Glacier National Park Invites Volunteers to 2026 Annual Hawk Watch Events

Glacier National Park will host volunteer training for its annual Hawk Watch Program on Sept. 21 and Hawk Watch Open House on Oct. 3.

Each year in the fall, golden eagles migrate from northern breeding grounds to warmer climates for the winter. One of the most important North American golden eagle migration routes passes directly through Glacier National Park. Large numbers of other raptors also use this migration corridor during the fall and spring months.

In the mid-1990s, biologists documented nearly 2,000 golden eagles migrating past Mount Brown annually. Recent data from outside Glacier National Park indicated significant declines in golden eagle numbers. Due to this concern, the park initiated a Raptor Migration Project in 2011 to investigate possible locations for a Hawk Watch site. In 2018, the park settled on Mount Brown and Lake McDonald sites due to consistent counts of migrating raptors and relative ease of access.

There are two events volunteers can sign up for. The Sept. 21 training will be an in-the-field training day for volunteers interested in participating in the Lake McDonald Lodge Hawk Watch during the end of September through October.

When: Noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe’s parking lot
Bring: Binoculars

Once trained and registered for the program, volunteers will help participate in raptor migration counts at Lake McDonald Lodge.

On Oct. 3, the park is hosting the Annual Mount Brown Hawk Watch Open House, which will feature live raptors from noon to 2 p.m. — providing a close-up of raptor species that migrate past Mount Brown. Park biologists will teach volunteers how to identify and count migrating raptors and answer questions about the integral role of raptors in our ecosystems and the risks they face. After, volunteers will participate in raptor monitoring from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe’s parking lot
Bring: Binoculars

After training, volunteers can assist with counts at Lake McDonald Lodge, or hike to an observation point and count migrating raptors below the Mount Brown Lookout. The hike to the Mount Brown Observation Point is about 9 miles (14.5 km) roundtrip) with an elevation gain of over 4,000 feet (1,220 m).

Hawk Watch sites are part of an international effort to track long-term raptor population trends using systematic migrating raptor counts. To see a map of Hawk Watch sites around the world go to www.hawkcount.org.

For more information about event registration and the Mount Brown Hawk Watch program, contact park staff via email at GLAC_citizen_science@nps.gov or call (406) 888-7986.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Many Glacier project to impact trails

Glacier National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

Heads up, Many Glacier hikers! 🚧 Trail crews will be working on the Swiftcurrent Lake Loop accessibility project Wednesday–Thursday this week (Aug. 26–27) and Monday–Thursday next week (Aug. 31–Sept. 3).

On those days, the section of trail from the picnic area/Grinnell Glacier trailhead to the boat dock at the head of Swiftcurrent Lake will be closed.

Hikers planning to reach the Grinnell Glacier Trail should expect a brief reroute: if you park in the usual trailhead/picnic area, you’ll simply detour around the east side of Swiftcurrent Lake toward Many Glacier Hotel before beginning the hike. Parking in the hotel area may be tighter than normal, so sticking to your usual parking spot and taking the detour will be the best option for most visitors.

This temporary closure is necessary so trail crews can regrade, widen, and install a hardened surface—work that requires warm, dry weather to properly set and create a safer, more durable walking surface for future visitors. Thanks for your patience as we improve trail accessibility and visitor safety. 🌲 Plan ahead, allow extra time, and enjoy the views along your reroute!

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Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier:

On this date in hiking history: The Three Musketeers complete the Long Trail

The following is an excerpt from Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

Accounts of Green Mountain Club outings throughout its first several decades show that women participated in tramps as often as men. This included thru-hikes of the Long Trail in Vermont, which was completed in 1930 as the first long-distance footpath in the United States. Though the final 10-mile segment leading to the Canadian border was only a blazed route at the time, Kathleen Norris, Hilda Kurth and Catherine Robbins became the second group of trampers to thru-hike the entire 272-mile trail in 1927. It took 32 days for the “Three Musketeers,” as they affectionately became known as, to complete their extended trek. During the trip, the three young ladies became media sensations, as newspapers across America covered their story. Their feat would inspire many other females to become “end-to-enders” in the years that followed.

The Three Musketeers: When they needed a rest they would pull out a ukulele and sing college prep songs until they were re-energized:

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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

Upcoming construction changes at Taggart Lake Trailhead, Moose-Wilson Road and Teton Park Road

Grand Teton National Park is entering the next phase of several major construction projects, bringing changes to visitor access at Taggart Lake Trailhead and along the Moose-Wilson Road corridor. Visitors should plan ahead for changing conditions, follow posted closures and allow additional time when traveling through construction areas.

“We know construction can change the way people experience some of their favorite places in the park, especially during the busy summer season,” said Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “We appreciate visitors’ patience and cooperation as crews work to improve trails, roads and facilities while protecting the resources that makes this place special.”

Taggart Lake Trailhead area

Construction continues at the Taggart Lake Trailhead and along the Taggart Lake Trail as part of a multi-year project to improve access, address erosion and protect the heavily visited area. As part of the project, Cottonwood Creek picnic area will close for construction in mid-August. Visitors should follow posted signs and stay out of active construction zones.

The Taggart Lake Trailhead and parking lot remain open, but visitors should expect construction activity and changing conditions in the area. The northern portion of the Taggart Lake Trail remains closed for reconstruction. Taggart Lake can still be reached using the southern route, which is longer and steeper—about 4.25 miles roundtrip.

The project will ultimately provide a renewed Taggart Lake Trail and Trailhead, including improved accessibility, a redesigned trailhead with educational signage to encourage responsible recreation, restrooms, a water bottle filling station, and a larger parking lot to accommodate increased use. The project is supported through a partnership between Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation.

Teton Park Road Roundabout bypass

Construction of a bypass for the future Teton Park Road Roundabout near Moose will begin the week of August 24 and is expected to continue for about two weeks.

During construction, vehicle traffic will be reduced to one lane and controlled by flaggers. Visitors should expect delays of up to 20 minutes, not including wait times at the Moose Entrance Station.

Menors Ferry Road is anticipated to be closed during construction. Pathways cyclists should follow posted signs and expect to use the road shoulder through the construction area, which includes some temporarily unpaved areas.

The bypass is expected to be paved at the end of September.

Moose-Wilson Road between Moose and LSRP closes September 7

The Moose-Wilson Road between the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Moose is currently open to through traffic, with intermittent delays of 45 minutes or longer possible as construction continues.

The road between Moose and the LSRP will close to motor vehicle and bicycle traffic at the end of the day September 7 as construction resumes in the corridor. The closure is scheduled to continue through November 15.

After November 15, the corridor will transition to seasonal winter recreation use as conditions allow. Visitors should check current road and trail conditions before traveling to the area.

Death Canyon Road and Death Canyon Trailhead, accessed from the Moose-Wilson Road, remain closed for construction throughout the 2026 season.

Current road, trail and construction information is available on the park's road construction webpage and current conditions webpage.


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Rising more than 7000 feet above Jackson Hole, the majestic mountains of Grand Teton National Park provide one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. With more than 240 miles of trails meandering throughout this park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Grand Teton National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Grand Teton:

On this date in hiking history: William O. Douglas begins his 22-mile hike to protest an extension of Highway 101

On this date in 1958, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas led a 22-mile trek along the Olympic coast in Washington, just west of Olympic National Park, to protest a proposed extension of Highway 101. This backpacking trip along the rugged coast took three days to complete, but was successful in accomplishing the goal of the roughly 70 participants.

Here’s a pretty cool documentary film of Douglas’s historic hike – both for its historical significance, and the scenery:





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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.