Ahern Pass Overlook Trail

Ahern Pass Overlook Trail is a short spur off the Northern Highline: about 0.4 mile each way, or 0.8 mile round trip. It climbs several hundred feet from the junction to a high overlook above Helen Lake, then returns the same way. Allow about an hour once you reach the junction. It is a rewarding detour if you are already hiking or backpacking the Northern Highline, but it is not a quick walk from a road. The 0.8 miles covers only the spur; the approach from The Loop is a much bigger day, and many hikers add it to a backcountry trip.

The path climbs through alpine terrain, with small subalpine fir among beargrass meadows and panoramic views opening as you gain height. The mapped spur is roughly four-tenths of a mile, but gains several hundred vertical feet; at about 7,000 feet, that is a real climb in a short distance. You return along the same path, so save energy for the uphill walk back to the Northern Highline.

From the overlook, waterfalls descend from Ahern Glacier, between Ipasha Peak and Ahern Peak, into Helen Lake. The lake is a headwater of the Belly River, and Elizabeth Lake appears farther down the forested valley. For a photo, keep Helen Lake below the layered cliffs and leave room for the distant valley; that shows the drop and the scale of the view.

The pass is named for Lieutenant George Patrick Ahern. In 1890, he and a squad of Buffalo Soldiers crossed it during an expedition searching for a route over the northern Rockies. They spent two days cutting a pack trail up the talus to the pass. Pets are not permitted on Glacier National Park trails.