As we made our descent in the late afternoon from Loneman Lookout on the southern end of Glacier National Park, we heard a whistling sound making it seem as though hikers might appear around the next switchback.  

When none materialized, it was hard not to think of the tragedy that occurred 125 years ago, nearly to the day we visited the Nyack area. 

It was Aug. 31, 1901, when freight cars sitting in Essex had their brakes slip and began rolling back down the track and picking up speed. The train struck a passenger car headed west, and carrying dry wooden shingles, caught fire, as the story is told in author John Fraley’s book “Rangers, Trappers and Trailblazers: Early Adventures in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park.”  

More than 30 Asian laborers and other crew members on the passenger train were killed or burned to death in the wreck and blaze. Unidentifiable, the remains were buried together in a nearby mass grave — an area reportedly haunted today as a result. 

Maybe tiredness from the roughly 15-mile round trip and decent elevation gain, along with a river crossing, played into our imagination. But after tuning our ears to the sound, it soon became apparent that it was in fact the wind moving through the trees on a warm day.  

THE HIKE to Loneman Lookout starts in flat terrain, wandering through the trees between U.S. 2 and the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and Nyack Creek before beginning a steady climb up roughly 3,800 feet, offering views to the valleys below and surrounding mountains.  

Finding the trailhead can be a bit tricky. Around mile marker 164 on U.S. roughly 10 miles east of West Glacier, there’s a wide spot on the northwest side of the highway and dirt road that makes its way to the railroad tracks, which are crossed to get to the river. 

Later in the season, the river in this spot is known to be knee-deep, but when we crossed it in late August, it was nearly waist-high, requiring careful foot placement to combat the push of the river.  

Orange blaze markers define the beginning of the route, helping guide hikers before and after fording the river through the trees and tall grass. Passing the remnants of the log buildings of the long-abandoned Nyack Ranger Station, keep hiking along the Boundary Creek Trail. 

After crossing Nyack Creek, you’ll reach the Nyack Trail junction to keep on the Boundary Trail and reach the Loneman Lookout Trail junction.    

As the trail starts climbing up the hillside, views of the Middle Fork and Nyack Flats begin to appear with the Great Bear Wilderness set in the background. Burn areas offer views but also little in the way of shade.   

Blowdown made for a day spent stepping over, ducking under and in some cases, twisting and winding through the logs. In some areas, the trees are thick enough to create a corridor feeling, and higher up the brush threatens to consume the trail entirely, forcing hikers to push through to keep feet on the path. 

The trail winds its way around Loneman Mountain. Nearing the top a switchback provides the first glimpse of the previously hidden lookout perched on its own little knoll.     

Moving through alpine terrain with a few trees dotting the grassy hillside, the trail passes the double summits, eventually wrapping around the top of the mountain to the lookout.    

Views at the top provide an excellent vantage point to take in the bluish peaks of Glacier Park, including Mount Jackson and Mount Stimson, as well as into the Nyack Creek drainage. In the final section before the lookout, you can peer down to the greenish-blue Harrison Lake.    

The two-story lookout, sitting at 7,181 feet in elevation, has a catwalk around the exterior allowing visitors to gain a little extra height while stopping for lunch. The 14-foot by 14-foot lookout was built in 1930 and is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register.   

After taking in the panoramic views at the top, heading down the mountain, your toes hitting the tip of your hiking boots make you realize just how far you’ve climbed. Offering beautiful views in a less visited area of the park, the challenging hike offers a rewarding experience. 

    After hiking up to Loneman Lookout, take the opportunity to sit on the catwalk for lunch. (Heidi Desch/Daily Inter Lake)