Laura's Glacier Page

Glacier National Park, Montana

I spent 5 summers (during college/grad school) working in the kitchen at Many Glacier Hotel (MGH) in Glacier National Park, Montana. I was a Many Glacier Pantry Girl! During my summers at MGH, I learned how to carve radish roses and how to snarf Sara Lee cakes when the Chef wasn't watching; and I learned that there do exist people who order cottage cheese and prune salads for lunch. I also hiked many trails; saw my first grizzly bear, shooting stars and the aurora borealis; ate lots of fresh huckleberries; and made a lot of life-long friends. It was a great five summers!

Many Glacier Hotel Many Glacier Hotel

Mt. Wilbur Mt Wilbur

Grinnell Point Grinnell Point

If you are a fan of Glacier National Park, consider becoming a member of Glacier Park Foundation , a non-profit organization founded by former Glacier Park (concession) employees. We are interested in issues concerning the history, welfare and future of Glacier National Park.

Check out the National Park Service's webcam at Many Glacier!

Many Glacier Area

There are a lot of wonderful day hikes that originate from the Many Glacier area. The National Park Service has a map of this area.

Swiftcurrent Lake (2 mi): easy, level trail along the shore of the lake off of which Many Glacier Hotel sits.
Grinnell Lake (3.1 mi): trailhead starts by MGH; this is a relatively easy hike with very little elevation gain; There are two trails that go to Grinnell Lake -- one takes you along the north shore of Lake Josephine, the other along the south shore.
Redrock Falls (1.8 mi): trailhead starts at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn; relatively easy hike.
Appekunny Falls (1 mi): trailhead about 1.2 mi east of the MGH entrance. Elevation gain is about 700 feet (in 1 mile!)
Poia Lake (6.4 mi): trailhead about 1.2 mi east of MGH entrance. Trail continues another 5.6 miles to Redgap Pass and then on to Lake Elizabeth. Poia lake is a moderately difficult hike (elevation gain is about 1200 feet). The hike to Redgap pass is more strenuous (+2500 feet).
Cracker Lake (6.1 mi): trailhead starts by MGH parking lot. Moderate difficulty (elevation gain about 1100 ft). Trail used by horses so it can be a mess after rain.
Ptarmigan Tunnel (5 mi): trailhead starts by Swiftcurrent Motor Inn; elevation gain nearly 2500 feet. Trail continues on to Lake Elizabeth (another 4.8 mi). Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Tunnel hike share same trail for about 2.4 miles; diverge just past Ptarmigan falls.
Iceberg Lake (4.6 mi): trailhead starts by Swiftcurrent Motor Inn; elevation gain about 1200 ft.
Grinnell Glacier (5.5 mi): trailhead starts by MGH. Elevation gain over 1500 ft.

There are also several hikes that start (or end) elsewhere and end (or start) in the MGH area.

Piegan Pass (12.8 mi): Start at Siyeh Bend (3 mi east of Logan Pass) on the Going-to-the Sun Road. About 4.5 miles to the pass (elevation gain 1600 feet) and then all downhill from there (-2500 feet!)
Highline Trail (15 mi): Start at Logan Pass on the Going-to-the Sun Road.

Here are some links to other Glacier Park pages

Glacier Park Foundation a group, founded by former Glacier Park employees, devoted to issues concerning Glacier National Park. New members welcome!!
National Park Service's Web Page on Glacier National Park.
Glacier Park, Inc Find out about working in concessions in Glacier National Park!
Jobs near Glacier Park
Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park (GORP)
Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta Canada

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