You are gonna love Glacier.
I used to do allot of backpacking, multi night type trips. Now I do long day hikes then cook a feast and drink beer that the "base camp". Those day hikes are more enjoyable to me because you can pack allot less weight, travel far (15-20 mile day) so you get that deep exercise type of experience, then my favorite, we cook and feast at camp that is already set up.
But hey its all fun out there! I love it.
R.M.
We're definitely looking forward to it. This is our proposed itinerary with some alternates in case the trails in the Many Glacier area are closed due to bear activity:
Arrival: Sunday afternoon
Night 1 (Sunday): Stay at Rising Sun Motor Inn
http://www.glaciernationalparklodges.com/lodging/rising-sun-motor-inn-cabins/
Day 1 (Monday): Take shuttle to Siyeh Bend, Hike Siyeh Bend to Many Glacier (Piegan Pass - 17.9 miles)
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/siyeh-pass-loop.htm
http://thebigoutside.com/5-perfect-big-days-in-glacier-national-park/
Set up camp at Many Glacier
alternate: Drive to Lake McDonald, Hike the Gunsight Pass Trail
Night 2 (Monday): Camp at Many Glacier
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/camping_detail.cfm?cg=many glacier
alternate: Camp at Lake McDonald (Apgar Campground or Sprague Creek Campground)
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/camping_detail.cfm?cg=apgar
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/camping_detail.cfm?cg=sprague creek
Day 2 (Tuesday): Hike Many Glacier to Logan Pass (Swiftcurrent Pass and Highline Loop - 15.2 miles)
http://thebigoutside.com/5-perfect-big-days-in-glacier-national-park/ http://www.hikinginglacier.com/swiftcurrent-pass.htm http://www.hikinginglacier.com/highline-loop.htm
Take shuttle from Logan Pass to Rising Sun, set up camp at Rising Sun Campground
alternate: Take shuttle from Lake McDonald to Logan Pass, hike Highline Loop, shuttle back to Lake McDonald
Night 3 (Tuesday): Camp at Rising Sun Campground
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/camping_detail.cfm?cg=rising sun
alternate: Camp at Lake McDonald
Day 3 (Wednesday): rest day - Drive to Two Medicine Campground, set up camp
Drive the Going to the Sun road
Restock food supplies
Night 4 (Wednesday): Camp at Two Medicine Campground
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/camping_detail.cfm?cg=two medicine
Day 4 (Thursday): Hike Dawson Pass (Dawson Pass to Pitimakan Pass through Dry Fork Valley - 14.8 miles)
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/dawson-pass.htm
Night 5 (Thursday): Camp at Two Medicine Campground
Day 5 (Friday): Stay at Two Medicine and rent a canoe
alternate: Drive to Lake McDonald, rent a canoe
Night 6 (Friday): Camp at Two Medicine Campground
alternate: Camp at Lake McDonald
Departure: Saturday morning
We've been looking for some day or weekend hikes in the eastern Texas area since we're right over in Louisiana. We've also been looking at Big Bend for a shorter 3-4 day weekend type of hike. Have you ever been there?