Glacier Crest Trail

Glacier Crest Trail is located in Glacier National Park in British Columbia. According to Parks Canada, "This trail climbs a rock ridge between two valleys carved by the Illecillewaet and Asulkan glaciers. The ridge itself is an arête carved by the glaciers that once flowed down the valleys on either side. The view from this alpine spine is a Columbia Mountain panorama of rock and glacial ice."

According to my Coros Pace 3, the Glacier Crest trail is 13.84km with 1058 metres of elevation gain. I hiked past the 'end of trail' sign to the rock cairn. Then, I explored a bit further along the ridge.

The Hike

I parked at the Illecillewaet Valley Trails parking lot located just off highway 1. There are a couple restrooms at the parking lot. From the parking lot, the trail winds through the forest onto the 1885 trail.

1885 trail

Following the signs, I crossed a bridge leading to the start of the trail.

The start of the Glacier Crest Trail

The trail ascends through the forest.

As I climbed higher, I could see mountains in the distance.

The forest gives way to the alpine

Views of the surrounding mountains...

The Illecillewaet Glacier

Asulkan Glacier

Cairn marking the top not far beyond the 'end of trail' sign.

Final Thoughts

The Glacier Crest Trail offers panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains. I highly recommend it as a first hike in Glacier National Park. From the top, you get a sense of the vast area of the park. Many of the other trails traverse through the surrounding valleys and ridge lines. With this in mind, you can pick your next trail.