There’s a good reason why Montana is known as the “Land of the Shining Mountains.” Montana has more than 100 mountains in the western part of the state, 77 named ranges in the Rocky Mountains, a continental divide that runs through the state. Glacier National Park, which stretches between the Rockies and the Great Plains, is Montana’s most popular tourist destination.
Montana residents and visitors have many 12,000+ foot snow-capped peaks, crystal-clear emerald lakes, old-growth forests, steep mountain trails, and pleasant hiking trails to choose from when planning their outdoor adventure.
1. Montana Mountains: Divide Mountain
Just south of the town of Saint Mary in Montana’s Lewis Range of Glacier National Park is Divide Mountain, which has a peak with an elevation of 8,665 feet. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Glacier National Park are separated by it. It is well-liked by novice climbers because it is regarded as a “easy mountain.”
Even so, the views of St. Mary, Yellow Mountain, and all the higher peaks of the Rockies are worth the effort once you reach the summit. You can avoid climbing between the cliffs to reach the ridge by staying to the right as you approach the trailhead at the communication towers. There is a nice slope in this direction.
2. Montana Mountains: Mount Grinnell
Mount Grinnell, one of the most stunning mountains in Glacier National Park, is situated between Mount Gould and Mount Wilbur at the park’s westernmost end of the Many Glacier Area. Several trails lead to the summit. You get stunning views of the Lake McDonald Area peaks to the west and, in the distance, the Livingston and Lewis ranges when approaching from the southwest along the Granite Park Chalet Trail.
When you get to the top, Mount Grinnell offers a view that extends all the way to Chief Mountain. Despite the 4,550 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead, the actual round trip distance is only about 13 miles. Bear in mind that there is a wide variety of wildlife throughout the Northern Rockies.
3. Montana Mountains: Holland Peak
At 9,356 feet, Holland Peak is both the highest peak at the westernmost point of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the tallest peak in the intimidating, untamed Swan Range. Although the distance is only about 5 miles, you will gain 5,000 feet in elevation in the final 4 miles. There is enough serious scrambling, more than one vertical rise, and winding brushy trails to make it doable as a day hike. The Swan Valley is visible to the west and “The Bob” to the east from Holland Peak.
Famous for its sheer vertical rise above the lovely Rumble Creek Lakes, the mountain’s west face is known for this feature. The outlet of the upper lake falls into the lower lake in a small cascade.
4. Flinsch Peak
2.3 miles west of Rising Wolf Mountain in the Lewis Range is Flinsch Peak. Crossing the Continental Divide, it. East of the peak is where you’ll find Young Man Lake. Flinsch Peak, which rises to a height of 9,225 feet and provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains, is surprisingly simple to ascend from the pass. It bears the name Rudolf Ernst Ferdinand Flinsch after the young Austrian mountain goat hunter who visited the mountain in 1892.
The North Shore Trailhead is situated in Two Medicine Valley, and the early morning is the ideal time to begin the hike. Bring enough water, as there isn’t much above No Name Lake.
5. Triple Divide
8,020-foot-tall Triple Divide Peak is a mountain that is a part of the Lewis Range, the Rocky Mountains, and Glacier National Park. These mountains are divided by the Continental Divide, which creates a maritime and continental climate with a staggering variety of flora and fauna. The Pacific, Atlantic, or Arctic Oceans are thousands of miles apart and can be reached by the waters flowing down from the peak’s sedimentary soil, hence the name Triple Divide. The 16-mile out-and-back climb, with nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain, takes about 2 days. The trail ascends gradually along Cut Bank Creek as it leaves the Cut Bank trailhead. The 9.375-foot Mount James is traversed without switchbacks as it climbs steadily.
6. Rising Wolf Mountain
One of the first mountains you see as you approach the Two Medicine region at the southeast corner of Glacier National Park is Rising Wolf Mountain. The Lewis Range includes the mountain, which is 9,518 feet tall. Although the ascent is challenging and lengthy, the views from the top, which include valleys, summits, and hanging lakes, are well worth it. Even though the hike is only about 10 kilometers long, the 4,500 feet in elevation gain makes the challenging off-trail scramble seem much longer. The Two Medicine section of the park is revered by the Blackfeet.
7. Stanton Mountain
Stanton Mountain, at 7,750 feet, is regarded as a “easy” mountain in terms of the Northern Rockies, despite the fact that you will gain almost 4,600 feet in elevation.
After 2.3 miles of pleasant trail, there is about half a mile of challenging bushwhacking, then a larger area of open forest. Following that, there is a steep ascent to the summit, which offers breathtaking views, through an old burn with no shade, tundra, and then bare rocks. Since there is snow up until almost the end of July, this peak is a nice early-season climb that most experienced climbers can complete in about 3 hours.
8. Allen Mountain
North-northwest of Cracker Lake in the Lewis Range of Glacier National Park is Allen Mountain, which rises to a height of 9,376 feet. In the Many Glacier Valley, it is one of the three highest summits.
It is a large mountain, but when viewed from the eastern shore of Switcurrent Lake, where you can see some of its seriously dramatic neighbors like Mount Wilbur or Grinnell Point, it does not seem as impressive. Starting from the Many Glacier Hotel, you will ascend a broad, scree-covered mountainside before reaching extremely steep cliffs and a nicely rounded sub-8,000-foot summit at the end of a long ridge that leads south to the summit.
9. Mount Oberlin
In the Lewis Range of Glacier National Park, Mount Oberlin, which has an elevation of 8,180 feet, is situated just to the northwest of Logan Pass, one mile from the Continental Divide, and north of Clements Mountain. There is a 4-mile trail that will take you up 1,500 feet in elevation. It could take you up to 7 hours to reach the summit and return due to the steepness of the trail in some areas.
You might be fortunate enough to see bears and mountain goats in addition to the stunning views. To get to the trailhead, take the Going-to-the-Sun Road through Glacier National Park, which is a fantastic adventure in and of itself. At the foot of Logan Pass is where the trail begins.
10. Sinopah Mountain
With its sheer wall of cliffs forming the backdrop of the emerald-green Two Medicine Lake, Sinopah Mountain, which rises to an elevation of 8,271 feet, is not the highest or most dramatic mountain in the Two Medicine region. However, it is regarded as the area’s jewel, and once you experience its breathtaking beauty, you will understand why.
It’s a well-liked mountain to climb, and because it’s off the beaten path, you’ll have plenty of peace and quiet. It has many excellent trails, and you can also take a ferry across the lake to reduce the amount of walking you must do. A day hike up Sinopah Mountain is doable.
