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Glacier & Waterton Lakes Walking & Hiking Tour

Glacier & Waterton Lakes Walking & Hiking Tour

National Park Adventures in Montana & Alberta

From $3,099 - $3,249 pp dbl. occ. | 6 days / 5 nights

(+$550 for sgl. occ.)

Fifty miles of superlative scenery on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Sixty-two species of mammals, from pygmy shrews to majestic mountain goats and grizzly bears. More than 260 species of birds, 780 miles of trails and 10,000 years of natural history. And some spectacular national park lodges. You've got six days. It all adds up to one incredible story to tell.

Highlights

Venture through stunning national parks and two countries on one phenomenally exciting trip—don't forget your passport!
Embark on unforgettable hikes through verdant scenery flanked by towering mountain peaks and snowfields
Travel the Going-to-the-Sun Road as it winds up and over the Continental Divide, showcasing incredible scenery and engineering
Encounter wildlife at every turn, including bighorn sheep, mule deer and possibly a grizzly or black bear

Montana & Alberta

Start/End Whitefish

Itinerary

Day 1 Things might look a little different here... this is Big Sky Country! | Follow the Trail of the Cedars through a dense forest to turquoise Avalanche Lake | Back at the lodge, take a dip in Lake McDonald... if you dare! | Take in the immensity of the Montana night sky from our rustic Swiss-style retreat.

Day 2 Behold stunning Going-to-the-Sun Road, 'the most beautiful 50 miles in the world' | Marvelous geologic features, including Haystack Butte, embellish the landscape as you hike on the Highline Trail | Take in gorgeous panoramic views from Logan Pass and the Continental Divide.

Days 3-4 Spend the morning in the striking Many Glacier Valley on a hike to a lake cold enough to harbor icebergs well into the warmer months then cross the border into Canada in the afternoon to immerse yourself in Waterton Lakes National Park | Stay at the grand Prince of Wales Hotel with its soaring roofs, gables and balconies and a timber-framed interior... it's no surprise that it's the most photographed hotel in North America! | Options abound today, including exploring trails on foot, kayaking, shopping in Waterton Townsite or a cozy afternoon tea at our hotel.

Days 5-6 Hike along a trail to a gorgeous sub-alipine lake surrounded by towering cliffs and mountains | Return to Montana to explore East Glacier | Spot bighorn sheep, mule deer and maybe even a grizzly bear | Raft down the Middle Fork of the Flathead River with expert guides who provide a unique perspective on the flora and fauna along the way.

Next: Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.

If you must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to the policy outlined below. Exceptions to our cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather, terrorism, civil unrest or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Private room or tent, bike rental and internal air charges are considered part of the total trip cost and are subject to cancellation fees. Percentage charges are calculated on total trip cost.

Cancellation Fees (Per Person)
Days Prior to Trip Start	Scheduled Trips	Private Trips	Custom Trips
126+ days	$200**	$600	30%
95-125	$200**	30%	50%
61-95 days	30%	50%	75%
31-60 days	60%	75%	100%
0-30 days	100%	100%	100%

** Rather than paying the cancellation fees, you may choose to keep your trip deposit ($600) in a holding account to use on a future Backroads trip with no expiration date.

Bike Cancellation Policies: If you are renting a Specialized Roubaix, Ruby, eBike or Co-Motion Tandem, a full cancellation fee will apply in the event you cancel your trip reservation inside 30 days.

Transfers: You may transfer from one trip to another up to 95 days before trip departure without penalty—except Private or Custom Trips.

Release of Liability: Guests are required to provide a signed Release of Liability, Assumption of All Risks, and Arbitration Agreement and a completed Personal Information forms prior to trip departure; you will receive these materials shortly after reserving your trip. You may also complete your forms online. We are unable to allow guests to participate in any aspect of a Backroads trip without a signed release form.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

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Private Trip
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C Classic Dates

Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. Call or email us to reserve your date.

Private Trip Pricing

10 or more Guests: from $3,099 pp dbl occ

9 Guests: from $3,499 pp dbl occ

8 Guests: from $3,699 pp dbl occ
2-7 Guests: Give us a call or reach out here!

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date

2+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 2 or more guests
8+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 8 or more guests
16+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 16 or more guests
Reserved

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020 June

8+ 6/29–7/4

2020 August

8+ 8/11–8/16

View Scheduled Dates

Tell us what your dream trip would be and we'll make it happen! Whether you're looking for a honeymoon trip for 2, a 30-person family reunion or a 100-person corporate trip, we can do it all. A dedicated Custom Trip Consultant will work closely with you to bring your dreams to reality. Call us at 800-462-2848 to speak with your Custom Trip Consultant or click on the button below.

REQUEST YOUR CUSTOM TRIP NOW

Previous: Overview

Dates

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep

View Scheduled Dates
Go Private
Go Custom

Prices

From $3,099 - $3,249 pp dbl. occ.
6 days / 5 nights

(+$550 for sgl. occ.)

Reviews

Read the Reviews
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Casual Hotels

Lake McDonald Lodge

Glacier National Park (1 night)

Many Glacier Hotel

Glacier National Park (1 night)

Prince of Wales, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Prince of Wales Hotel

Waterton Lakes National Park (2 nights)

Glacier Park Lodge

Glacier National Park (1 night)

See Lodging Details

Activity Level

This trip is rated Levels 2-4

See Daily Route Options

What's Included

Services and equipment are included.

See how we include more

Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Glacier and Waterton Lakes

Find out What sets us apart

More On This Trip

Watch videos

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Reviews by Power Reviews ®

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Next: Lodging

Casual Hotels

Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.

Lake McDonald Lodge

Glacier National Park (1 night)

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with a large stone fireplace in the lobby and a terrace overlooking the lake.

Many Glacier Hotel

Glacier National Park (1 night)

An early-1900s Swiss chalet-style hotel set on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake amid the peaks of Many Glacier Valley.

Prince of Wales Hotel

Waterton Lakes National Park (2 nights)

This historic green-gabled hotel offers vistas of the mountains reflected in glacier-fed lakes.

Glacier Park Lodge

Glacier National Park (1 night)

Located on the park's eastern edge in Blackfeet country; immense timbers hold aloft its expansive lobby ceiling. (pool, spa)

Previous: Reviews

Next: Activity Level

This Trip Is Rated Levels 2-4

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Daily Route Options (drag to see full )

Day	EASYGOING				ACTIVE				AVID
Daily Route Options
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 4		Level 5
	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain
1					6	700
2					7	1100	9	1800
3			5	800	10	1500
4	Optional Activities in Waterton Lakes National Park (including Walking & Hiking Options of 3–11 Miles) - All Day
5	3	500			7	1400
6	Rafting on the Flathead River (3 Hours)

Note: The terrain on this trip includes well-maintained but often rugged mountain trails, with some steep climbs and descents.

Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.

Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.

Previous: Lodging

Next: What's Included

Meals

All breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners

Also Included

Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
Snacks and beverages between meals
Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
Park and other entry fees
Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
Select coach transfers
Baggage transfers and porterage

Previous: Activity Level

Next: Straight Talk

Next: Why Backroads

Get the Straight Talk about This Trip

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Accommodations, Meals & Service Standards

While the accommodations on this trip reflect the natural surroundings of the national parks and provide unparalleled access to the best activities in the area, they are simpler than is typical of Backroads lodging. Many buildings date back to the turn of the century and have only been minimally renovated, in accordance with park regulations. These historic hotels have basic guest rooms that are not equipped with televisions or air-conditioning; breakfasts and dinners throughout the week may lack variety and tend toward simple ingredients. Overall, the service standards can seem slow and casual when compared with the hospitality found on other Backroads trips. Please note that internet and cell phone service are extremely limited throughout the parks.

Weather in Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is a special place where four seasons can occur in three months. For that reason, our itinerary may change based upon road and trail status due to weather (including snow) or bear activity. Going-to-the-Sun Road often opens the third week of June and the Highline Trail opens around the first week of July.

Previous: What's Included

Next: Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Glacier and Waterton Lakes

A Variety of Routes Each Day

In Glacier and Waterton Lakes you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.

More Leaders to Support You

On our Glacier and Waterton Lakes trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the trail—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.

We Were Born Here (in 1979)

Backroads has been inviting active travelers to explore our own backyard since Jimmy Carter was in the White House. We offer more trips than anyone else in Glacier and Waterton Lakes, and we've spent more years finding the best ones. What keeps it real is having a consistent vision and the same passionately committed leadership for nearly four decades.

The Value of Casual Hotels

In addition to the ideal balance of comfort and hospitality in our choice of lodgings, this trip featuring Casual Hotels includes nearly all of your meals, plus everything from cocktail receptions to the best snacks along the road. So there's rarely a need to reach for your wallet – we've got you covered.

Signature Backroads Picnics

Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.

Everyone at Their Own Pace

We design and support our Glacier and Waterton Lakes trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.

A Second Van When You Need It

Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Glacier and Waterton Lakes—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.

We Know Where We're Going

Tom Hale has been keeping Backroads on track, with one eye on the horizon, since 1979. His passion for active travel, and for ensuring the highest-quality travel experience, is evident in every detail we add to make a guest's trip unforgettable—and the fact he's right there in the office, making it happen. To hear Tom describe his vision, watch our video.

Your Trip Will Run. Period.

Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.

Choose Your Fellow Travelers

With Backroads you won't end up with kids on what you thought was an adult trip; we have exclusive departures for families, so they're off having their own adventures. As you browse our unrivaled selection of trips and dates, you can count on finding a trip in Glacier and Waterton Lakes that's geared exclusively to your choice of traveling companions.

We've Set the Standard

For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by

Previous: Straight Talk

Previous: What's Included

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Guest Photo Gallery

Straight Talk

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Glacier & Waterton Lakes Walking & Hiking Tour