The Trail of the Cedars is a beautiful and accessible nature trail located in Glacier National Park in the Lake McDonald area.
Trail of Cedars is one of the only wheelchair-accessible trails in Glacier National Park. The entire loop is less than one mile of a raised boardwalk that winds through a forest of western red cedars, western hemlocks, and black cottonwood trees commonly found along the Pacific Coast.
Trail of the Cedars Basics
30 Minutes
0.7 Miles Round Trip
Loop
50 Feet
Duration: 30 Minutes
Walking the entire length of the boardwalk trail takes about 30 minutes. As with any trail, it depends on how quickly you walk and how long you stop at different viewpoints along the trail.
Distance: 0.7 Miles Roundtrip
Overall, the loop through Trail of the Cedars is under 1 mile. This isn’t something you could make a day out of, but make sure you give yourselves time to enjoy the short hike.
Type: Loop Trail
Trail of the Cedars is one of the few loop trails in Glacier National Park. Most of the ones here are out-and-back trails.
Elevation Change: 50 Feet
This is a great place to walk in the serene forest and an easy hike since it’s a boardwalk with very little elevation gain.
Season: Summer, Fall
The best time to visit is in late spring, during the summer, or early fall. Most of Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed just past Avalanche Creek in the winter due to heavy snowfall, and that can make it difficult to get to the trail.
Time of Day: Any
Trail of the Cedars is a decent hike almost any time of the day. For the best luck finding a parking spot, get here early. Otherwise, early afternoon is pretty in the area with the sun overhead. Since it’s shaded, you can do this at the height of the sunlight without much trouble.
Amount of Shade: Mostly Shaded
Since you are walking through the forest of cedar trees, you will mostly be in the shade along the boardwalk. Don’t let that fool you, though. It’s still a good idea to bring plenty of water, check the trail conditions, and carry bear spray. Although it’s a marked and popular trail, you are still out in their home.
Difficulty: Easy
Trail of the Cedars is one of the easiest trails in the park. There’s almost no elevation change, the trail is mostly a boardwalk with a small area of packed dirt, under one mile, and mostly protected from the heat of the sun.
What Makes Trail of the Cedars a Great Hike?
Even though this is a relatively short hike, don’t overlook it when planning a trip to Glacier National Park. The trail gives you a chance to explore the forest floor around towering cedar trees native to the Pacific Northwest. In fact, this is about the farthest east you’ll find most of the trees here.
Due to the height of these trees, make sure you always check the weather conditions before starting any outdoor activities or day hikes. If there’s a chance for thunderstorms, you don’t want to be among the red cedar forest for safety reasons.
Scenery on the Trail of the Cedars
Start of the Trail
We started the trail in a counter-clockwise motion. Look for the fallen tree on the left near the beginning if you take the trail in this direction. The boardwalk goes right up to it and the roots are taller than most people. We also saw a few deer right in this area!
On the Trail
Some of the trees in this area are over 500 years old! They grow over 100 feet tall and up to 4-7 feet in diameter. There are a few waterfalls along the walk, but the most beautiful places are along the Avalanche Gorge where you’ll cross a wooden footbridge over the creek.
End of the Trail
As you reach the end of the loop, the path changes from a boardwalk to packed dirt that’s almost as smooth as a paved walkway. In this section of the trail, you are walking along the Avalanche Campground.
Notable Places on the Hike
Along the pathway, about halfway you’ll come across a tree that’s fallen and the stump, which is about 4 feet tall, has been hollowed out. There’s enough room for 1-2 people to stand in there. Tyler did this while we were here, and later when I sent the photo to my family my mom sent one back of her and my dad standing in the same tree a few years before!
Trail of the Cedars Trailhead Information
Park Name: Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is one of my favorite of the national parks that we've been to. It's a gorgeous park in northwest Montana that sits along the United States border with Canada. The nearest airport is Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, Montana. That will take you close to the West Entrance, which is the closest entrance to the Trail of the Cedars trailhead.
Parking Area: Trail of the Cedars Parking
The Avalanche Creek Picnic Area is just past the Lake McDonald Lodge area, about 6 miles east along Going-to-the-Sun Road. If you are taking the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle, you want to get off at the Avalanche Creek Transfer Location shuttle stop. Don't forget that to get into Glacier National Park during the peak summer months, you'll need a vehicle reservation.
If you're lucky, you may find parking along the side of Going-to-the-Sun Road nearest the trailhead. Otherwise, park in the Avalanche Creek Picnic parking lots and carefully cross Going-to-the-Sun Road to get to the start of the trail. When we arrived park rangers were helping to guide visitors to the parking area.
Nearest Restrooms: Avalance Creek
There aren't any restrooms immediately at the trailhead, but they are across the street at the Avalanche Picnic Area. These are the standard vault toilets that most of the national parks have.
Finding the Trailhead
You'll find this special place in the park near the Avalanche Campground area. When heading east on Going-to-the-Sun Road, the campground will be on your left and the trailhead is on the right.
Markers Along the Trail
There aren't many markers along this trail, other than at the Avalanche Trail junction. Instead, you'll find interpretive signs describing the nature and wildlife you may see while on the walk.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
Avalanche Lake Trail
When you get to the Avalanche Lake Trail Junction, you can follow the Avalanche Lake Hike on your left to higher elevations along Avalanche Creek all the way to Avalanche Lake.
Avalanche Campground Trail
The Avalanche Campground Trail also starts from this junction, heading west or towards your right as you get to it. This goes between Avalanche Creek Campground (near where you're at) down to John's Lake and the east end of Lake McDonald.
Tips for Trail of the Cedars
- For a more challenging hike, take the spur trail to Avalanche Creek and the Avalanche Gorge. This adds another 6 miles round-trip to the hike.
- This is a short walk, so do this either on your way to or from Logan Pass and the rest of Glacier National Park.
- Don't forget, starting around early July through late September, you'll need a vehicle reservation in addition to the entrance fee when you get to the ranger station at Glacier National Park.
Accessibility Information for Trail of the Cedars
Boardwalk
Paved
Trail Type: Boardwalk
A majority of this trail is a raised boardwalk that’s wheelchair-accessible. This is one of only two hikes in Glacier National Park that are considered wheelchair-friendly. The boardwalk is built well and we had good traction, even when it was slightly damp near the creek.
Parking: Paved
The parking areas, both along Going-to-the-Sun Road and at the picnic lunch area, are paved lots.