If you’ve spent enough time outside in Montana, it might feel as though you’ve seen it all. No matter where you are, you likely have the luxury of some of the best nature access anywhere in the country. Recently, after completing my favorite hike for the fourth time this year, I realized it was time to step outside my comfort zone. I began searching for a more challenging hike in Montana and came across one in Glacier National Park that I knew I wanted to try. The Waterton Valley Trail is rugged, long, and difficult but the views are absolutely worth the mental and physical strength it requires. The route is not only rugged but also fairly remote. To make sure you can easily access directions without a cell connection, sign up for a trial of AllTrails+, which allows you to download maps for use offline.

The Waterton Valley Trail offers a great way to test both your physical and mental stamina by offering more than 20 miles of trail to explore.
jjacobs7089 / alltrails.com
Hikers will find that the route joins Goat Haunt and Logan Pass within the Fifty Mountain area. There are a few places to start, but it seems the most common ways to access the trail are at either the Fifty Mountain Campground or the Goat Haunt Ranger Station.
Fifty Mountain Campground, Waterton Vly, Browning, MT 59417, USA
Goat Haunt Ranger Station, Browning, MT 59417, USA
jjacobs7089 / alltrails.com
If you plan on ending and beginning at the same place, you'll be hiking about 20.6 miles and can start at either point. Making your way from the campground to the ranger station or the other way around will have you hiking about 10 miles.
Chris Bryan / alltrails.com
Your journey begins in the forest and heads south, intersecting with the Stoney Indian Pass trail.
Chris Bryan / alltrails.com
Continue to make your way along the trail and you'll reach the Pass Creek footbridge. Soon you'll reach the Pass Creek patrol cabin. The route isn't simple up to this point, but it certainly gets a bit tougher from here as the trail heads out of the Waterton River Valley and up to the Fifty Mountain plateau.
Chris Bryan / alltrails.com
There are plenty of views up to this point, but as you get higher things truly become magnificent.
Donald Ferrier / alltrails.com
The views are otherworldly as the surroundings get broader here.
Elliot Flint / alltrails.com
This is also where you'll reach the Fifty Mountain Campground and Kootenai Creek. You can choose to spend the night here before heading back or make arrangements to leave from here.
Elliot Flint / alltrails.com

You can access the Waterton Valley Trail throughout the year, but it’s considered best from June through October. Before heading out, make sure to check local conditions and closures by visiting the official Glacier National Park page on the National Park Service website. This challenging hike in Montana is a great one for friends, but not the furry kind. Dogs are not allowed and will need to be left at home. And, of course, be sure you have all the right gear if you plan on making this a backpacking trip.

If this route is a bit too much right now, consider any of the other wonderful adventures in the park. There are certainly tons of bucket list-worth trails in Glacier National Park.

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Glacier National Park, Montana, USA