Plan with
Confidence
The Exit Glacier Area is open year round. Around mid-November, when the snow season really begins, the road to Exit Glacier is closed to vehicles but accessible to a range of winter recreation including dogsleds, snowmobiles, XC skiers and fat bikes. The road usually stays closed until early May, so be sure to check the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/conditions.htm">current conditions</a> if you are visiting during the off season.
Path Type
There and Back
Follow the Exit Glacier Paved Path for roughly 1/3 of a mile and look for the !Harding Icefield Trailhead on the right.Starting on the valley floor, the trail meanders through alder and cottonwood forest as well as heather-filled meadows. The trail rises through the forest and ultimately ends up well above tree line to an awe-inspiring vantage point of the icefield. The peak of the trail is a peephole to ice ages past. A horizon of snow and ice stretches as far as the eye can see, broken only by an occasional lonely peak, known as a nunatak.The trail is quite strenuous. You'll gain roughly 1,000 vertical feet over every mile. Budget somewhere around 6-8 hours for the whole outing. While the view from the top is definitely worth the extra work, you don't need to hike all the way there to experience the aspects of this trail that make it so special. A short hike up the trail provides dramatic views of the valley and Exit Glacier's end.
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