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Glacier National Park: a still from my film

Glacier National Park, Montana · October 2024 · Solo

Glacier National Park

104.5 KM · 3 DAYS · 3,410 M

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

Watch the film 22:35 · 262K views

At a glance

Where
Glacier National Park, Montana
Distance
104.5 km (64.9 miles)
Days
3 days
Climbing
About 11,180 ft (3,410 m) up and 11,140 ft (3,400 m) down
Season
Summer to early fall. I walked October 10 to 12, 2024
Difficulty
Three passes, long days, fords in fall, grizzly country, no phone signal
When I went
October 2024
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.
Day 1Day 2Day 3Highest 7,530 ft (2,294 m)

Elevation, start to finish: highest 7,530 ft (2,294 m), lowest 4,480 ft (1,364 m).

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The film

Photos

  • The view from Red Gap Pass, Day 1.
    The view from Red Gap Pass, Day 1.
  • Stoney Indian Lake from Stoney Indian Pass, Day 2.
    Stoney Indian Lake from Stoney Indian Pass, Day 2.
  • The Swiftcurrent valley lakes from below Swiftcurrent Pass, Day 3.
    The Swiftcurrent valley lakes from below Swiftcurrent Pass, Day 3.
The meadows at Fifty Mountain, Day 3.
The meadows at Fifty Mountain, Day 3.

The guide · 49-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

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

  • All three days
  • My GPX files
  • Wilderness permits
  • October, my month
  • Bears and safety

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The whole Day 2, Elizabeth Lake past Glenns Lake to Stoney Indian Pass page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

Music in this film

All music

What I'd take now

My current kit

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Short answers

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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