About

There are a lot of hikes in this part of the park. Let's start by explaining Swiftcurrent Trailhead. My personal recommendation is to make the hike to Red Rock Falls. It’s just over 2 and a half miles there and back, and along the way you’ll skirt along the beautiful Redrock Lake–a favorite hangout for the local moose. Then, you’ll admire the striking red-purple rocks of the falls, which, if you’re there at the early fall, you may see spawning Brook Trout jumping their way back upstream. This portion is relatively flat, and not as well known as some of the other hikes. For a day hike, that’s probably where you’ll turn around. The trail does continue along Bullhead Lake, and then joins up with Swiftcurrent Pass. This pass continues all the way to the famous Granite Park Chalet. Now, if that sounds familiar, it’s because Swiftcurrent ends all the way back at the Going-to-the-Sun Road. One way, that’s a whopping 7.6 miles, or just over 12 kilometers. And now, trailhead number 2, Iceberg-Ptarmigan. One of the big crowd-pleasers here is the Iceberg-Ptarmigan Trail. It's pretty steep, though, and recommended for those in good physical condition. It's 2.7 miles to the first fork. There, you can take the 2.1 mile Iceberg Trail up to the turquoise Iceberg Lake, reflecting towering arêtes laden with snow. If you go to the lake and back, it’s 9.6 miles, or 16 kilometers total. Instead of branching off at the fork, you can keep straight for another 2 and a half miles to see the historic 1930 Ptarmigan Tunnel. It’s a 250-foot tunnel carved straight through the mountain at a breathtaking–literally and metaphorically–7,200 feet elevation. Some hikers will choose to go about a half a mile past the tunnel exit, to take in the fabulous view of Mount Merritt and Sun Glacier. But keep in mind that you either have to return back the way you came, or else be prepared for a multi-day backpack through Red Rock Pass. It’s 8 miles to the tunnel entrance and back, and if you tried to do both the tunnel and the lake, you’re looking at just over 12 miles, or 19 kilometers altogether.