Fast, secure, risk-free booking guaranteed.
Summer
Kalispell, MT, and the Glacier Airport are 15mins away
3 days
Beginner
A mindfulness retreat to Montana’s wilderness is your chance to reconnect with yourself and nature. Join a group of like-minded ladies on a 3-day backpacking trip with campsite setups at Upper Holland and Sapphire Lake. The trail leads you through dense woods, conifer canopies, wildflower meadows, and tons of waterfalls until you reach your destination—pristine alpine lakes. Whether it’s tripping through nearby trails, sipping on your tea by a cozy campfire, or dipping in lakes encircled by pine trees and towering peaks, you’re bound to experience a restorative adventure.
Lush mountains of Montana dotted with clear blue alpine lakes
Learn the ropes of backpacking and setting up a perfect campsite
Total reset of mind and body in nature with the support of like-minded women
Start walking through conifer woodlands of Montana’s mountains. Go through backpacking basics, from gear to setup to map reading. Once you reach your campsite for the night near the Upper Holland Lake, spend the rest of the afternoon however you’d like. Take a dip in the lake, relax at your camp, or get to know your hiking friends. Your guides offer optional guided stretching, journaling, and meditation. After a delicious dinner and a warming fire, you’ll get cozy for the night in your tents with your new tent buddy.
Hiking: 7 miles/ 11.3 km
Elevation: +2,400 ft/ 730 m
Meals: Dinner
Watch the sun go up onto the lake with your morning cup of coffee. To kick off your morning, do some guided stretching, after which you’ll have breakfast. Go over how to break down a camp, repack your backpacks, and set off to your new campsite. Once you arrive at the alpine Sapphire Lake, you have the freedom to do whatever you’d like. Enjoy your time at the campsite or head on a guided hike to the next series of lakes—it can be as short or as long of a hike as you want. Once you all regroup at the camp, stretch, journal, and meditate.
Hiking: 2 miles/ 3.2 km
Elevation: +800 ft/ 245 m
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise and shine with more coffee and stretches. Take in your last morning swims and pack up at a leisurely pace to head out. Once back at the cars, you’ll have much deserved cool drinks and say your goodbyes.
Hiking: 5.4 miles/ 8.7 km
Elevation: +680 ft/ 208 m, -3,580 ft/ 1,091 m
Meals: Breakfast
One of the best trips I’ve ever been on! I felt so safe even in the middle of nowhere on my first backpacking trip. The guides were helpful, supportive, and a ton of fun! Would love to go again if I get the chance!
Great Northern Wilderness Guides provides such a thoughtful and fun experience in the backcountry. You will be taken care of and simultaneously empowered. Would highly recommend!
I can’t recommend booking a trip with Madison and Sally enough! They answered all of my questions leading up to the trip and were so patient and helpful throughout the entire experience. I gained so much knowledge and confidence from backpacking with this group of women. Well worth every penny!
10/10 would highly recommend! Check them out! We had a great time and the guides were fun!
What you get on this adventure:
If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, make sure to notify your guide in advance of the trip. They will adjust the menu accordingly.
What’s not included:
No prior hiking experience is necessary for this backpacking trip! This all-women Upper Holland Lake to Sapphire Lake trip only requires a base level of fitness. The most you’ll hike is on day 1, when you’ll walk for 7 miles (11km) with 2,400-foot (730-meter) elevation gain. Other days require significantly less hiking. If it gets too much for you, you’ll simply take it slow with plenty of water, snacks, and swim breaks. If you want to hike more, your guide will pair you up with a hiking buddy and you can explore more on your own!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
The sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tent, hiking poles, backpack, and cooking system can be provided by your guides. If you need hiking and camping gear, make sure to notify your guides in advance. Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and prices:
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
A 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
To get to Whitefish, most people fly into Glacier Park International Airport, 15 minutes away from Whitefish. Glacier Park International Airport offers direct flights to 13 major US cities, including Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Phoenix. From there, you can take a taxi or a shuttle service to Whitefish.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, which will usually be at Whitefish Depot Park. It’s important to note that you can’t leave vehicles parked overnight at the park, which is why we recommend walking or getting a ride there.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Montana, please refer to CDC’s guidelines for international travel to and from the United States and Montana’s COVID-19 information website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Start walking through conifer woodlands of Montana’s mountains. Go through backpacking basics, from gear to setup to map reading. Once you reach your campsite for the night near the Upper Holland Lake, spend the rest of the afternoon however you’d like. Take a dip in the lake, relax at your camp, or get to know your hiking friends. Your guides offer optional guided stretching, journaling, and meditation. After a delicious dinner and a warming fire, you’ll get cozy for the night in your tents with your new tent buddy.
Hiking: 7 miles/ 11.3 km
Elevation: +2,400 ft/ 730 m
Meals: Dinner
Watch the sun go up onto the lake with your morning cup of coffee. To kick off your morning, do some guided stretching, after which you’ll have breakfast. Go over how to break down a camp, repack your backpacks, and set off to your new campsite. Once you arrive at the alpine Sapphire Lake, you have the freedom to do whatever you’d like. Enjoy your time at the campsite or head on a guided hike to the next series of lakes—it can be as short or as long of a hike as you want. Once you all regroup at the camp, stretch, journal, and meditate.
Hiking: 2 miles/ 3.2 km
Elevation: +800 ft/ 245 m
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise and shine with more coffee and stretches. Take in your last morning swims and pack up at a leisurely pace to head out. Once back at the cars, you’ll have much deserved cool drinks and say your goodbyes.
Hiking: 5.4 miles/ 8.7 km
Elevation: +680 ft/ 208 m, -3,580 ft/ 1,091 m
Meals: Breakfast