Dawson–Pitamakan Pass Loop

The Dawson–Pitamakan Pass Loop is a 17.4-mile circuit from North Shore Trailhead in Glacier’s Two Medicine district. It climbs past Old Man Lake to Pitamakan Pass, follows the high ridge to Dawson Pass, drops by No Name Lake, then returns along the north shore of Two Medicine Lake. Plan on around 10 hours with stops. This is a hard, full-day route for strong hikers; the two-pass traverse is the draw, and also the reason not to treat it as a casual long walk. The distance here follows the complete on-foot circuit and does not depend on a boat ride.

At the first junction, follow the Old Man Lake and Pitamakan Pass branch for a counterclockwise loop. The approach climbs through forest and open avalanche chutes before reaching Old Man Lake. Its pale, silvered trees make the shoreline feel enclosed, with a few places to stop for lunch. Beyond the lake, long switchbacks climb a steep open slope to Pitamakan Pass. The pass looks down toward Old Man Lake on one side and Pitamakan Lake and smaller alpine lakes on the other. The one-way approach to Pitamakan Pass is 7.6 miles, so turning back there avoids the high ridge traverse but still makes a substantial 15.2-mile return.

Continue to Pitamakan Overlook and then toward Dawson Pass. The trail crosses a narrow, exposed ridge and the saddle between Mount Morgan and Flinsch Peak. This is the route’s signature stretch: views open toward the wooded Nyack valleys and hanging lakes of Martha’s Basin, then back across Old Man Lake and toward Rising Wolf. Strong winds are common near Pitamakan Overlook. The footing and exposure deserve your attention, and hikers who feel unsteady around heights should turn back before continuing across the ridge.

After Dawson Pass, the route drops into the Two Medicine drainage. No Name Lake sits beneath cliffs at Pumpelly Pillar and Mount Helen; mountain goats are sometimes seen on those cliffs, though sightings are never guaranteed. Bighorn sheep are also reported around Mount Morgan. Take a proper break where the trail allows it, because the route still has a long lakeshore return after the high country.

The final miles follow the shore of Two Medicine Lake back to North Shore Trailhead. They are mostly level, but they can feel long after the climbing and exposed ridge. A seasonal concession boat near the south-shore dock can shorten part of the lake walk when it is operating; it changes the route and distance, so the 17.4 miles here assumes you walk the full circuit. Check current service details only if you plan to rely on the boat.

From North Shore, the separate one-way climbs gain about 2,450 feet to Dawson Pass and 2,400 feet to Pitamakan Pass. The circuit links those passes, descends, and climbs again. The distance, repeated climbing, and exposure make this a hard hike. The two pass-climb figures are separate one-way outings, not the loop’s combined elevation gain. High-country snow can linger into early summer and return in fall, so the passes have a shorter reliable season than the lakeshore. Pets are not allowed on park trails.

Keep alert in bear country, especially around Old Man Lake, and follow the park’s food and wildlife rules. The alpine slopes can also bring bighorn sheep near Mount Morgan and mountain goats on cliffs above No Name Lake. A stromatolite fossil has been photographed among the rocks at Pitamakan Pass; it is an easy detail to miss when the skyline is pulling your eyes farther out.