Belly River Trail to Poia Lake

This is Glacier's quiet side — the kind of trail where you might see more grizzlies than people, and that's not an exaggeration. Starting from the Belly River trailhead near the Chief Mountain border crossing, you'll drop into a broad, glacier-carved valley that feels genuinely remote within the first mile. The trail follows the Belly River through dense lodgepole and spruce forest before climbing steadily toward Poia Lake, gaining about 1,400 feet over the full out-and-back — enough to feel in your legs but never punishing. The forest eventually opens to reveal the lake sitting in a dramatic cirque, ringed by steep headwalls that hold snow well into August. Wildlife is the headline here: this corridor is one of the park's most reliable spots for grizzly sightings, moose near the river, and the occasional wolverine track. This trail rewards hikers who value solitude and wildness over Instagram-ready overlooks.