Glacier's Popular Highline Trail opens

The Daily Inter Lake

The Highline Trail, Glacier National Park's most famous trail, was opened Thursday, clearing the way for hikers for the Fourth of July weekend and the rest of the summer.

With the traditional help of the Over-the-Hill Gang, park trail staffers shoveled and treaded their way through snowy sections along the Highline Trail, which was opened from Logan Pass to Granite Park Chalet before noon Thursday.

The Over-the-Hill Gang is a group of mostly retired folks who hike in the park every Thursday and assist with the Highline opening every year.

The trail opening clears the way for today's scheduled opening of the Granite Park Chalet, one of Glacier's historic backcountry chalets. Granite Park is operated as a hut for hikers under the new management of Belton Chalets Inc.

Trails, campgrounds and concessions facilities are open throughout the entire park, with one exception.

Park officials announced Thursday that the Logging Lake Campground will not open as scheduled because of the hazard from trees killed by an insect infestation.

Experts are being called in to determine the best way to address the infestation.

and safety hazards around the campground.

Glacier officials remind park visitors that all fireworks are prohibited in the park.