Glacier National Park, Kraig Adams's way

Numbers are from my own GPS. My permit had a third night at Granite Park, and the park's own advance bookings allow at most 16 miles a day; I skipped that camp and walked out, which made Day 3 a 30-mile day. Most people take four to six days.

How I got there. I flew in from New York (JFK through Salt Lake City to Glacier Park International Airport at Kalispell, FCA), arriving at about midnight, and got a hotel in Kalispell because I needed to charge batteries and get one good night's sleep. I rented a car at the airport. Then it was a bit of driving: picking up supplies, bear spray and some food, my permit, and over to the Many Glacier Road. I started hiking just before noon.

The trailhead. The Poia Lake and Red Gap Pass trail starts on the Many Glacier Road at Apikuni Flat (the park also spells it Appekuny), about 10 miles west of Babb and 2 miles east of Swiftcurrent at the end of the road. I parked there and walked back to my car at the end. Parking is limited.

Driving from Kalispell. In October the Many Glacier Road is reached from the east side: US-2 over Marias Pass to East Glacier, US-89 north through Browning, St. Mary and Babb (roughly 145 to 150 miles and 3 to 3.5 hours; check in a map app). Going-to-the-Sun Road is shorter when it's open over Logan Pass, but slower, and closes in mid to late October. Remember that in October the walk-up permit office may only be at Apgar, on the west side, so plan the drive around it.

Other ways in. Amtrak's Empire Builder stops at West Glacier year round and at East Glacier Park seasonally. The park's shuttle ran only on Going-to-the-Sun Road, July 1 to September 7, in 2026; there's no shuttle to Many Glacier in October.

Gas and supplies. There's no gas in the park. Babb, on the way to Many Glacier, has a store and gas. Buy food and bear spray in Kalispell or on the way.

What I paid

For your budget (2026 prices). Permit $10 plus $7 per person per night (May 1 to October 31). Park entrance $35 per vehicle for 7 days, or $70 for a Glacier annual pass; non-US residents 16 and older add $100 unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Advance-lottery applications cost $10 more. There's no gas in the park.

Where I slept, food and water

Where I slept

My permit had three camps, one night each: Elizabeth Lake Foot (ELF), Stoney Indian Lake (STO; spelled "Stony" on the permit) and Granite Park (GRN). Every one said no campfires, and food, garbage and anything scented had to be hung on the camp's food pole or put in its bear box. The permit said to bring durable bags and at least 25 ft of rope or paracord to hang them, because they aren't provided.

Food

Lunch on Day 1 was plant-based noodles with olive oil added for calories. Something I keep forgetting is seaweed: it's not heavy on calories, but it adds great texture to soup and it's very light. Coffee in the morning, and spicy ramen at Stoney Indian Lake. Nearly at camp on Day 1, I wasn't even that hungry and wasn't sure I'd cook before bed. I bought my food and bear spray on the drive in. There's nothing to buy on the trail.

Water and toilets

Streams and lakes most of the way. The low parts of Days 1 and 2 follow lakes and rivers. The high stretches (Red Gap Pass, the climb to Stoney Indian Pass, the Highline between Fifty Mountain and Granite Park) are higher and drier: fill up before you climb. Boil water for at least a minute or use a filter; the park warns about Giardia.

Every backcountry camp on this loop has a privy (Recreation.gov). Between camps, go well away from water and trails and bury your waste.

What I carried

My 2024 kit, from the film and my photos. The film doesn't list everything I carried.

Hiking

• Clothes: a sun hoodie, a warmer hoodie, pants and shorts from Path Projects, who sponsored this trip and the film
• Sleep: a really warm sleeping bag (I still had to put my head inside it on the first night) and a tent
• Kitchen: a stove for coffee, noodles and ramen
• What I forgot: my tent stakes. My biggest worry on Day 2 was wind, because I couldn't really hunker down my tent. It worked out, with no wind. Don't forget yours.

Filmmaking

• Camera: a camera with a 20-70mm zoom on a tripod

Other

• Bear spray, bought on the drive in, carried where I could reach it

What this loop needs (the park's list and the season):

• Bear spray in an accessible place, and the habit of calling out and clapping often (bells don't work)
• A durable food bag and at least 25 ft of rope or paracord for the camp food poles, or a certified bear-resistant container
• A warm sleeping bag and warm layers: in October, nights at or below freezing
• A headlamp: in October it's dark before 7 p.m.
• Shoes or sandals for fording when the seasonal bridges are out, and trekking poles
• A filter or a way to boil water
• A stove (no campfires at these camps)
• A map and compass or GPS, and a satellite messenger: there's little or no cell service

All of this was checked on the park's own pages, Recreation.gov and the park's 2026 Superintendent's Compendium on October 1, 2026, except where it says otherwise.

Wilderness permit. Required for every night, at designated wilderness campgrounds only. In 2026: $10 per permit plus $7 per person per night, May 1 to October 31; card only. Winter permits (November 1 to April 30) are free and requested by email at least 7 days ahead. Every permit holder has to watch the park's wilderness safety video.

Advance reservations (June 15 to September 30). On Recreation.gov. In 2026 there were two early-access lotteries (groups of 1 to 8 applied March 15, with a $10 application fee) and a general first-come sale from May 1. About 70% of sites can be reserved; you pick up the permit in person by 4:30 p.m. the day before or the day you start. Online itineraries can't have more than 16 miles between camps. Nothing for 2027 had been announced on October 1, 2026; the same pattern is likely.

Walk-up permits. About 30% of sites are kept for walk-ups, in person only, the day before or the day you start, and no permits after 4:30 p.m. anywhere. From October 1 to 31 every permit is walk-up. On the 2026 schedule:

My permit. I got my walk-up permit the morning I started, October 10, 2024, through the Apgar Wilderness Permit Center: one person, three nights, $31. My camps were Elizabeth Lake Foot, Stoney Indian Lake and Granite Park.

Camps on this loop. Elizabeth Lake Foot (5 sites), Stoney Indian Lake (3) and Granite Park (4) are one-night-per-trip camps from June to September, and in those months Granite Park has to be part of a trip of two nights or more. Poia Lake, Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake Foot and Head, Mokowanis Junction and Fifty Mountain allow up to three nights. Each site takes up to four people, and a group can be at most 12. Whether the one-night limits apply in October isn't stated: ask when you get your permit.

Food storage. From March 16 to November 30, at designated camps, all food, garbage and scented items go on the camp's food pole or in a certified bear-resistant container (the 2026 Compendium). My permit said the same and that durable bags and at least 25 ft of rope or paracord are needed and aren't provided. No campfires at any camp on this loop; a camp stove is allowed.

Wildlife distance. Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other wildlife, moose included.

Park entrance. In 2026: $35 per vehicle for 7 days, or $70 for a Glacier annual pass. Since January 1, 2026, non-US residents 16 and older also pay a $100 nonresident fee unless they have an annual or America the Beautiful pass ($250 for non-residents). No vehicle reservations were needed anywhere in the park in 2026; nothing was announced for 2027 by October 1, 2026.

The Ptarmigan Tunnel. Its doors usually open in mid-July and close by late September (the park's trail status page). When it's closed, Red Gap Pass is the way from the Many Glacier Road to Elizabeth Lake.

Seasonal bridges. The park puts in its seasonal suspension and plank bridges from late May to mid-July and takes most of them out by late September. Three are on this loop: the Elizabeth Lake Suspension Bridge (end of Day 1), the Belly River Suspension Bridge below Cosley Lake (Day 2) and the Windmaker Suspension Bridge below Swiftcurrent Pass (Day 3). In 2026 all three came out on September 28 and 29. In October expect to wade all three, and don't cross swift water.

The season. The high camps open for reservations only once they're usually free of snow: Stoney Indian Lake and Fifty Mountain from August 1, Granite Park from July 15 (the park's 2024 wilderness campground map). Seasonal bridges go in from late May to mid-July and come out by late September. So the classic window for this loop is roughly August to mid-September, with the Ptarmigan Tunnel open.

October, my month. It was October 10th and definitely deep into shoulder season. I'd say within a week there was probably going to be snow up high. In return the fall colors were great, and the park was nearly empty. Expect:

• Walk-up permits only, in person. On the park's 2026 schedule, Many Glacier's permit office closed September 27 and St. Mary's October 4, which left Apgar, on the west side, as the only office until October 31.
• Short days. Near Many Glacier on October 10 the sun rises about 7:47 a.m. and sets about 6:55 p.m. (US Naval Observatory). By October 31 it sets about 6:16 p.m.
• Cold nights. I had to put my head inside my sleeping bag on the first night, and there was frost when I woke up on Day 3. The park says nights can drop to freezing and snow can fall at any time of year, at lower elevations from mid-September.
• No services. The Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn close in mid to late September (2027: September 20 and 17), and so does the Granite Park Chalet.
• Bridges out and the tunnel closed (see Permits and rules).
• Going-to-the-Sun Road usually closes over Logan Pass around the third Monday of October, earlier in bad weather.

What I'd do next time. In my Strava notes after the Highline: I want to revisit Glacier in early summer, with snow caps and green meadows. In the film I said it would be nice to do Glacier in July, with the melting snowpack up high and the new green grass below, maybe with a group.

Weather and safety

Emergencies. Call 911 if you have a signal. Most of the park has little or no cell service, and none on most of this loop. Carry a satellite messenger. The park's main line is 406-888-7800. Leave your route, camps and the day you'll be out with someone at home.

Bears. Glacier has grizzlies and black bears. In autumn bears forage for up to 20 hours a day, and camps can close at any time for bear activity. The park says groups are far safer, and that bells aren't enough: call out and clap at regular intervals, especially near streams, in brush and on blind corners. Carry bear spray where you can reach it, stay 100 yards from bears, and never leave food or scented items in your tent. In May 2026 a solo hiker was killed by a grizzly in the park after dark, the first fatal bear attack there since 1998 (news reports). Parts of the Highline were closed for bears in September 2024 and August 2026, and on October 1, 2026 the park listed the whole Highline from Fifty Mountain to Granite Park as closed for bear activity.

Moose. I saw two on Day 1. Give them 25 yards or more.

Hiking in the dark. I finished Day 3 after dark, on the road, by moonlight. Don't build your plan around that. Plan your days to reach camp before dusk, and carry a headlamp.

Cold and snow. In October nights drop to freezing and snow can fall on the passes. Red Gap Pass, Stoney Indian Pass, the Highline and Swiftcurrent Pass are high, open and exposed. Turn around if snow covers the trail on the steep sides of a pass.

Fords. With the seasonal bridges out, cold, swift water and bad footing are the risk. The park says to reconsider wading swift streams. Cross where it's wide and shallow, unbuckle your pack, and wait or turn back when it's high.

Water. Boil water for at least a minute or use a filter (the park warns about Giardia).

Do I need a permit? Yes, for every night in the backcountry, and only at the park's designated wilderness campgrounds. In 2026 it cost $10 per permit plus $7 per person per night, from May 1 to October 31. See Permits and rules.

Can I book it ahead? Only for trips from June 15 to September 30, on Recreation.gov, through early-access lotteries in March and a general sale from May 1 (the 2026 dates). Online bookings allow at most 16 miles a day between camps; longer days have to be arranged in person. In October, permits are walk-up only, in person, the day before or the day of your start.

Why Red Gap Pass and not the tunnel? The classic loop goes through the Ptarmigan Tunnel from Many Glacier to Elizabeth Lake. The park says its doors usually open in mid-July and close by late September. On October 10, 2024 it had closed a couple of days before, so the ranger and I planned my route over Red Gap Pass instead.

Is it open? Check the park's trail status first. On October 1, 2026 the Highline from Fifty Mountain to Granite Park was listed as closed for bear activity, and the park listed the Waterton Valley and Mokowanis Lake trails in winter status. Bear closures on the Highline happen most falls and can last days or weeks.

How many days do I need? I did it in three days of 17.8, 16.5 and 30.7 miles, and the last one ended after dark. My permit was for four days and three nights. Four to six days is a better plan for most people.

Is it safe to go alone? The park advises against hiking alone in grizzly country: groups make far fewer bad bear encounters, and no attack on a group of four or more has been reported in Glacier. I went alone, in the busy bear season before winter, so it was a bit more dangerous than usual. If you go alone, carry bear spray where you can reach it, call out often, and don't hike at dusk. I didn't see a bear; I saw two moose. See Weather and safety.

Is there water? Yes: Poia Lake, Elizabeth, Cosley and Glenns lakes, the Belly River, Stoney Indian Lake and many streams. The high stretches are drier. Boil or filter all of it.

Will I see other people? In October, very few. I saw two other hikers in three days.

The classic loop, through the Ptarmigan Tunnel

When the tunnel is open (usually mid-July to late September), most people start at Many Glacier, go through the Ptarmigan Tunnel to Elizabeth Lake, and then follow my route from Day 2: the Belly River, Cosley and Glenns lakes, Stoney Indian Pass, Fifty Mountain, the Highline to Granite Park and Swiftcurrent Pass back to Many Glacier. Trip reports give about 53 to 65 miles depending on side trips (not an official figure). Starting and ending at Swiftcurrent also skips my road walk.

Four to six days

My permit had four days and three nights: Elizabeth Lake Foot, Stoney Indian Lake and Granite Park. In summer, online bookings allow at most 16 miles between camps, so plan more nights: for example Elizabeth Lake Foot (through the tunnel, or Poia Lake and then Elizabeth Lake Foot over Red Gap Pass), then Glenns Lake or Mokowanis Junction, then Stoney Indian Lake and Fifty Mountain (or Fifty Mountain alone), then Granite Park. Stoney Indian Lake to Granite Park is about 20 miles on my GPS, so an online plan needs Fifty Mountain in between. Check each camp's night limits and opening date when you book.

My way, in October

Three long days, walk-up permit, Red Gap Pass instead of the tunnel, and fords instead of bridges. My last day was 30.7 miles and ended after dark.

Before you go, check these

These change every year. Everything else in this guide stays the same.

Permits and rules

• How you'll get your permit: the lottery and sale dates for June 15 to September 30, or walk-up only outside those dates
• Which permit offices are open on your dates, and their hours (in October 2026 only Apgar after October 4)
• Permit fees, and the camps' night limits for your month
• The park entrance fee, the nonresident fee, and whether 2027 has vehicle reservations

Conditions

• The park's trail status and road, trail and campground status pages, for closures and bear postings (on October 1, 2026 the Highline from Fifty Mountain to Granite Park was closed for bear activity)
• Whether the Ptarmigan Tunnel is open and which seasonal bridges are in
• Whether Going-to-the-Sun Road is open over Logan Pass
• Snow on the passes, and the forecast

Getting there

• Your drive to the permit office and to the Many Glacier Road
• Gas in Babb or before

Your stuff

• Bear spray, a food bag and 25 ft of rope
• A warm sleeping bag, a headlamp, tent stakes
• A satellite messenger, offline maps and the GPX files on your phone