Local writer creates Glacier hiking guide

From majestic mountains to sweeping valleys, Glacier National Park offers a little bit of everything for every hiker.

An unforgettable day in the park only takes a little planning and a little help, which is where former Whitefish resident Jean Arthur comes in.

Arthur recently wrote “Glacier National Park: Must-Do Hikes For Everyone,” which outlines a selection of the best hikes in the park. The guide covers everything from trail length and difficulty, viewpoints, fishing and canoe access, to trail safety and etiquette.

“There are trails for everyone, and every fitness level,” Arthur told the Pilot. “You just have to know where they are, and which ones are right for you.”

Book publisher Wilderness Press contacted Arthur two and a half years ago with the idea for a Glacier Park hiking guide. Arthur was hooked immediately,

Since the 1970s, she has been hiking, paddling, biking and skiing her way through Glacier.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on those trails,” said Arthur.

Her book offers a variety of ways to view the park, but she said her favorite hike is a canoe and backpack trip to Hole in the Wall.

“It was fantastically beautiful,” she said. “It is one of the most beautiful spots in North America.”

Arthur used a GPS on each hike included in the guide so she could mark specific spots where the trail produced viewpoints, fishing access, or other notable landmarks. These points are transferred to maps in the book.

Since the park is constantly changing, the GPS points offer a stable way to signify important areas.

Arthur says veteran hikers might not care for this new method, but it will greatly benefit those who are new to the trail or area.

She says guides like this are important because the park changes so much over time.

“The book I wrote today is completely different than what I would have written 20 years ago,” she said.

For example, she said, the Logging Lake hike has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Before the millennium, the hills surrounding the lake were covered with thick undergrowth and tall trees, making views impossible.

“I wouldn’t have even included that hike,” Arthur said. “It wouldn’t have been worth anything.”

However, the wildfires of 1999, 2001 and 2003 changed the area. Most of the vegetation was taken out, and many of the tall growths were burned down. Today, this creates incredible views of the surrounding glaciers — something hard to see in most parts of the park because of tree cover. Arthur says it is now a great backpacking hike for beginners that yields a great reward.

“The park is constantly changing,” she said. “The glaciers are moving, and things like fires alter the landscape.”

Arthur moved to Whitefish after receiving her undergraduate degree in journalism. She and her husband spend a dozen years in the Flathead Valley, where she taught at Flathead Valley Community College. She worked at the Pilot for a short time in 1985, as well.

Arthur currently teaches writing at Montana State University in Bozeman.

“Glacier National Park: Must-Do Hikes For Everyone” is available at Bookworks in Whitefish, or can be found online at Amazon.