Information to Visiting Glacier Nationwide Park

Of all of the nationwide parks inside america, Glacier Nationwide Park stands out as one of many perfect — and thus one of the common. Positioned within the northwest area of Montana, bordering Canda’s Waterton Lakes Nationwide Park, the 1,583 sq. miles of protected land welcomes round three million guests yearly. Many come for the climbing trails, wildlife sightings, and pockets of unparalleled quiet and peace within the park’s extra distant spots; others are there with the purpose of driving the 50-mile-long Going-to-the-Solar Street.

Regardless of your ideally suited itinerary, one factor’s for certain: You’ll wish to arrive to Glacier Nationwide Park with at the least a fundamental understanding of the realm’s structure and what to anticipate. And to offer you a complete information to the park, we spoke to a couple native consultants.

Learn on to find every thing you should know earlier than visiting Glacier Nationwide Park — together with recommendations on when to go to and the place to hike, eat, and keep.

Tips on how to Get There

Glacier Park Worldwide Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, Montana is the closest main airport and a few 30-minute drive from the park’s west entrance. It’s served by six main airways: Alaska, Delta, United, Allegiant, American, and Solar Nation. Missoula Worldwide Airport (MSO) and Nice Falls Worldwide Airport (GTF) — 120 and 200 miles away, respectively — are additionally choices for these touring by airplane. Upon arrival, a rental automotive shall be crucial in order for you the flexibleness and freedom to discover the park and surrounding space by yourself time.  Taking the practice to Glacier Nationwide Park is one other transportation possibility. Amtrak’s historic Empire Builder line makes year-round stops at West Glacier and serves East Glacier seasonally.

“Throughout peak season, parking might be difficult,” says Glacier Guides and Montana Raft’s Nicolina Baldassari, who suggests utilizing the first-come, first-served shuttle service alongside the Going-to-the-Solar Street, “which might help you keep away from parking hassles and nonetheless entry common trailheads.”

Know Earlier than You Go

Any journey to Glacier Nationwide Park begins with getting a go. “It’s a must to have a park go to enter any gate into Glacier Nationwide Park, after which sure corridors — North Fork, Many Glacier, and Going-to-the-Solar Street — additionally require a automobile reservation to enter the hall between 6 a.m. and three p.m. throughout peak season,” says Aubrie Lorona, proprietor of Swan Mountain Outfitters. If you have already got the $80 annual America the Stunning go, which grants go holders entry to most U.S. nationwide parks, you’ll be all set on the doorway price.

You’ll additionally wish to put aside at the least two days to see the park — although three to 5 will assist you to examine off the entire major websites with out speeding. In spite of everything, says Lorona, “Montana is a giant state, and it takes over two hours to get from one facet of the park to the opposite… [and] guests ought to examine driving instances and distances between lodging and actions.”

Given the park’s identify, it’s not unusual for guests to return looking for the glaciers themselves. “Many individuals come to the park after which ask the place all of the glaciers are. Not numerous vacationers are conscious that lots of the glaciers have melted away, leaving solely about 25 left within the park at this time attributable to international warming,” says Baldassari. Seeing a glacier can be comparatively tough, as most of them are situated excessive up on the Continental Divide. Jackson Glacier, nonetheless, is the best glacier to see within the park; Jackson Glacier Overlook is situated on the east facet of Going-to-the-Solar Street.

As is the case for a lot of nationwide parks out west, wildlife is likely one of the largest attracts. Inside the park, there are bats, beavers, bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goats, wolverines, and, sure, bears. “Bears are widespread within the park. All the time carry bear spray and know how one can use it. Retailer meals correctly and pay attention to your environment, particularly when climbing,” says Baldassari. Guests must also brush up on the park’s wildlife security laws. That features staying at the least 75 ft from most wildlife (the likes of moose, deer, mountain goats, and elk) and at the least 300 ft from wolves and bears.

This a part of Montana can be deeply tied to the historical past of the Blackfeet, Pend d’Oreille, Salish, and Kootenai folks. “It’s largely unknown that Glacier Nationwide Park is conventional territory for a number of Tribes, most particularly the Blackfeet on the east facet,” says Derek DesRosier, the final supervisor of Solar Excursions. “All Tribes nonetheless observe some type of conventional and fashionable use of the panorama, and although it’s globally acknowledged as a nationwide park now, to us, it’s a sacred place, full of medication, connection, and historical past.”

Greatest Time to Go to

Glacier Nationwide Park is open year-round, although its attraction, actions, and variety of guests shift by the season. Summer season is, unsurprisingly, the most well-liked time to go to, because the climate is hotter and the entire park’s amenities are open. When you’re ready to navigate the crowds, you’ll be rewarded with good circumstances for driving the Going-to-the-Solar Street and the potential for seeing purple asters and beargrass, amongst different wildflower species within the park. “I consider one of the best time of yr to go to GNP is mid to late July [when] a lot of the snow has melted off the paths and the wildflowers begin blooming,” says Baldassari.

If you wish to keep away from the bumper-to-bumper visitors of July and August, however nonetheless drive the complete Going-to-the-Solar Street, see wildlife, and get a glimpse of the colourful foliage, head to the park in early fall. “My private favourite time to go to Glacier is in September or October when the crowds have died down and we’re within the peak of fall colours,” says Lorona. “Generally, you’ll be able to even get the gorgeous mixture of snow-capped peaks up excessive and fall forest colours down low. It’s breathtaking.” Most roads within the nationwide park are open seasonally, so examine the web site for present circumstances as you propose your journey.

Greatest Issues to Do

Drive Going-to-the-Solar Street.

If there’s one factor to examine off your record in Glacier Nationwide Park, it’s the 50-mile drive between West Glacier and St. Mary. “Driving Going-to-the-Solar Street at dawn or sundown is a deal with,” says Lorona. “I’ve pushed that highway lots of of instances through the years, and it all the time seems totally different as a result of it adjustments with the climate, mild, and time of day.” The route takes you by glacial lakes, waterfalls, statement factors, and even throughout Logan Move, the best level on the highway and the placement the place it crosses the Continental Divide.

Discover the park on horseback.

“Glacier is now extra common as a climbing park, however all the paths within the park had been initially based through horseback, so there’s something very genuine and nostalgic about seeing the park’s magnificence from the again of a horse,” says Lorona. Her firm has stables at Many Glacier, Lake McDonald, Apgar, and West Glacier, and the workforce gives a variety of trip sorts — from beginner-friendly one-hour experiences to half-day and full-day excursions for superior riders.

Get out on the water.

With greater than 700 lakes (131 of that are named) inside Glacier Nationwide Park, it comes as no shock that water actions take priority in the summertime months. “I like swimming, paddleboarding, or kayaking in Lake McDonald. The water is crystal clear, which lets you see the rocks [that] are actually rainbow coloured,” says Lorona. Take into account that the water shall be chilly, so it’s greatest to train warning and keep away from swimming for extended durations of time. Baldassari additionally recommends “rafting on the Center Fork of the Flathead,” and there are a number of corporations that supply guided raft journeys alongside the category two and three whitewater rapids.

Attempt to see the northern lights.

Glacier Nationwide Park is an authorized Worldwide Darkish Sky Park and top-of-the-line locations to see the northern lights in america. Attributable to elevated photo voltaic exercise, the aurora borealis is meant to be significantly sturdy in 2024 and 2025; park guests can put together for a light-night viewing in Apgar Village or Logan Move, or alongside the shorelines of St. Mary Lake or Lake McDonald.

Greatest Hikes

When you’re going to Glacier Nationwide Park — house to greater than 700 miles of climbing trails — you’ll wish to pack a number of layers, water, and acceptable footwear. Be sure you analysis trails forward of time to pinpoint your ideally suited kind of hike, because the park has every thing from straightforward out-and-back routes to more difficult in a single day routes.

Highline Path

“Some of the gorgeous hikes within the park is the Highline Path, however it’s 12 miles and never for the faint of coronary heart,” says Lorona. The precise distance you hike could range, although, as there are a number of alternative ways to deal with the path. You possibly can both full it as a one-way path — from the Logan Move Customer Heart to The Loop Trailhead, taking the shuttle again to your automotive — or as an out-and-back path; there’s additionally the choice to enterprise out to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook, which provides about 1.6 miles to your trek.

Avalanche Lake

“Avalanche Lake is a extra accessible hike for all ranges of health,” says Lorona. Just below six miles in size, the climbing path can be one of the trafficked routes within the park; it’s beneficial to begin your hike earlier within the morning if you wish to discover parking.

Hidden Lake Overlook

“A straightforward, but beautiful view can be going to the Hidden Lake Overlook; it is a should,” says Baldassari. About 2.7 miles in complete, the route takes, on common, about an hour and 20 minutes to finish, and it’s recognized for its mountain goat sightings in the summertime months.

Different Mountaineering Trails in Glacier Nationwide Park

DesRosier additionally suggests “getting off the highway onto a much less common path,” recommending Aster Park Overlook to Two Medication, Peigan Move to Siyeh Bend, and Ptarmigan Tunnel to Many Glacier.

Locations to Keep

Inns and Lodges

“In case you are seeking to keep instantly within the nationwide park and need just a few extra facilities, Many Glacier Lodge is my favourite historic lodge,” says DesRosier. Lorona can be a fan of the 214-room property, which she says is “on the east facet and situated proper on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake… discuss gorgeous views.” Lake McDonald Lodge, which dates again to 1913, is one other nice possibility, with 82 visitor rooms, three eating choices, and modest but comfy facilities.

Historic Chalets

Two of the unique 9 chalets inbuilt Glacier Nationwide Park stay open at this time for in a single day vacationers — and our consultants agree they’re a magical addition to any summer season journey.  “In case you are extraordinarily fortunate, and are up for some climbing, Sperry Chalet and Granite Park Chalet are once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” says DesRosier. Lorona notes that “getting a room might be tough as they promote out in a short time, however [it’s] so price it.” Reservations might be made on-line for each chalets. 

Campgrounds

Tenting is usually a extra inexpensive lodging possibility, and Glacier is house to over 1,000 tenting websites throughout 13 frontcountry campgrounds. Reserving a campsite is extremely beneficial, particularly if you happen to’re touring to Glacier anytime between June and early September; most campgrounds might be booked on Recreation.gov. Baldassari recommends Apgar Campground or St. Mary Campground, and Lorona is keen on “the backcountry campgrounds within the Stomach River space as a result of it feels off the crushed path.” Alternatively, says DesRosier, “In case you are tenting and are okay with being on the periphery of the park, you’ll be able to have phenomenal views of the mountains and luxuriate in much less crowded areas at any of the Blackfeet Tribal Campgrounds: Purple Eagle, Chewing Black Bones, and Buffalo Calf.”

Locations to Eat

“There are very restricted choices throughout the nationwide park,” says DesRosier, “however the eating room within the Glacier Park Lodge and [the] Prince of Wales Lodge are particular highlights.” Or, as Lorona suggests, be at liberty to deliver a “picnic lunch [to eat] alongside a lake or waterfall or on prime of a peak.” Different eating places within the park embrace Eddie’s Café, Russell’s Fireplace Eating Room at Lake McDonald Lodge, and Nell’s at Swiftcurrent.

The variety of eating places and locations to eat will increase simply exterior of the park. “If I had been to go to a restaurant, I’d go to Final Greatest Pizza proper exterior the park’s west entrance if I needed one thing informal. If I used to be on the lookout for one thing a bit fancier, I’d do The Kitchen at Josephine’s Speakeasy in Coram,” says Lorona. Baldassari says one in every of her favorites is the Sunflower Cafe at Glacier Campground by the park’s west entrance.