Hike to Glaciers, Waterfalls and Geysers on the Ultimate 7 Day Roadtrip

You’ll be visiting some of the most iconic and rare landscapes in the U.S. on this trip, so please remember to Leave No Trace, follow park rules, and keep a safe distance from wildlife. This post may contain affiliate links, and if you decide to make a purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

From mountains and ancient glaciers to iconic hot springs and geysers, there’s an exciting northwestern national park road trip route that leads you to breathtaking views of some of the planet’s most fascinating geologic features. The best part? You can do it in 7 days! 

This national park road trip route through North Cascades, Banff, Glacier, and Yellowstone is the best way to see the most spectacular highlights in one go. So much adventure is packed into this 7-day Northwestern national park road trip: 

• Hike the Sahale Glacier via Cascade Pass in North Cascades
• Venture into Canada to visit Banff’s Lake Louise, hot springs, and Johnston Canyon
• Drive the famous Going to the Sun Road with an exhilarating Highline Trail hike in Glacier
• See Yellowstone’s iconic Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, Fairy Falls, and Grand Prismatic Spring

Check out everything you need to know, including the best trails and sights to hit on your road trip, in this week-long adventure through the best parks in the northwest. 

7-Day Northwestern National Park Road Trip Route

• Know when to go: Time your trip between mid-June and late September for the best weather and road passability in Northwestern national parks. 
• Make reservations in advance: These are popular parks, especially during the summer and early fall. Book reservations in advance whenever you can to score the campsites, permits, and passes you need. 
• Bring your travel documents: Crossing the Canadian border for Banff National Park means you’ll need a valid passport. Learn more here.
• Get an early start: Trails are less crowded, the air is cooler, and parking lots have more open space when you set out early (before 8 a.m.). 

Day 1: Sahale Glacier Hike in North Cascades National Park

From Seattle, head to North Cascades National Park, WA. It’s home to dense evergreen forests blanketing the slopes of the North Cascades, deep rivers and lakes, and the highest glacier concentration (300+) in any national park in the contiguous U.S. This is a scenic wonderland for adventurers! 

Hike the Sahale Glacier via Cascade Pass

You’re only spending a day here, so take the most iconic hike: Sahale Glacier via Cascade Pass. Set out early for your 11.6-mile hike (about 6 hours) with nearly 4,000’ of elevation gain. Bring bear spray, trekking poles, sturdy shoes, and headlamps! 

On the Cascade Pass trail, you’ll follow switchbacks with a steady elevation gain past meadows teeming with glacier lilies, wildlife from marmots to mountain goats, and striking mountain views. Sahale Mountain and the namesake glacier come into view, and following the trail, you’ll see your first glimpse of Doubtful Lake far below. 

Wind through trees and along the ridgetop (getting steeper now) to overlook Boston Basin and the mountains around you. Enjoy the flatter terrain and babbling streams for a bit until the climb restarts toward Sahale Glacier Camp at the toe of the glacier. Rest a bit before heading back, and if you have time you can grab a wilderness permit for this backcountry camp, sleeping at the toe of the glacier. Check out this video about the North Cascades to get an idea of just how challenging this hike is. 

Stay alert for black and grizzly bears on the trail (find bear safety tips here).

Camp in the park with options like Colonial Creek North Campground roughly an hour and a half from the trailhead. There are some beautiful spots right on the water with mountain views for a perfect night. 

Note on the Sahale Glacier Trail: To reach this trailhead you will travel on a rough dirt road. If you have a camper or an RV you will want to choose a different hike. 

Day 2: Scenic Drive to Banff National Park

Cross the Canadian border to reach Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, west of Calgary. It’s roughly a 9.5-hour drive, so set out early and stay motivated — this park is well worth the trip! 

It’s a gorgeous drive that winds through British Columbia’s wine country and the Coast Mountains before your views open up to the Canadian Rockies. Purchase a national park pass online in advance to use the express lanes when entering the park and avoid long lines. 

Spiral Tunnel Scenic Viewpoint

Stop at the Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint on the way for amazing views, the chance to see trains passing through the spiral railroad tunnels, and a quick history lesson. 

Arrive in the park and settle into your accommodations — Johnston Canyon Campground is a good option and close to tomorrow’s hiking trail. 

Day 3: Banff National Park’s Johnston Canyon, Gondola & Lake Louise

From the Johnston Canyon parking lot, cross a bridge, and turn right onto the trail. You’ll be taking both the Upper and Lower Falls trails, about a 2-hour easy hike along a boardwalk with platforms and catwalks. 

Hike the Lower & Upper Falls Trails

Walk through forests along the canyon’s edge for 1.5 miles and you’ll pass 7 waterfall vistas on the way with ample chances to stop and enjoy the views. 

Platforms and bridges jut out of the canyon walls for incredible perspectives of the falls, with a small “hidden” cave you can stand in to view the Lower Falls. You’ll see 6 more waterfalls, including Stella and Marguerite Falls, on the way.

Ride the Banff Gondola Up Sulphur Mountain

Returning to the parking lot, head south to ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain for a bird’s eye view of the park. You’ll look out over the Bow Valley, the mountain village of Banff, and panoramic views of the 6 mountain ranges surrounding the park. 

At the top, take the boardwalk with lots of stairs to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site (it’s a boarded-up building at the top of Sulphur Mountain). The history is cool, but it’s the views from this vantage point that make it a must-visit. 

There are a few restaurants and coffee shops here if you’re peckish after your morning canyon hike and gondola ride. 

Coming back down Sulphur Mountain, it’s time to check out the highest operating hot spring in Canada: Upper Banff Hot Springs, just a 4-minute drive away. Soak in the mineral water with striking views of the Cascade and Rundle Mountains around you. 

Hike the Lake Agnes Tea House Trail at Lake Louise

Drive over to Lake Louise’s Fairmont Chateau Hotel, one of the most famous features in the park, and marvel at the bright blue-green glacial waters ringed by mountains. 

Here, the Lake Agnes Trail leads up to the Lake Agnes Tea House (salads, soups, sandwiches, and drinks) for awe-inspiring views over the lake, Nokhu Crags, and mountains. It’s a moderate, 4.6-mile trail that takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete. 

Back to the campground you’ll go to settle in for the night before driving back to the U.S. to Glacier National Park tomorrow. 

Day 4: Glacier National Park’s Going to the Sun Road & Hiking

Start at dawn if possible to make the 4.5-hour drive to Glacier National Park, just across the Montana-Canada border. 

You’ll need a National Parks Pass and a vehicle permit to drive the Going to the Sun Road from the West Entrance between May and September. Both can be purchased online in advance (passes available up to 120 days in advance). Learn how to visit Glacier National Park here.

Going to the Sun Road & Lakeside Hiking Trails

The famous 50-mile Going to the Sun Road traverses the park and the Continental Divide. It takes about 2 hours to drive and provides access to some of the park’s biggest attractions, including glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls, and the best hiking trails. 

The views along the road are spectacular. To get out into the park, I recommend a 1-hour boat tour on Lake McDonald — a fantastic way to see the area. You can also hike out to McDonald Falls nearby, passing Johns Lake before reaching the falls for an up-close look (about 40 minutes). 

Another great trail near Lake McDonald is Avalanche Lake. Plan on about 2.5 hours for this moderate, 5.9-mile hike. Much of the trail is shady and the views of the lake, waterfalls, and surrounding mountains make it truly special. 

Look for accommodations options like Lake McDonald Lodge nearby to get comfortable for the night and rest up for your big day of hiking tomorrow. 

Day 5: Glacier National Park’s Thrilling Highline Trail

Challenge yourself today by waking up before dawn and heading to the Logan Pass Visitor Center to the Highline Trail (there’s a free shuttle, but it doesn’t run until 7 a.m.). It’s an all-day hike that you can take to the Granite Park Chalet. The views are unmatched. 

If you have a fear of heights, this isn’t the trail for you with high, narrow cliff ledges as you look out over mountains and valleys as far as the eye can see. Wildlife is common along the trail, including bighorn sheep, mountain goats, marmots, and bears (it’s exposed and grizzly country, so bring your bear spray and sunscreen). 

Hike the Highline Trail

From Logan Pass, follow the Garden Wall with wildflowers covering the hillsides along the trail and views of Mt. Oberlin, Mt. Cannon, and Heavens Peak to the west. It’s a climb up to Haystack Pass with a gradual descent toward the Granite Park Trail junction with Swiftcurrent Mountain looming in the distance. 

Go left to get on the The Loop trail, or keep straight to go to the historic Granite Park Chalet, a National Historic Landmark. Take the 0.8-mile trail up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook — note that it’s very steep and challenging — for amazing glacier views. Catch the 4.2-mile Loop Trail (a steep descent that can be hard on the knees) for views of Heavens Peak and the wide-open valley before you. 

If you’re visiting before the Going to the Sun road is open, check out this video for some backpacking and hiking ideas in other areas of the park. 

Get to your lodge or campsite (like Avalanche Creek) and prepare for an eventful day in Yellowstone tomorrow! 

Day 6: Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful & Observation Point Trail

Leave early to make the 6.5-hour drive from West Glacier to Yellowstone National Park. Get an entrance pass online in advance and use the West Entrance. Yellowstone is home to almost 60% of the world’s geysers and boasts incredible hydrothermal features, waterfalls, and historic sites. 

Old Faithful Geyser & Observation Point Trail

Make your way to the Old Faithful viewing area (13 minute walk) or walk the boardwalks close by that wind through Upper Geyser Basin, where 150 hydrothermal features are squeezed into 1 square mile! 

Make sure you’re there to see the geyser erupt right on schedule (every 68-94 minutes, but you can check with the Visitor Education Center for details). Other geysers with predicted eruptions are nearby, including Grand, Castle, Riverside, and Daisy geysers. 

You can see many of these hydrothermal features in the Upper Geyser Basin from the 1.6-mile Observation Point Trail, just 0.3 miles from the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center. Add a 0.9-mile offshoot to Solitary Geyser to see another eruption up-close before heading back down Geyser Hill. 

Madison Campground makes the perfect spot to set up for the night and continue on to Yellowstone’s own Grand Canyon tomorrow. 

Day 7: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone & Grand Prismatic Spring

Start the day with a scenic drive through the park to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone in the eastern region of the park. It’s 20 miles long, over 1,000’ deep, and up to 4,000’ wide with steam puffing up through hydrothermal features in the walls. You’ll also see the Upper and Lower Falls on your tour of the canyon. 

Hop in the car to reach North Rim Drive (about 45 minutes east) south of Canyon Village to take the scenic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River drive. You’ll enjoy views of the Yellowstone River and its Upper (109’) and Lower Falls (308’) on the drive past the monumental canyon. 

On the way, stop at all 4 scenic overlooks to view different perspectives of the canyon. You’ll see variations in color, geologic composition, and water force at each stop. When you reach Brink of Lower Falls, you can see both falls from paved trails overlooking them or take the sharp descent to Lower Falls on the Brink Trail to get closer. 

Grand Prismatic Spring & Fairy Falls

Another iconic feature in the park is the Grand Prismatic Spring. This recognizable aqua-colored pool with rings of green, orange, and tan colored water from microbes on the springs’ edge is a sight to behold! 

For the best view, take the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail from the Fairy Falls parking lot. Walk up the trail to the fork and keep left another 0.2 miles to get to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook platform. This overlook offers the best perspective of the spring, even better than walking on the path that runs alongside it. 

Head back down the hill and get back on the Fairy Falls trail, this time following the opposite fork toward the falls. The trail is 4.8 miles (around 1.5 hours) with a slight elevation gain to reach the 200’-high Fairy Falls. You’ll walk through a pine forest on the way and come out with a great view of the cascading water rushing down the rock. 

You can continue walking 0.6 miles further to reach the stunning Spray and Imperial geysers before turning back to the parking lot. 

After your amazing experience hiking and exploring North Cascades, Banff, Glacier, and Yellowstone, fly home from the Jackson Hole Airport tonight (2.5 hours away) or arrange accommodations and drive home tomorrow. 

Get inspired for your next adventure with these guides:

• My Epic 7-Day California National Parks Road Trip Route
• The Ultimate 4-Day Itinerary for Olympic National Park
• The Best 10-Day Alaska National Parks Road Trip

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