Posted in Montana April 19, 2017 by

Most People Have No Idea This Unique Tunnel In Montana Exists

If you grew up in Montana, you’ve almost certainly been to Glacier National Park. And if you’re REALLY familiar with Montana, you may have heard of the unique tunnel, the Ptarmigan Tunnel, located inside the park. After all, there aren’t many places in the area where you can walk right through a mountain.

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The Ptarmigan Tunnel was built in 1930 through the Ptarmigan Wall.
Aram Kudurshian / Flickr
The tunnel was created for horses and for early park tours. Its existence made an incredibly tough trail much easier to get through.
The tunnel was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corp.
Wikipedia
To create the tunnel, two opposing steel jackhammers drilled from either side of the mountain and a series of rounds of dynamite gradually broke through it in less than three months.
The 250 foot tunnel is currently part of one of Glacier's most popular hikes.
Troy Smith / Flickr
Still, many Montanans who are not avid hikers have no idea that it even exists.
It's also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Troy Smith / Flickr
Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail shares the first half of its trail with the Iceberg Lake Trail, eventually arriving at Ptarmigan Lake located at the base of Ptarmigan Wall.
Mark Goble / Flickr
There are some spectacular views on this trail.

Have you been through the Ptarmigan Tunnel? Here are some other fascinating facts about Glacier National Park.