The Highline Trail, a popular path that skirts the Garden Wall from Logan Pass across Glacier National Park’s alpine country, is open to travelers.
National Park Service staff said the classic trail opened June 19, over a month earlier than last year. Sections of ice and snow remain on portions of the trail and officials urge travelers to watch their footing and come prepared to hike in adverse conditions.
Crews installed the cable along the rimrock section that tracks along the Garden Wall, according to the NPS.
The opening of the Highline Trail follows the full opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Considered one of the quintessential hikes in Glacier Park, the Highline Trail traces 7.6 miles from Logan Pass along the Continental Divide to the Granite Park Chalet, a remote backcountry destination that is open for overnight stays until Sept. 9. From the chalet, the trail descends another five miles to The Loop.
One of the best ways to tackle the trail is to park at The Loop, along the Going-to-the-Sun Road and take one of the shuttle buses up to Logan Pass.
The trail made national news last year when a photographer captured an image of a grizzly bear traveling along the narrow trail, causing a hiker to climb down a cliff to avoid an interaction.