoney Indian Lake, and had Granite Park booked for a third night. Other camps on the loop include Poia Lake, Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake, Mokowanis Junction and Fifty Mountain.

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