Pitamakan Dawson Pass Loop: Glacier National Park in 4K

This 18 mile day hike in Glacier's Two Medicine area is considered one of the best day hikes in all of Glacier National Park. We hiked the loop counterclockwise past Old Man Lake and up to Pitamakan Pass where we joined a section of the Continental Divide Trail over to Dawson Pass. We then descended the Bighorn Basin past No Name Lake and down to Two Medicine Lake and the trailhead.

[@mattfroeming640]

Just did this hike end of July 2024. The 2nd time doing this hike & still one of my favorite's in the park. Thanks for making this video.

[@nolanventures473]

I agree that it is one of the best we have done in the park as well. Thank you!

[@grandparocky]

This is an amazing Hike Thank You for sharing!

[@nolanventures473]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jeremiahjohnson6456]

Hands down - the BEST day hike in Glacier!! Fantastic.

[@nolanventures473]

We agree!

[@barbswartz339]

Awesome hike and video! I really enjoy your videos of the beautiful mountains and lakes. Nature makes you feel like you are in a world all of your own. Wish I could have done this when I was younger. Being unable to do this now, I really appreciate watching your videos. We have so much peace an beautify in this country of ours ….. so nice the two of you get to see this and share on You Tube. So relaxing …. thank you for sharing your adventures. ❤

[@SanJuanMountainBob]

Wow, what a gorgeous hike. The only time I’ve been to glacier it was filled with smoke (2017). Thanks for sharing!

[@nolanventures473]

It is an amazing place - thank you.

[@bradmorgan5615]

@@nolanventures473 how long was this hike in hours? When did you start and finish? How does this compare to Scenic Point trail? other than its longer

[@KDMusic62]

Thank you for this video. My wife and I have started that hike several times but quickly realize that it's above our skill and fitness level. Thanks for taking me where I've always wanted to go. 🙂

[@nolanventures473]

👍thanks for watching

[@bearnature4519]

Another great video thanks, I really appreciate it, your giving me great insight on glacier. I am hoping to get there next year. I also am enjoying these videos because it keeps me focused on getting my knee back in shape, after surgery.

[@nolanventures473]

Thank you…good luck and hope you can enjoy the trails soon.

[@mattkulow8243]

Love it. Got to be the best video yet. Keep them coming.

[@nolanventures473]

Nice - thanks!!

[@kimberlynolan2745]

Not likely we will ever be able to outdo this hike, and that is in that, it pushed our abilities as nearly 50 year old adults 😆 and that the magic of Two Medicine is unlike anything on earth! ⛰ Two Medicine and this hike demands absolute world class reviews. My all-time fav!!

[@bkel20]

Such an awesome hike. Did this with my two brothers on the last day of our Glacier trip in 2021 and it was definitely the highlight of the trip. Great video. Really helped me put a lot of names to the lakes, mountains, passes, etc. that we saw along the way.

[@nolanventures473]

It is one of my favorites in Glacier. Glad you were able to do this hike…thanks for the comment and happy trails!

[@rcasswell]

Great walking video.

[@nolanventures473]

It’s a great hike - happy trails.

[@jerrystraka7856]

took it both ways. the floral display from Old Man Lake to Pitamakin Pass was in full array in the early August trip. not so much later in the later August trip. love this hike. the Pitamakin pass view on your opening has to be seen to be believed..........Old Man Lake on one side and Pitamakin/Seven Winds on the other is spectacular

[@nolanventures473]

Agreed - cheers!

[@dansarette101]

Wow! awesome work on this vid. Great editing. Your format is very easy to watch and enjoy. Thank you for the effort and labor to bring this to us!!

[@nolanventures473]

Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching. When you have a place like this to enjoy, hike, photograph and make videos…its pretty easy. Happy trails.

[@dansarette101]

@@nolanventures473 is Montana your home turf?

[@craigrandall5091]

Caught your link off your AllTrails review. Thanks for posting...the trail guides and maps are great, but the video provides excellent context to the steep/not-steep as well as tree cover. Looks like you picked the PERFECT day to hit this trail. Nice!

[@nolanventures473]

We had ideal conditions that day. One of our favorites in Glacier. Thank you!

[@greghall2727]

Hello my name is Greg Hall. I am a local to Glacier National Park. Last year I hiked 400 miles in Glacier (40+ trails) in 3 months. From mid July to mid October. This year I plan on doing more miles and hiking longer. What is the earliest day of the year that you have started your hiking season? I have a new REI Trail 25 backpack to break in and 2 new pairs of hiking shoes. The Altra Lone Peak 6 and Hoka Speed Goat 5. Any thoughts or experiences with either of these shoes? Take care, be safe on trail and steer clear of the Nitahpo Kyi Yo (Real Bear or Grizzly). I am a member of the local Pikuni tribe on the eastern slope of the Backbone/Mistakis or Mountains.

[@CM-dp5mw]

Just did this yesterday. We went clockwise though. Really nice hike but is was an endurance tester for sure. Saw to grizzlies and some sheep. Got back to the trail head and it was closed because a sow and cubs had taken an elk calf right at north shore trail.

[@nolanventures473]

Saw they closed the trail - well done!

[@rclayton80]

a group of three of us did this hike during our trip to glacier. although you can do it in a day, we did it in three days, camping at Oldman lake and no name lake. this gave us plenty of time to enjoy camp, there was amazing trout fishing in Oldman lake. it also gave us plenty of time on day 2 which was spent almost entirely up along the ridges and peaks. it did mean carrying more gear but that hike is worth taking your time with.

[@nolanventures473]

That is awesome!

[@user-qc7hr4my7r]

Amazing trail. Heading there in late August, any real sketchy spots? I was looking at Grinnel Glacier but this hike looks more amazing and less people.

[@nolanventures473]

Well maintained Trail the entire route. No rock climbing. That said, there are narrow spots of the trail with significant drop offs. Non windy days make it more enjoyable. Grinnell Glacier is great too. Certainly less people on Pitamakan/Dawson. Both are great hikes.

[@nothinbutnet2009]

Awesome video!

[@nolanventures473]

Glad you enjoyed it. It is an amazing place.

[@jaimeflores_vasquez2802]

BEAUTIFUL, thank you guys for sharing this amazing video. What month of the year where you there? I am planning on hiking this loop by the end of August 2023, i hope i'll find good weather. Any chance you can get lost along the 15+ miles, is the trail well marked?. Thank you, again. Very good work!

[@nolanventures473]

We live in the area…but this hike in particular was 8/5/22. If you have the luxury, try to find a time with favorable wind speeds, cloud cover, and cloud ceilings for the best views and an enjoyable hike. Trail is very well marked but I would always do enough research where you know where you are going. I rarely go out without significant research, maps, compass and gps. That said, it is very well marked. Thank you for the comment and enjoy the trails!

[@papajon62]

Staying in Two Medicine August ‘23. This looks like a must do….

[@jameshunt1221]

Thanks

[@nolanventures473]

Thank you for watching

[@FireFightHandymanServices]

Beautiful hike!! What time of year did you do this and did you see anyone camping?

[@nolanventures473]

It was august

[@FireFightHandymanServices]

Did you see anyone camping? My wife and I are planning on doing a portion of this hike then continuing down Cut Pass in June. Should be about 29 miles round trip. We plan to camp two nights. We are from Ohio but have experience hiking in areas similar to this. Do you think we will have any problem getting a “walk in” permit? Any other advice you may have would be greatly appreciated.

[@nolanventures473]

Yes there were campers…but it was August. Probably too much snow in June. Varies by year but I would say June is too early. Last year some of the roads didn’t open in the park til mid July, and the passes were not passable until later.

[@hikingelevated]

I've heard of this trail! It looks epic! I've heard it's one of the best hikes in Glacier. Your thoughts?? Thanks again!

[@nolanventures473]

While we haven’t hiked all 734 miles of trails in Glacier…I can say it is one of our favorites, if not our favorite day hike in the park. Others have said the same. All that really matters is that it is one that I would highly suggest to anyone who can handle the mileage and elevation gain. Worth all the work. Thank you and happy trails.

[@kimberlynolan2745]

I've spent time in the mountains my entire life and in my opinion, this trail exemplifies top of the world views and an all around awesome experience. It will test you and leave you speechless, which I believe ranks it as a must-do or bucket list hike if you are up for a physical challenge. Enjoy!!

[@nolanventures473]

Hear hear

[@user-qc7hr4my7r]

Have you done both ways? Some people say go clockwise, others say counterclockwise.

[@nolanventures473]

We have only done it counterclockwise. I have heard different folks recommend clockwise. Here is why I think counterclockwise is better: the last three miles going this way is dead flat. I like that at the end of a long hike. Going the other way there would be some uphill at the end - no thanks after 17 miles. That’s really it for me. Other than that either way would be good.

[@user-qc7hr4my7r]

@@nolanventures473 thanks for the advice, will be there in 2 weeks to hike it.

[@nolanventures473]

Enjoy!

[@user-qc7hr4my7r]

@@nolanventures473just tried to do it last Thursday but Pitamakin was closed by Oldman Lake due to bear activity so we went up Dawson. I’ll tell you what, that was the hardest hike we’ve done with the last 2 miles with over 2 thousand elevation gain if I remember right. Disappointed that we couldn’t do the loop but when we got to the top the views were worth it. It was also real windy so we wouldn’t of done the whole thing anyways.

[@scottneal1895]

The hike and the video are both stunning! Congratulations on completing that monster! How long were you on the trail?

[@nolanventures473]

About 10 hours total. Breaks, lunch, filtering water, pictures and video - 10 hours all in.

[@sherirobles1718]

Great video and pics! How much water did you take with you? How long did it take?

[@nolanventures473]

We filter water along the way so we don’t have to carry much. Took about 10 hours.

[@NighthawkWatch28]

I didn't have a chance to do this hike last year due to a knee injury - but I have a chance to go back to Glacier again next summer. I'll crawl the last couple miles of this if I have to, because I might not have a chance to get back there while I'm still young enough to do hikes like this. Two Medicine is unlike any place I've ever been. It just feels different.

[@nolanventures473]

I agree. Two Medicine is sacred. Thank you and get it done!

[@Dakine_OAG]

Exceptional video! We're hoping to do this this coming weekend! How was parking near the trailhead?

[@nolanventures473]

It was fine - but we got there at 6:30 am.

[@kimberlynolan2745]

On this day in Two Medicine we had our pick of parking, and that seemed to still be the case we we left the parking lot starting our hike at 7am.

[@Dakine_OAG]

@@kimberlynolan2745 awesome! Thank u! Love ur videos!

[@BW-pr8qr]

Amazing views! And Damn! you guys don't even look tired after that. You cover some serious ground. Any wildlife? (i couldn't watch the entire video)

[@kimberlynolan2745]

We did not encounter any wildlife, and in our opinion, thank goodness. 👍 A portion of our trail was posted as caution for bear frequenting and the trail that bordered ours was closed due to bear activity, so having our trails free of grizz was awesome. The moose are fantastic always, however the views along this hike far surpassed wildlife....at least this time and in my opinion. I would say adrenaline helped us along the way, but we prepped for this hike, and that made it more enjoyable. Thank you!!

[@nolanventures473]

It’s a great hike but it will take it out of you. More of a positive mindset than anything gets us through. But we needed a full day of recovery. Thank you!

[@BW-pr8qr]

@@nolanventures473 I’m sure!

[@roadhog6603]

We did the same trail clockwise last month. It was amazing.👍

[@nolanventures473]

Very cool!

[@lzma636]

How long did it take you for this loop?

[@nolanventures473]

I don’t like to give time frames to complete hikes. Everyone hikes and enjoys the wilderness at their own pace. Some stop for breaks, lunch, pictures, video etc. Just like everyone runs the mile in a different time. Some can run a 4 minute mile and for some it takes 10 minutes. Therefore I believe it is an inaccurate and flawed way of measuring a hike. Rather: I give mileage, elevation gain, and trail conditions in the video so you can gauge for yourself. That is a better way to estimate your hike. I hope this is helpful and thank you for watching.