Alpine Wildflowers Guided Educational Hike

Alpine Wildflowers Guided Educational Hike

Hike Overview Continued

July 18 at 7 a.m.

Instructors: Janet Paul Bones

The wildflowers of Glacier are spectacular. They are especially beautiful against the rugged backdrop of mountain peaks. Their fragility is even more striking when the adverse environment of their habitat is understood. In this class, our goal is to discover and enjoy Glacier’s wildflowers in an informal and relatively non-technical manner. We will enjoy discovering the diversity of Glacier’s wildflowers, the spectacular and the inconspicuous. Structure and function of plant parts, plant tolerance, adaptation, distribution, habitat, and limiting factors will be discussed as they apply to flowering plants along the trail. Various flower books and keys will be available for review.

Meeting Place: Glacier Institute Field Camp.

Itinerary: (subject to change due to trail closures, weather and blooming seasons)

The day will be spent in the field identifying the wonderful wildflowers of Glacier’s alpine areas. At 7 a.m. we will begin with an introduction to wildflower identification and a brief overview of the day.  We will then travel to Siyeh Bend to begin our hike along the Piegan Pass trail. We are looking to get just beyond the junction in Preston Park, to get to the true alpine. Please note that this is a wildflower exploration day and the pace is slower than a hiking day. The course will end by 4 p.m. and will not be canceled due to weather. 

*If late snowfall or unexpected trail closures should make flower viewing at the higher elevations impossible, we will visit alternate sites at lower elevations in the Park.  Glacier Park affords glorious floral displays in a wide range of habitats.

Food: Please bring a trail lunch, plenty of water, and snacks for the day.

Park Entrance Fees: Participants are responsible for purchasing their park entry passes prior to the course. These can be purchased online at: https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74280

Academic Credit: Please see our ‘2026 Academic Credit’ link on our website to learn about OPI credits for our courses.

Equipment: You will receive a Field Camp gear list once you register. Most importantly are comfortable hiking shoes, at least 1-2 liter water bottle, backpack, rain gear, hat, and sunscreen. Weather can be varied, especially at the high elevations of Logan Pass, so please be prepared with appropriate clothing, especially warm layers. A magnifying lens as well as binoculars are nice to have. We will provide small field lenses if you don’t have your own.

Physical Requirements: Moderate difficulty. Hiking distance covers about six miles total with 1,200 feet of elevation gain. Frequent stops are made while exploring for wildflowers.

Recommended Reading:
● Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains by Duft and Moseley
● Rocky Mountain Wild Flowers by Porsild, National Museums of Canada.
● Plants of Waterton-Glacier National Parks by Richard J. Shaw and Danny On
● Wildflowers of Glacier National Park by Shannon Fitzpatrick Kimball and Peter Lesica