Forest and Fire Trail

The Forest and Fire Trail at Glacier National Park near West Glacier, Montana is an easy 0.9-mile loop hike that leads through an evergreen and aspen forest before passing through an old wildfire burn scar.

Hiking the Forest and Fire Trail

This quiet and secluded trail begins at the main trailhead, located just off of Camas Road. The trail leads into the evergreen-filled forest with views of Huckleberry Mountain hanging overhead to start. You'll find low-growing shrubs, like huckleberry and others growing along the trail, adjacent to the dark forest of the nearby spruce trees. The trail begins to head downhill after it reaches a loop junction around mile 0.1. The downhill walk does not last for too long before the trail ascends the foothills of Huckleberry mountain by a meager ~30-feet in elevation gain. This short ascent appears to be a small portion of a long-lost branch of trail that leads further uphill; however, the main trail, as of September 2024, leads hikers back downhill around mile 0.3 to reach an old wildfire burn scar. Before reaching this downhill section, you'll continue to hike through a beautiful forest filled with evergreens and quaking aspen. During our hike here in mid-September 2024, the quaking aspen trees were already turning a vibrant yellow.

After following the trail back downhill, you'll enter a shrub-filled meadow-like landscape where it's clear that a fire once raged through this forest, decimating everything in its path. Despite the destruction of wildfires, their presence is a necessity for the health of these forests. As you walk through the open meadow, you'll find huckleberry bushes and views of the nearby mountain to the north, Glacier View Mountain.

The trail then exists the meadow and ascends through the forest to reach the initial spur trail that lead to the loop. There's nothing to see on this part of the hike unfortunately, but you can appreciate the quiet and solitude here which is sometimes hard to find in the park. The trail then ends back at parking for a short and easy 0.9-mile hike.

Parking

Hikers will find a small parking lot at the coordinates provided, located on the south side of Camas Road in the park. The lot is large enough to fit a half-dozen vehicles as of September 2024.

Seclusion

This trail is often overlooked by most visitors, so it's a great place to get away from the crowds and find yourself a slice of seclusion at Glacier National Park.

Vehicle Reservations

Depending on what time of year you visit, you may need to reserve a vehicle entrance pass to get into the park, in addition to a park entry fee (or annual National Parks pass). Before planning this hike, ensure you've checked the NPS website for when and where Glacier NP vehicle reservations are required.

Pets

Dogs are not allowed on any trails at Glacier National Park.

Warning

Grizzly bears: This trail can be frequented by grizzly bears, especially in late Summer and early Fall as they scrounge for 20 hours/day bulking for the winter. Always give wild animals plenty of space, including several hundred feet for grizzlies. It's best to bring bear spray on this hike as a last defense just in case a grizzly were to charge at you. Always make plenty of noise while hiking to alert animals to your presence long before you see them. It's also smart to hike with another person.