Glacier National Park hiking guide
Ptarmigan Tunnel
A 10.4-mile out-and-back with 2,260 ft of climbing in Many Glacier, rated difficult.
Key facts
- Length
- 10.4 mi (16.7 km)
- Elevation gain
- 2,260 ft (688 m)
- Route type
- Out and back
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Area
- Many Glacier
- Highest point
- 7,199 ft
- Lowest point
- 4,943 ft
About Ptarmigan Tunnel
This strenuous hike starts at the Iceberg Ptarmigan Trailhead in Many Glacier and shares the Iceberg Lake Trail at first, passing Ptarmigan Falls at 2.7 miles. About halfway, the route to the tunnel branches right and climbs more steeply past Ptarmigan Lake at 4.3 miles, with wide alpine views on the way up. The tunnel itself, blasted through the rock in the 1930s, sits 5.3 miles from the trailhead and about 2,300 feet above it, and more mountain views open up on its far side. Doors close the tunnel outside the summer hiking season. Fewer people hike it than Iceberg Lake, but the trail runs through grizzly country, so carry bear spray and make noise.
Route map
This route was checked by Parka editors.
