In August 2023 I backpacked from Bowman Lake to Kintla Lake in the far northwest corner of Glacier National Park: about 32 miles over Brown Pass and Boulder Pass, in the part of the park where the crowds thin to almost nobody.
The route
The trail leaves Bowman Lake and climbs to Brown Pass, then carries on over Boulder Pass, the high point at roughly 7,470 feet, before dropping down the far side to Kintla Lake. Published figures put the total gain around 5,500 feet. Those are route numbers rather than GPS tracks, but they're close enough to plan against.
What to expect
- Grizzly country the whole way. Food storage and bear awareness are part of every hour on this trail, not an afterthought.
- Remote terrain. There are few easy ways out once you're committed, so conditions and planning matter more than usual.
- Limited permits. The backcountry campsite system does most of the work of keeping the route quiet.
Who it's for
If you want Glacier's lakes and passes without the traffic around the park's main roads, this is the route. It's also the trip on my list where the backcountry felt most remote. The rest of the list, from Colorado's Four Pass Loop to the High Sierra, is in my field notes.