Glacier National Park
Whether you are spending your entire vacation in Glacier, or just looking to explore while you’re passing through, there are a few things that you absolutely can’t miss. Glacier National Park is a special place, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to make the most of your time without missing out! Here are some tips and tricks we’ve learned during our explorations.
How long should I stay?
You can certainly explore the park in a few days but a week or more would give you ample time to fully experience the park. You could spend years exploring the park and the surrounding wilderness areas if you really wanted to. I would recommend no less than three days to get around to the different parts of the park. In seven days, you could hike many of the popular trails and experience some of the others the park has to offer such as rafting, fishing, climbing, or one of the historic red bus tours.
When to Go?
Glacier is open year-round to snow walkers and skiers. However, the Going to the Sun Road doesn’t usually open until June and may not be fully passable until July. For this reason, the peak season to visit is in July and August. The first few weeks of September may just be your best bet. You can avoid most of the busy tourism season and still access the whole park before winter weather hits. The park is open 24 hours a day so you can enter as early as you like and leave whenever you please.
You do need to visit the National Park website in order to get a pass to enter the park if you plan on entering the park between 6am – 5pm. They only allow so many tickets a day, so plan early. You can see more about the fees and rules here.
Where to Stay?
There are several large towns near the park that offer numerous hotels, Airbnb’s, and lodges to stay in. The ski resort town of Whitefish is only 40 minutes away and offers higher-end lodging and amenities. Kalispell and Columbia falls are closer to the park and both feature grocery stores, gas, laundry, hotels, and everything else you might need on vacation. There are also numerous campsites and RV parks along the road heading into the park. But don’t forget, the closer you want to stay in the park the more expensive it will be! Your final option is to stay inside the park itself. This is a great option, but it often requires reservations months or years in advance.
How to get around?
If you are flying into the area, the closest airport is in Whitefish. I highly recommend renting a car to drive to Glacier. This park is massive and the only way to commute is with a car or a park shuttle. The shuttle can help avoid parking headaches at the popular trailheads.
Top Things to do
Going To The Sun Road
This is one of the most popular scenic drives in the country and for good reason! The road connects East and West Glacier. It travels up, around, and through the mountains that make Glacier so beautiful. Along the road, you can see mountain tops, wildlife, waterfalls, and glaciers. Take it slow and make sure to stop at the pullouts to take pictures. During peak season it can take up to six hours to drive from West to East Glacier and back.
Lake McDonald
This is one of the clearest lakes you will ever see. You can take boat tours, skip rocks from the shore, or hike one of the many trails around the lake. This is the home of the famous rainbow-colored rocks.
Logans Pass-The highest point on the going to the sun road. This is where many of the most popular hikes in the park start. You can also park here and ride the shuttle to many of the other trailheads. Make sure to get there early to get a parking spot and don’t forget to check out the visitor center.
The Highline Trail
The Highline is one of my favorite hikes of all time. It is long but not very taxing. I suggest bringing a lunch or snack so that you can stop and soak in the views when you get tired. It follows a cliff for the first several hundred yards, then meanders over a mountain ridge through forests and glaciers before you pass by one of the park’s functioning chalets and head back down to meet your shuttle.
Avalanche Creek-This is a very popular and easy-going hike that everyone should check out during their time in Glacier. The trail follows a boardwalk before crossing Avalanche creek. This small slot creek is one of the most popular photo-ops in the park. If you wish to continue you can hike several more miles to Avalanche Lake. This hike is extremely rewarding. Around the lake, you’ll notice several waterfalls cascading into one of the most picturesque lakes in the west. This area can also be congested so make sure to get there early to avoid the crowds
St. Mary’s and Virginia Falls- This hike features two incredible waterfalls. It starts at the St. Mary Cutoff Trail. You can park early or ride the shuttle from Sun Point or Rising Sun. You’ll be able to view Dusty Star and Almost-a-Dog mountains as well as Little Chief and Heavy Runner Mountains. You’ll also pass through the fire-damaged trees from the Reynolds Creek fire of 2015. First, you will arrive at St. Mary falls. It is a three-tiered waterfall that you can photograph from the bridge that crosses the creek. Another 1.7 miles down the trail you will arrive at Virginia Falls. This waterfall is also multi-tiered and falls roughly 50 feet. I love to stand under the falls and feel the cool spray, especially in the summer.
Fly Fishing- Wetting a line in a setting like Glacier national park is something that you will never forget. There may not be any lunkers in the park, but the small native cutthroat trout make up for it with their unique red slashes and fine black speckles. There are many creeks and rivers along the roads in the park that all hold fish. You can also try hiking to lakes in the park where you might find rainbow, brook, lake, or even bull trout as well as grayling and whitefish. The water comes from glacial melt so make sure to pack waders, it will be freezing even in the summer! You could also try taking a guided fly-fishing trip with one of the many outfitters in the area. The North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River provide great opportunities for float fishing through some of the best scenery you will ever see.
Rafting- Whitewater is one of the most popular activities in the area. There are many outfitters that offer different kinds of trips on the North and Middle Forks of the flathead. There are opportunities to experience class I-IV whitewater on the rivers that make up the western and southern borders of the park. Several outfitters also offer multi-day raft trips and combo whitewater/fishing trips.
Glacier is an absolute bucket list trip and I highly recommend that you visit the very next chance you get! There is so much to love about the area. You could spend a lifetime exploring the area and never grow tired. You and your family are sure to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Glacier is an absolute bucket list trip and I highly recommend that you visit the very next chance you get! There is so much to love about the area. You could spend a lifetime exploring the area and never grow tired. You and your family are sure to make memories that will last a lifetime.
