Glacier National Park
In the heart of the American West, you will find Montana. This wilderness has some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the United States, and probably all over the world. It is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and anyone looking to slow down for a bit and escape the constant busyness of life. At the end of June I was lucky enough to join in on a family vacation to Glacier National Park. I had been to Montana previously but it was my first time at Glacier and it became one of my favorite National Parks and overall camping trips.
We started planning this trip early in the year because as most people are starting to notice, Glacier is becoming more and more popular. By the time we started looking into campground reservations in February or March, all the spots inside the park had been taken. We ended up finding a campground right outside the park called Glacier Campground, we had a large group and were able to reserve 3 spots right next to each other which was perfect. The price for spots at this campground are between $45 and $80. I had done research on a couple hikes we could do but we were all really looking forward to driving the Going to the Sun Road, one of the highlights of the park. Getting a reservation for this can be very difficult because it is such a popular tourist attraction, even after doing research we still missed getting a reservation in advance. There are 3 ways to get to the road: first you can either purchase a permit 120 days before the day you are planning to go, the permits are available at 8 am mountain time and they sell out fast! The second is by waiting until the day before you are planning to go, permits are available at 7 pm the night before, which we were able to purchase 3, the permits are only $2. Last, you can go before the park opens at 6 am or after 3 pm. (more information here) Once the campground was secured and we had an idea of what our plan would be once we arrived at the park I patiently waited for June to arrive and the trip to start!
Map of spots I researched before the trip
Road trips have always been a great love of mine, ever since I was a little girl I have gotten so excited to get in the car and head off on a new adventure. We started the trip on a Thursday morning from Southwest Washington heading up to Spokane for the night to get dinner and spend time with my boyfriend’s family. The next morning we got on the road early making our way to Montana.. We stopped at 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar which happens to be a staple when driving into Montana from the west. It’s a great pit stop, there is a restaurant, inn and huge gift shop. From there it was a little under 3 hours to get to Glacier National Park and it was such a beautiful drive with endless untamed land, which is quite the sight to see. Whenever I am driving through Montana it makes me realize how great I feel in areas like this that are full of open land, less people and the wilderness.
New tent with all of my favorite things
Once we arrived at Glacier Campground we set up camp and enjoyed ourselves around the campfire with good snacks and company. The next morning we decided to wake up before sunrise and enjoy the Going to the Sun Road. We woke up around 4 am and headed out, the beginning of the drive and west entrance of the park brings you past Lake McDonald and McDonald Creek before hitting the elevation where you start to see the views. Seeing the sunrise at Glacier National Park is something that should be on everyone’s bucket list. There are tons of scenic overlooks along the way, as well as waterfalls and wildlife. After going through the first tunnel you shortly arrive at a small parking lot where you can see Heaven’s peak, a must stop for most people to take photos and maybe even hike the Highline Trail. Further down the road you will pass Bird Woman Falls and Haystack Falls, both of these spots provide incredible views of not only the falls but the mountains, it is breathtaking. There is one area along the road called Weeping Wall, where snow runoff pours into the road, it’s basically nature’s own car wash (on one side of the car). Right after Weeping Wall is “Big Bend,” this is another pull off which provides more picturesque views, here we saw quite a few Big Horn Sheep! Once you find Logan Pass Visitor Center you are officially at the highest point of the road at 6646 feet, from here you can find the trail to Hidden Lake. Making your way towards the east side of the park you can see Jackson Glacier, many of the glaciers in the park are not visible from the road but this one is. Saint Mary Lake is another spectacle on the road, it’s amazing to watch the scenery change from the west to east side. When you are almost to the Saint Mary Visitor Center and town to complete the drive, you’ll find Rising Sun Campground which has lake access and 84 campsites. Once you arrive at the visitor center, you have officially driven the best 50 miles of your life. We took the Going to the Sun road back to West Glacier completing the journey in about 4 hours.
Later that day we went to Lake McDonald to explore the lodge. They have a couple restaurants in the area, gift shops and you can even rent boats! The lodge is beautifully crafted and fits the park extremely well, it is a fun place to check out. When visiting Glacier it is not uncommon to see vintage red buses driving around. The red buses have historical significance to the park; they were the first authorized motor transportation utility in any National Park. Many of the buses have been in service since the mid 1930’s but they were introduced in 1914. You can book a tour departing from the West or East side, these tours provide a great way to see the park and learn more of its history. We ended up renting a rowboat and experienced 360 degree views of the lake and its surroundings. One of the best parts of this National Park is the variety of activities you can do, from 12 mile hikes in the mountains to boat or bus rides, all providing incredible scenery and memories.
Lake McDonald Lodge
Lake McDonald
The second day at Glacier started with waking up to a wet tent. Before the trip I purchased the tent off Amazon, it said it was waterproof and seemed like a good idea at the time… it was not. It poured rain overnight so the entire tent and its contents were soaked. We decided to go to Kalispell and check out Cabela’s to see what options they had, there was nothing that stood out and if we were going to get a new tent we wanted it to be a good one. I found out there was an REI Co-Op a couple of minutes away so of course I had to go. Walking into REI for me is truly like a kid in a candy shop, there is nothing I don’t want! I am a Co-Op member and it was the weekend of the 4th of July sale so we found the perfect tent for $200 less than the original price, it was meant to be. I successfully deflected the distraction (hiking boots, backpacks, sleeping pads, camping chairs, inventory of the entire store) and we left with a brand new tent that was indeed waterproof and 3 season rated. Getting back to camp we quickly set up and as we were moving our gear the old tent died, it almost instantly fell apart as the new one was brought to life. After our morning of unexpected adventure (to put it lightly) we settled in, ate some food and decided what we would do with the afternoon.
Avalanche Lake
Avalanche Lake was on the top of my to do list when planning the trip to Glacier. The trailhead isn’t far from the West entrance of the park so with the unpredictable weather we decided to head there and hope the rain was over. Avalanche Lake hike is moderate being 6 miles out and back with an elevation of 757 feet and it is a very popular one so expect a crowd. The trailhead begins at Trail of the Cedars, a very well manicured path through a lush forest along Avalanche Creek. On the way up it was still raining off and on but the cover of the forest helped from getting too wet, and the fog gave the trail a moody personality of its own. Once we got to the top the view was amazing, the lake is such a pretty color with hues of turquoise, blue and green, which seems to be a common trend in Glacier. The mountains surrounding the lake gave it even more character, alpine lakes are true gems. I would highly recommend this hike for anyone visiting the park, it is easy to find and worth the trek. On our way back to camp we stopped in West Glacier Village, a really cute area with restaurants, gift shops and camp stores, they even have mini golf! Pizza is my all time favorite food so of course we went to Glacier National Pizza and brought back some pies to the campsite. After the long day I ended up grabbing my book and reading in my new tent, satisfied from the pizza and another great hike till I fell asleep… around 8 pm.
On the last morning in Glacier we made a good breakfast, packed up camp and headed back to Washington. 2 full days in a National Park may not seem like a lot but there is so much you can do and see in any amount of time at special places like this. I could probably spend an entire month (or more) in Glacier simply because it feels so good to be in the beauty of Montana’s quiet, vast wilderness. Another thing to note when making a trip like this is the stops along the way. We visited Coeur D’Alene to get lunch and check out the lake then spent a couple days around Spokane picking strawberries and visiting family on our way home. Glacier quickly became an extremely noteworthy destination for me and it is amazing to see the respect that has been given to this park to preserve its natural beauty and environment. This is a trip that will undoubtedly be a memorable experience, filled with awe and a piece of America’s natural heritage.
