Hiking

Highline Trail

A ledge trail along the Continental Divide, with mountain goats for company.

Montana
18.9 km
2 min read

Photo: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa · CC BY-SA 2.0

Distance: 18.9 km · 11.8 mi
Elevation gain: +520 m · 1,700 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Time needed: 6–8 hours (one way)
Route type: One way (shuttle)
Permit: Not required
Best season: Mid-July to mid-September

Highline Trail guide in Glacier National Park: Logan Pass to The Loop, the Garden Wall ledge, Granite Park Chalet, shuttles, grizzly safety and season.

Starting at Logan Pass, the Highline Trail follows the Garden Wall, a knife-edged ridge on the Continental Divide. The first section is a narrow ledge high above the Going-to-the-Sun Road, with a cable to hold. After that, the trail rolls through wildflower meadows with views of peaks and valleys in every direction.

After about 12 kilometers you reach the historic Granite Park Chalet, built for travelers more than a century ago. From there, the trail drops steeply to The Loop on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, where the shuttle takes you back to your car.

Stops along the way

1

Logan Pass Visitor Center

Start early: the parking lot at Logan Pass fills before 8 a.m. The trail begins across the road.
2

Garden Wall ledge

The famous ledge with a cable handrail. The drop is real but the path is wide enough for confident hikers.
3

Haystack Butte saddle

A short climb to the saddle, the highest point of the hike, with views over the McDonald Valley.
4

Granite Park Chalet

A rustic stone chalet built by the Great Northern Railway. Rest on the terrace and look for grizzlies below.
5

The Loop trailhead

A steep, 6.5-kilometer descent through a burned forest, then the shuttle back to Logan Pass.