Glacier National Park, MT
A remote forest walk opens onto Kootenai Lakes beneath the Citadel Peaks.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Glacier Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Glacier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Glacier audio tour“Our first time to glacier and we used the audio portion for Going to the Sun Road. Wonderful information with perfect advice of what to see and do along the road.”
Trail guide
Kootenai Lakes is a 5.6-mile out-and-back from Goat Haunt Ranger Station. You follow Waterton Valley Trail through mostly forest, then turn west on a short spur to the water. Most of the interest is at the end: this is a long approach for a lakeshore stop, not a summit hike. Allow about three hours on trail, apart from transport and border formalities.
At the trailhead sign south of the station, follow Waterton Valley Trail rather than the similarly named Waterton Lake Trail. Near the lakes, turn west on the short spur toward Kootenai Lakes Campground and the shore; it adds about 0.3 miles each way. Retrace the same corridor for the full 5.6-mile round trip. The forested approach has limited views; the Citadel Peaks become clearer near the water.
At the lake, the water and wooded shore sit below Citadel Peaks on Porcupine Ridge. It is worth pausing at the shore instead of treating the endpoint as a quick turn-around. Moose have been seen around the lakes, but sightings are unpredictable; give wildlife plenty of room. For a photo, keep some lake in the foreground with the peaks behind it.
Goat Haunt has no road access. The usual entry from Waterton is the seasonal boat; hiking from Waterton Townsite to the station adds 8.5 miles one way before this hike. If hiking across the border, carry a valid passport and complete U.S. entry reporting, then follow the Canadian re-entry process. Check current crossing rules, trail conditions and boat dates before leaving; cell service is limited. Pets are not allowed on park trails.
Wildlife
404 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
11 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
1,173 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,000 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
395 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
506 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Glacier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateLake Janet Trail6.6 mi · 3.8 hr · At the trailheadA suspension bridge and a long climb lead to Lake Janet.
EasyRainbow Falls Trail2 mi · 1 hr · At the trailheadA short forest walk ends at a waterfall beneath high peaks.
ChallengingLake Francis Trail12.6 mi · 8 hr · At the trailheadA long backcountry walk ends at a lake below The Sentinel.
ModerateGoat Haunt Overlook Trail2 mi · 1.8 hr · 0.1 mi awayA short, steep climb to a former lookout above Waterton Valley
ModerateNorth Boundary Trail5.3 mi · 4 hr · 2.7 mi awayA remote creek corridor ends at the international boundary.
ChallengingPorcupine Lookout Trail10 mi · 8 hr · 3.4 mi awayA remote ridge climb to Glacier's old fire lookout.
ModerateLakeshore Trail to Goat Haunt8.4 mi · 4 hr · 6.2 mi awayA wooded lakeshore crossing from Waterton to Glacier’s Goat Haunt.
ChallengingBear Mountain Lookout Trail4 mi · 4 hr · 6.9 mi awayA steep climb to big lake views and a historic lookout site.Parkwolf’s Glacier ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
