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Siyeh Pass Route

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Difficult Difficult
 5.0 (39)
  1. Areas
  2. MT
  3. …Northwestern Montana
  4. …Glacier National Park
  5. St. Mary
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“Work your way past alpine flower meadows, breathtaking views, fantastic mountains, and a glacier. ”

Jake Bramante
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Map Key

10.2

Miles

16.5

KM

Point to Point

8,075' 2,461 m

High

4,705' 1,434 m

Low

2,229' 679 m

Up

3,371' 1,027 m

Down

10%

Avg Grade (6°)

41%

Max Grade (22°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Bring bear spray.

Overview

Climb through a wonderful forest to beautiful flower meadows, up through rocky landscapes surrounded by towering peaks, then work your way down from a nearby glacier that feeds a cascading creek through red rock layers to the valley below.

Need to Know

Utilize the free park shuttle which usually runs from July 1st through Labor Day weekend. Always bring a warm hat and gloves as well as a rain jacket as travel through this area, even on a hot summer day, can change quickly. Make sure that you either purchase or rent bear spray. It can be rented in Apgar Village.

Description

This top-of-the-world route features incredible alpine meadows and great glacier views. Visitors will park at the Siyeh Bend trailhead, and will start out on the Siyeh Bend Trail. The trail is in the trees for the first several miles. At a little over 2.5 miles in, the Siyeh Pass Trail breaks off to the west and heads up Preston Park. This is one of the prettiest alpine meadows in the park, and is a perfect spot for lunch. Mt. Siyeh, one of six peaks in Glacier that is over 10,000 feet high, dominates the view to the north. To the west, Piegan Glacier clings to the top of Piegan Mountain.

At the head of the valley, the trail has some switchbacks up the rocky slopes of Matahpi Peak to the pass. From there, you'll have excellent views into three different drainages. The pass is a great place to stop for a quick rest before descending 3,400 feet over 5.4 miles of trail. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep are often seen on the Baring Creek side of the pass as you look at Sexton Glacier, which is the main source of the creek. The terrain moves from rocky to alpine to recently burned forest.

The trail comes out at Sunrift Gorge, which is a wonderful treat waiting for you at the end of the trek where the creek has hewn a straight slice through the rock. It is also a popular stop for the park’s shuttle system, which can bring you right back to your vehicle at Siyeh Bend.

This content was created by Jake Bramante of Hike 734. Visit hike734.com for more expert Glacier content and maps that help you decide which trail to hike.

Flora & Fauna

Arnica and beargrass give way to fleabane, glacier lilies, and gentian. Grizzlies frequent Preston Park, so be alert. A wide variety of glacier's wildlife can be seen along this trail including mountain goat, bighorn sheep, elk, and even moose.

Contacts

Land Manager: NPS - Glacier National Park

Shared By:

Jake Bramante
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  5.0 from 39 votes

#4

in St. Mary

#236

Overall
  5.0 from 39 votes
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Recommended Route Rankings

#4

in St. Mary

#7

in Montana

#236

Overall
26 Views Last Month
5,325 Since Jun 14, 2016
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Photos

Beautiful wildflowers looking out towards the renowned Montana mountains. In valley below Siyeh Pass.
Aug 10, 2018 near Swiftcu…, MT
Great views of Reynolds Mountain and Preston Park along the Siyeh Pass trail.
Jan 23, 2016 near Swiftcu…, MT
Wildflowers on the Piegan Pass Trail.
Aug 24, 2017 near Swiftcu…, MT
Three friends taking a minute to take in the view from the summit of Siyeh Pass.
Nov 9, 2015 near Rising Sun, MT
A small waterfall on Baring Creek
Aug 4, 2019 near Rising Sun, MT
Indigo-colored flowers moving softly in the wind as strom rolls in. Siyeh Pass Trail to the right, ridge of Mahtapi Peak to the left.
Aug 10, 2018 near Rising Sun, MT

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

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Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jul 6, 2023
Claire Milligan
10.3mi
Jul 2, 2023
Alyssa Lortie
SAR 6.9mi
Sep 3, 2022
Risa JMP
Jul 28, 2021
David Eaton
Turned around at 4.85 miles. Saw WWCRs, PISIs, GCRFs, ATTW, MOCH, and a female moose. 9.7mi
Jul 19, 2021
Kelly Wang
12h 30m
Aug 28, 2020
Marc Corona
Aug 13, 2020
Jayley Janssen
4mi
Aug 12, 2020
Sendhil Kumar

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