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Beware the parking area for Siyeh Bend is under construction as of 7-8-10, there is a temp Shuttle Stop currently at this trailhead. As of 7-8-10 most of the rough work appears complete at Siyeh Bend parking area, still needs to be paved. There is a temp bus stop sign on the upward side of the going To The Sun Road. Lots of wildflowers, you can get to Preston Park if your willing to cross numerous small snow fields, after that the snow gets deeper. Trail crew has this scheduled for 7-15-10. Siyeh Bend parking along with the retaining wall at the creek are under construction, access varies daily. Keep in mind that there are two small parking areas about 1/4 down The Going To The Sun Road towards St Mary. If you are coming up from St Mary this situation is tricky as you will have passed those parking spots before you can tell if the Siyeh Bend parking is open. 2010 Shuttle schedule is 7 am to 7 pm, Logan Pass is open from 7 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday Logan Pass is open 24hours.
When I first stood in the parking lot at Siyeh Bend and looked up to Piegan Pass Trail traversing Cataract Mountain, I didn't have a warm & fuzzy feeling. Piegan Pass Trail is one of those trails that looks tougher then it is, of course it didn't help that the day I first hiked it the view was obscured by heavy smoke. From the pass to Feather Plume Falls, the Piegan Pass Trail is the only trace of civilization. Logistically it's easier to hike to Piegan Pass and then return to Siyeh Bend. This is an excellent trail to get a sense of wilderness. Most hikers seem to stop at the Siyeh Trail intersection, the hike beyond that point to Piegan Pass is very gradual and fairly easy when the trail is free of snow. High wind can make this trail dangerous, so common sense and paying attention to the weather is important to safely get to Piegan Pass. Even if your not going to make the logistically challenging hike to Many Glacier Hotel, it is worth the effort to go a short way beyond the pass as the views and the terrain change rapidly. Make sure you bring a windbreaker with you on this trail. There is limited parking at Siyeh Bend, plus a shuttle stop. Note this is the east side shuttle and the time between shuttles is much longer then the west side shuttle.  |
 The view of Piegan Glacier was hampered by the thick smoke filling Glacier National Park in 2007. Piegan Glacier is one of the few glaciers in Glacier National Park that shows little sign of change when comparing photographs of the glacier from the early 1900's to the present day. What does show clearly when comparing the early photographs with the one I took in 2007 is the vegetation along the Piegan Pass Trail. In Bakers photo, circa 1914, of this trail there is no vegetation at all, just rocks. | |
The treat that I found on the far side of the pass after entering into a grove of sub-alpine-fir was Feather Plume Falls. The Piegan Pass Trail provides you with many different views of this spectacular water fall. | |
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|   The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance," 1841
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