Montana · Hiking

Dawson Pass

Dawson PassPhoto: roy.luck, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
9.8 mi
round trip
3,151 ft
climb
Out and back
route
Expert
difficulty
May–Sep
best months

Is Dawson Pass open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Glacier National Park. It doesn't name Dawson Pass, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: NPS · Glacier National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Dawson Pass is a 19.54-mile out-and-back trail in Montana managed by the National Park Service. The route gains 3,151 feet of elevation.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Nearby · Two Med South Shore · Aster Park · Paradise Point Trail
  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Dawson Pass

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      30° / 13°

    2. Feb

      30° / 13°

    3. Mar

      37° / 19°

    4. Apr

      46° / 27°

    5. May

      56° / 34°

    6. Jun

      64° / 41°

    7. Jul

      74° / 46°

    8. Aug

      74° / 44°

    9. Sep

      63° / 38°

    10. Oct

      50° / 29°

    11. Nov

      36° / 22°

    12. Dec

      29° / 15°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at E Glacier, MT, 9.3 mi away at 4,806 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Two Med South ShorePhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Two Med South Shore

~2 min drive

12.1-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 601 ft elevation gain.

Aster ParkPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Aster Park

~3 min drive

1.46-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 504 ft gain.

Paradise Point TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Paradise Point Trail

~4 min drive

This pleasant and short hike takes you to a small beach with a striking view of Two Medicine Lake and the surrounding mountains. Paradise Point Distance: 0.6 mi (1.0 km), one way Elevation gained: 88 ft (27 m) Elevation lost: 84 ft (26 m) Trailhead: South Shore Trailhead, be…

Elk MountainPhoto: JimsFlicker, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Coal CreekPhoto: roy.luck, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coal Creek

~25 min drive

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Dry ForkPhoto: Arbron, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Dry Fork

~8 min drive

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Oldman LakePhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Oldman Lake

~4 min drive

1.62-mile out-and-back trail to Oldman Lake in Montana with 426 ft elevation gain.

Scenic PointPhoto: GlacierNPS, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Scenic Point

~5 min drive

This trail takes you on a mostly exposed and steady climb up to the well-named Scenic Point. Along the way, you'll see the ghostly skeletons of whitebark pine trees, dead after succumbing to either white pine blister rust or mountain pine beetles. Scenic Point Distance: 3.8…

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Cut Bank Pass

~12 min drive

9.84-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 3,070 ft elevation gain.

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Two Medicine Pass

~8 min drive

18.1-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 4,211 ft elevation gain.