Logan Pass is the famed scenic pass located just along the Continental Divide in the state of Montana's beautiful Glacier National Park. Visitors and tourists can easily reach the pass by following Going-to-the-Sun Road, the main highway that bisects the span of the park from east to west, up to the point of highest elevation of 6, 646 feet above sea level. Although this is the highest elevation that can be reached via automobile, higher elevations can be easily reached on foot via some of the hiking trails, such as the very popular Hidden Lake Trail.
Due to the risk of avalanche, heavy snowfall, and general difficulty associated with keeping Going-to-the-Sun Road adequately cleared of snow and ice during Montana's snowy winter season to make it safe to drive, Logan Pass is not open to the public at all during the winter months. For instance, east of the pass itself is a spot known as Big Drift, which has been known to accumulate snowdrifts up to 100 feet in size due to snowfall being pushed over the Continental Divide by way of strong west-blowing winds.
Although Logan Pass is hardly hospitable to visitors during the winter, it is nevertheless a popular destination for backpackers, sightseers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts from late May to mid-October, and especially during the summers when the weather and the scenery are both at their finest. The Logan Pass Visitors center is also open during the summer months to provide hikers and visitors with further information about the surrounding environment, as well as its ecology and wildlife, throughout the summer season. Further information about the various hiking trails is also available from the visitors center on demand.
Hikers flock to Logan Pass to enjoy hiking excursions and take in the native flora and fauna to be found in the area. As the wildlife has become quite used to the presence of humans within their natural habitat, visitors to Logan Pass are almost guaranteed to observe animals such as mountain goats, pika, big horn sheep, and marmots. On occasion, grizzly bears and brown bears can also be seen, as they are also native to the area.
The hiking to be experienced ranges from short to lengthy - from easy and light to very strenuous - so it can definitely be said that there is a trail there to suit hikers and backpackers of all endurance levels. The shortest, easiest, and most popular trail is Hidden Lake at a length of 3 miles round trip. Moderate trails include the 10-mile Siyeh Pass and Mt. Oberlin. Strenuous and challenging hikes for expert backpackers include Mt. Reynolds, as well as the 23-mile Garden Wall.
In addition to the excellent opportunities for the viewing of wildlife in their natural habitats, Logan Pass and its associated hiking trails are also renowned for their scenic views of beautiful meadows full of wildflowers. Hikers will also be treated to opportunities to view and photograph some of Montana's most beautiful mountains and glacial lakes from numerous observation decks as well.
