Overheard a ranger at Glacier saying they're closing the Highline Loop early this year

I was grabbing maps at the St. Mary visitor center and caught a ranger telling a coworker they're shutting down the Highline Trail Loop by mid-September because of rocks falling near the Garden Wall section. That's like a month earlier than usual, and I had planned my whole trip for the first week of October. Did anyone else get word about this or is it just a rumor?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayden_butler2727d ago

I just hiked the Highline Loop last September and had zero issues, but I also ran into a ranger who said the same thing about early closures. I switched my trip to late August and it was perfect, no crowds and the fall colors were just starting. If you can bump your trip up even a week or two, I'd do it, because missing a whole month of prime hiking weather stinks.

vera_murphy26d agoMost Upvoted

Did you check the trail conditions for that same week in early October versus late August? The problem with bumping it up is you might swap snow for monsoon season afternoon thunderstorms, which can be just as dangerous up on that exposed ridge. Late August is gorgeous but you trade fall colors for dodging lightning up there, so pick your risk.