10 Dog-Friendly Hikes near Glacier National Park
Planning a trip to Northwest Montana with your dog? After spending some quality time in Montana in the summer with my GSP Smitty, I’ve narrowed down our favorite dog-friendly hikes outside of Glacier National Park.
All Trails will be your best friend to keep up with current trail updates. Don’t forget you are in bear country! Check out my tips for hiking with your dog here.
My top three dog-friendly hikes near Glacier National Park
🥾 Mount Aeneas Summit
🥾 Whitefish Valley Lookout
🥾 Glacier Lake Trail
10 Dog-Friendly Hikes
Most of the trails in this area will let you keep your dog off-leash as long as they are well trained/mannered. Here are my top 10 hikes near Glacier National Park:
1. Mount Aeneas Summit
I’ve ranked this as number one, selfishly because it was Smitty’s first Summit. Also because it’s a gorgeous trail that offers views of Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park on a clear day.
Shan’s Tip: Jewel Basin parking lot gets full fast so plan on getting a very early start to avoid limited parking. And, the road to get to the trail head is rough, four-wheel drive is recommended.
2. Glacier Lake Trail
This trail is a couple hours south of Whitefish, but it is totally worth the drive. You can hike to three different lakes in addition to Glacier Lake if you’re up for the challenge.
3. Skiumah Lake Trail
This trail is notorious for bear activity so be sure to have bear spray and check the trail updates before heading out. On your way back from your hike, be sure to stop by West Glacier Village for a treat.
4. Flathead Lookout Trail
One of my favorite easy hikes to do near Glacier National Park. It is also located in the Jewel Basin so be prepared for an early start to get a parking spot.
Smitty and I did this hike on an overcast day, we had the trail to ourselves and enjoyed the cloudy views. 😀
5. Lion Mountain Trail
One of the 15 trails in the Whitefish Trail System, Lion Mountain is a perfect trail for beginners. Your dog can be off-leash here but it is a very popular trail, so if your dog isn’t great off-leash it’s best to keep them on one.
6. Stanton Lake Trail
My favorite hike is Smitty swimming! This trail is well maintained and is right off Highway 2 from West Glacier. There are plenty of other trails off of Highway 2 worth exploring, I found them to be less crowded then most of the trails in Jewel Basin.
7. Danny On Trail
Danny On is perfect if you’re looking for a full day of hiking since it is around 8 miles round trip. If you didn’t want to hike all the way back, the gondola is open in the summer for lifts down.
8. Swan River Trail
I loved going on this trail when I was staying in Bigfork with Smitty. The parking lot for the trailhead is small, so get there early in the AM.
9. Strawberry Lake Trail
Here’s another trail that you’ll want four-wheel drive to get to the trailhead. The trail is very popular, especially for folks with dogs. We saw at least six other dogs during our hike to Strawberry Lake.
10. Whitefish Valley Lookout
A classic hike in Whitefish, the lookout is a level up from Lion Mountain. The beginning of this trail does require you to have your dog on a leash, other parts they can be off-leash.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, the top 10 dog-friendly hikes near Glacier National Park. I recommend visiting Northwest Montana in the summer and autumn months to be able to play outside as much as possible with your pup.
Looking for things to do when you’re not hiking?
- 10 Best Things To Do In Whitefish, Montana (Summer)
- Shopping in Whitefish, Montana: 14 Best Stores in 2025
Now it’s time to start planning your own adventure, Cheers!
