Trail of the Cedars
Apgar Village, Glacier National Park
| Address: | 16809 Going-to-the-Sun Rd, West Glacier, MT 59936, USA |
| GPS: |
48°40'51.0"N 113°49'8.5"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Montana |
| Trail Length: | 0.90 miles |
| Trail Type: | Loop |
| Hike Difficulty: | Easiest |
| Elevation Gain: | 60 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.9 mi |
Rivers Streams Trails Rocks Wildflowers National Park
Hike
The Trail of the Cedars is one of the most popular hikes in the park because of it offers great views without too much exertion. It is a short loop hike around Avalanche Creek in Glacier National Park. The hike is a fairly easy walk through a cedar tree forest and offers gorgeous views of Avalanche Creek which now cascades downstream as glacially melted water. The trees in this forest are some of the tallest and the oldest in the park, reaching up to 100 feet tall and 4 to 7 feet across at around 500 years old. This area has survived fires and avalanches for years, allowing it to flourish. The trail is wheelchair accessible and leads to a footbridge at the creek.
Just past the Avalanche Lake trail junction is an even closer view of the creek and the trailhead to Avalanche Lake, which is another 1.6 miles for those feeling a little more adventurous.
After passing Avalanche Creek, the trail reaches past the Avalanche Creek Campground and loops back out to the road. Parking can get difficult here because it is such a popular hike and there are limited spaces. The trailhead is about 5 and a half miles from Lake McDonald Lodge, along Going to the Sun Road.
More Information
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Apgar Village, Glacier National Park
- Head north toward Apgar Loop/Lake View Dr (121 ft)
- Turn right onto Apgar Loop/Lake View Dr (0.8 mi)
- Turn left onto Glacier Rte 1 Rd/Going-to-the-Sun RdMay be closed at certain times or daysDestination will be on the right(13.6 mi)
Directions will take you straight to the parking lot, but it tends to fill up quickly.
Trails
Distance ?
0.9 milesReal Ascent ?
152 feetReal Descent ?
152 feetGrade (-14° to 12°)
-24% to 22%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
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