Grinnell Glacier Hike: The National Park Trail That Feels Like a Dream

My love of hiking started about twenty years ago. Growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, in a decidedly non-outdoorsy family didn’t give me much exposure. (How I didn’t I catch the bug with Gateway Arch National Park in my backyard is shocking *wink*.) I fell head-over-heels as a young(ish) adult during a two-week hike through the mountains of the Peruvian Andes on my way to Machu Picchu. Despite having to sleep bear-hugging hot water bottles in sleeping bags to keep warm (and the even more awful braving of twenty-degrees-in-my-jammies-middle-of-the-night-why-must-we-hydrate-so-much nature runs), it was spectacular. Feelings of connectedness, accomplishment, invigoration, gratefulness, calm. Love at first hike. 

That love story continued, growing exponentially soon after Colan and I got together. I didn’t fall in love with him in New York City (where we met); I fell in love with him when he visited me in Seattle, and we hiked some of Rainier National Park. It turns out my (then) city boy had been hiking the Appalachian Trail with his father since he was a boy and had his own love for the pastime.  Once I moved to NYC, we put effort (and gave considerable closet space to gear)  into regularly scheduling hike-heavy camping trips to maintain our sanity in the concrete jungle. 

Hiking has always been an integral part of our life together, especially now that scheduling our routes prioritizes National Parks whenever possible. Our cup runneth over with awe-inspiring hikes. Still, once in a while, one hits so hard that it’s as if you’re experiencing your first, and all other hikes are forgotten for the moment. Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park is exactly that kind of hike.

Grinnell Glacier Trail is a 2,000-ft elevation gain, ten-mile out-and-back trail, though this time was a little over twelve miles because of heavy construction in the park. This hike had A LOT riding on it—so much of what GNP offers takes so much driving time. So much drive time. Add to that the need for a timed entry reservation AND an extremely competitive Shuttle Pass, both necessary to access Grinnell for those of us not staying in the park, and you’ve got runaway expectations that threatened to not be met. Still, it was at the tippy-top of my wish list, so when Colan scored a coveted Shuttle Pass for Saturday morning, we were sleeping with the shades open, the alarm set, and driving the two-and-a-half hours to the shuttle.

For anyone keeping track, we had over three hours invested before reaching the trailhead. Don’t let that scare you off, as most of it was spent driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road through the park during early morning hours—jaw-dropping. We’d been to the park several times last year, but this early morning drive was like seeing it for the first time. Heaven. (I’d say literally, but I’ve never been, so it seems reckless.) The shuttle dropped us at Many Glacier Hotel, and after talking with Ranger David, we were off to start our hike—a hike where we essentially asked one another repeatedly if what we were seeing was real. Even now, it still feels like a dream.

Three turquoise lakes in different shades that rendered our eyes untrustworthy. Alpine meadows in full wildflower bloom. Crashing ballets of waterfalls EVERYWHERE. And it all ends with the glacier, revealing itself as a massive ice wall and a meltwater lake. Mind-blowing in the best way possible. We saw a grizzly and a longhorn sheep, wrapping the entire experience in a pinch-me-I’m-dreaming bow. Yes, it was crowded, but only in the sense that you wouldn’t find solitude. For me, the hike's stunning, otherworldly beauty meant I didn’t care about all the people. The gratitude and awe were palpable, and everyone was in great moods! We were still mostly able to set our own pace, or kindly ask to pass when people got too plenty. 

I feared the journey home would be rough, as it had already been a long day. We chose to drive around the park as it was clear traffic was starting to be an issue on Going-to-the-Sun. Those two-plus hours home passed just as quickly as the drive in, with gorgeous, entirely different views. After a 12+ hour day, we felt invigorated enough to walk into town for live music and a bit of dancing. It was a perfect hike, a perfect day. I feel such gratitude that we got to experience it. I’d do it again and again! Don’t take my word for it; see it for yourself. Bet you’ll be giving yourself a pinch. And then another.

Cristy Lee McGeehan

Cristy Lee McGeehan, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of House of Highways, is a renowned figure in the hosting and hospitality industry, bringing her creative vision and expertise to the RV and nomadic travel space. Her work, highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, Magnolia Network, HGTV, and many others, centers on crafting rich, community-driven travel experiences and resources for modern nomads through technology and media. Through House of Highways, she inspires a vibrant, adventurous approach to life on the open road.