Part of the fun of exploring Glacier National Park is connecting the places I visit with their history. This hike passes through the southern part of a pre-park, 135-acre homestead that was worked by a couple of colorful characters.
Trailhead
After passing through the North Fork entrance station, turn right onto the Inside North Fork Road. The Covey Meadow trailhead and small parking area are on the left.
Hike Summary
| Total Distance: 1.7 miles |
| Total Elevation Gain: 174 feet; Loss: 177 feet |
| Difficulty: 2.1, easy* (Calculated using Petzoldt’s Energy Rated Mile equation.) |
| Walking Time: 46 minutes (Calculated using an average moving speed of 2.5 mph and Naismith’s correction for elevation gain.) |
The Hike
As you start your hike, you’ll pass through a thick lodgepole pine forest, which replaced the trees destroyed by the Red Bench Fire of 1988. After a short 0.4-mile walk, you’ll find yourself in Covey Meadow. From here, you can enjoy wonderful views of the peaks in the Livingston Range to the east.
Covey Meadow is the namesake of Henry Covey, the uncle of Jesse Bemis, who claimed this land for a homestead in 1909. Like many homesteaders, Jesse and Henry subsisted on what they could grow and raise: hay, chickens, a cow, and a half-acre garden. To earn a little extra income, they took on various jobs, trapped, and even brewed a little moonshine to sell. They were both known for their musical talent and often entertained at local gatherings by playing the fiddle.2 Jesse died in November 1951, and a few months later, they took Henry from the homestead on a toboggan because he couldn’t care for himself.1,3 He died in 1953.1 The homestead was sold and is now owned by the National Park Service.
To complete this trip, continue along the western edge of the meadow where the trail will reenter the forest after about a quarter mile. Eventually, it emerges onto the Inside North Fork Road. When Bemis filed his homestead claim, this road was little more than a crude-stump-riddled wagon track, and the west-side North Fork Road didn’t exist. Because of the time and effort involved, going to town was an infrequent event.
To return to your vehicle, turn right onto the road and walk a half-mile.
Notes
- “Bemis-Covey, Final Chapter.” Hungry Horse News, June 5, 1953.
- Bick, Patricia. Homesteading on the North Fork in Glacier National Park, Montana. West Glacier, MT: Glacier National Park, 1986.
- “Bury Jesse Bemis from North Fork.” Hungry Horse News, Nov 30, 1951.
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