Looking for a “top of the world” hike? This should be at the top of your list. This hike is not for the faint of heart, but it always delivers in the “unforgettable” department. Starting from the Two Medicine Campground area at the foot of Two Medicine Lake, you work your way through the trees and up the Dry Fork drainage to Old Man Lake. As you walk through the tall silver trees from a fire long ago, you gaze at the magnificent peaks and walls surrounding you. After a short stay at Old Man Lake, the switchbacks up to Pitamakan Pass will give you ample reason to stop and enjoy the increasingly overwhelming view.
Once at the top of Pitamakan Pass, you have amazing views from where you came as well as views into the Cutbank area of Glacier with lakes dotting the valley including Pitamakan Lake right below the edge of the cliff you’re standing on.
From there you walk across an alpine slope that frequently has Bighorn Sheep wandering around on the north slope of Mt. Morgan as you approach Pitamakan Overlook. From Pitamakan Overlook, your breath is taken away as you gaze down into the headwaters of Nyack Creek and the rest of the Coal/Nyack area of the Park. Lifting your eyes, all you see are vast peaks of Glacier and, to the trained eye, a couple of glaciers.
From there, you traverse across a trail made from an old goat path. You pass by Old Man Overlook where you look thousands of feet down to the lake where you were earlier enjoying a refreshing stop. Eventually, you’ll drop down to Dawson Pass. Keep an eye out for Bighorn Sheep in an area aptly named “Bighorn Basin”.
The trail drops down to Two Medicine Lake and passes by No Name Lake. If you arrive before 5:20pm, you can swing on over to the boat dock and take the wooden boat, Sinopah, and shave off almost three miles of hiking, otherwise, enjoy a speedy hike along the shores of Two Medicine back to your car.
This is a strenuous hike that is 18.8 miles long (16 miles if you catch the boat) with 2,935 ft elevation gain.
What to bring and details: Weather conditions in Glacier are often unpredictable and can change rapidly no matter what time of year – so please be prepared for any type of weather. We will hike regardless of weather – rain or shine. We suggest that you bring the following:
- backpack
- at least two liters of water
- snacks and a sack lunch
- hat
- rain gear
- warm jacket and pants
- sunglasses
- sunscreen
- bear spray
- camera and whatever else you might need!
Meeting time will be 8am at the GNPC office at 402 9th Street West, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 and will take most of the day.
Please call 406-892-3250 or drop us a line on our Contact Page if you would like to attend.
