Piegan Pass

Like many hiking trails in Glacier National Park, the route to Piegan Pass proves why this esteemed public space earns its title as the “Crown of the Continent.” With a roughly nine-mile round trip, the Piegan Pass Trail ascends above the treeline to reveal a world of melting glaciers and lofty alpine features. 

The hike to Piegan Pass begins a few miles east of Logan Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Hikers have two trailheads to choose from, the Siyeh Bend Trailhead (2.2 miles from Logan Pass) or the Jackson Glacier Overlook (4.8 miles from Logan Pass). Both routes traverse through grizzly bear country, and proper precautions like bear spray and traveling in groups should apply. 

This guide starts from the Siyeh Bend Trailhead. An out-and-back trip from Jackson Glacier Overlook adds approximately three more miles and increased elevation gain.  

Beginning at the Siyeh Bend Trailhead, the route follows the contours of Siyeh Creek for the first few hundred feet. It’s a moderate uphill jaunt through dense forest from there to connect with the actual Piegan Pass Trail - 1.1 miles from the trailhead. A right turn here leads down to Jackson Glacier Overlook. 

Heading left on the Piegan Pass Trail, the route continues through a dense forest before coming to an intersection with the Siyeh Pass Trail - 2.7 miles from the trailhead. This intersection provides a fun opportunity for an extended day hike connecting both passes. 

The route to connect both passes utilizes the free shuttle on the Going-to-the-Sun Road for a fantastic point-to-point trek. For more details on this awesome day adventure, check out our Piegan + Siyeh Pass adventure report.

For tackling Piegan Pass alone, hikers head left at the Siyeh Pass intersection to continue on the route. Shortly after the intersection, the hike's defining views really come into focus as the trail climbs above the treeline.

Skirting along a talus slope of Mount Siyeh, the route offers spectacular views of Jackson and Blackfoot Glaciers, and a front-row view of Piegan Glacier nestled into Piegan Mountain. The alpine scenery here is unreal and only gets more otherworldly as the route climbs higher. 

After 4.5 miles from the trailhead, the route tops out at Piegan Pass, where the talus terrain turns into a rocky meadow. A magnificent view of the “Garden Wall” awaits at the top, including such standout features as Angel Wing and Bishops Cap. Here, backpackers can continue hiking towards the Many Glacier area of the park (permits required to camp in the backcountry). 

For many, the top of Piegan Pass is a worthy turnaround point on a day hike. The route back provides just as many good views as the way up, with the new perspective focused on Matahpi Peak and Going to the Sun Mountain. If ending the hike near the end of the day, consider stopping by Logan Pass, which sometimes gets less busy towards the evening.