Stoney Indian Pass Trail

This is a one-way, 26.7-mile wilderness traverse from the Belly River Trailhead at Chief Mountain Customs to Goat Haunt, crossing Stoney Indian Pass at about 6,908 feet. It links the Belly River valley and its lakes with a waterfall-striped headwall, then descends through Waterton Valley to the Goat Haunt shore. The route is not a loop: the mapped corridor is 26.79 miles, close to the described 26.6-mile crossing. Budget roughly 17 hours of walking, usually spread over two or three days. The pass comes late when hiking west from Chief Mountain, so the major climb is still ahead after a long valley approach.

An overnight trip needs a wilderness permit and a designated backcountry campsite itinerary. Campgrounds along the route are not food-service stops, so carry what you need for the full trip; food, potable water and restroom services were not established at the camps. The finish at Goat Haunt has no road exit. Arrange an allowed pickup or onward connection before starting, and confirm current transport and customs requirements if your itinerary uses Canada or the boat across Upper Waterton Lake. Parking at the Chief Mountain start was not confirmed, so verify where an overnight vehicle may be left. Dogs are not allowed on park trails or in the backcountry.

The first two miles drop roughly 700 feet from the Chief Mountain access, then the route settles into a long, relatively gradual walk up the Belly River valley. After about 6.7 miles it reaches the lower end of Cosley Lake; the lake is around mile 8.7 on the full crossing. The bridge and ridge near Gable Pass Campground lead into the lake basin. This approach builds mileage before the hard climbing, so start with enough time and energy for the pass much later in the day or on a following day.

Cosley Lake is a quiet first landmark, with Pyramid Peak, Mount Kipp, Cathedral Peak and Mount Cleveland reflected from its shore when conditions are calm. Beyond it, the trail rolls beside long, narrow Glenns Lake, with forest closing in and opening again along the way. Near the Mokowanis drainage, Paiota, Raven Quiver and Atsina Falls spill from the high headwalls. Short excursions to Gros Ventre Falls, Bear Mountain Observation Point or Mokowanis Lake are separate spurs, not part of the stored crossing; Bear Mountain is a steep 1.7-mile side trip that adds nearly 1,400 feet of climbing.

The climb becomes steep under Pyramid Peak and Mount Merritt as the route gains the pass at about mile 17.9. Stoney Indian Lake is a glacial tarn roughly 600 feet below the saddle, so reaching its shore means descending from the high point before the route turns west. The lake, steep rock walls and waterfall tiers make this the signature view of the crossing; save time to stop, but remember the long descent and distance still ahead.

From Stoney Indian Lake the trail loses about 2,500 feet overall through the Waterton Valley, passing the Kootenai Lakes before reaching Goat Haunt near mile 26.6. This last section changes the day from a hard climb to a sustained downhill finish. Because the route ends at a remote, boat-accessed place rather than a road, the return plan is part of the hike, not an afterthought.

The cliff bands are sedimentary rock laid down in an ancient sea, later uplifted and thrust eastward. Glaciers carved the broad U-shaped valleys and lake basins around the trail, including the bowl that holds Stoney Indian Lake. That contrast—layered walls above a small alpine tarn—is what makes the pass feel so distinct from the forested river approach.