glacier national park.

What better time to visit the great outdoors than now! We were supposed to be in Iceland but due to COVID restrictions and closed boundaries, we decided to go to the next best place...Montana! Seriously, I fell in love with Montana! I used to imagine Montana as boring, rural, and flat. And though a lot of Montana is rural and flat, western Montana is quite the opposite! Montana is full of all sorts of activities. From exploring the downtowns to hiking, white water rafting, fishing, camping, skiing, and more, Montana truly has it all!

We flew into Glacier Airport located just north of Kalispell. This was one of the smallest airports I had ever flown into! When visiting Montana, keep in mind that many cities and activities are far apart. You will definitely want to rent a car.

Locals call the Glacier area the tri-cities, Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls all run together. I would recommend staying in either Whitefish or Kalispell. We were really impressed by Whitefish’s downtown area. Another nearby town is Big Fork, this is a must visit! Big Fork is only about 25 minutes from Kalispell and sits on the huge Flathead Lake. We were blown away by how big this lake was and found out, it’s one of the biggest lakes in America! Another beautiful lake is Swan Lake, just south of Big Fork.

While in Montana, you will see Huckleberries, Bison, and Elk on almost every menu. These three are staples in the area, make sure to try at least one while you are visiting!

We spent two full days inside Glacier National Park. I always say this but it’s so, so important. Get. Up. Early. To fully experience the park and to avoid the crowds, you have to get up before the sun. I know this is your vacation, but do not waste it by sleeping in. You will be so stressed trying to find parking and social distancing on the trails? Good luck.

We left our hotel no later than 5:30AM each morning, always stopping at a local coffee shop on the way. Now you will see signs for bears all over the place, I recommend buying bear spray at REI or on Amazon before you begin your adventure. It’s definitely something to good to have but do not get sucked into the tourist trap of buying it at or near the park. The prices are outrageous. I do recommend stopping and purchasing a gallon or two of water, just to have in your car in case you run out while hiking.

The Going to Sun Road is the most popular road in Glacier that starts in West Glacier. If you are staying near Kalispell or Whitefish, you will enter the park through West Glacier. I recommend entering through the west unless you are coming down from Canada. West Glacier is a small town that has a gas station, and a couple of cafes and gift shops. A perfect stop for after your hike! Continue on through West Glacier and just make sure to stay on the Going to Sun Road. The road will take you past Apgar Village. We parked here and enjoyed the sunrise one morning. Locals say this is the best place to watch the sunrise in the whole park. We found plenty of parking and walked down to the water to watch the show.

Sunrise at Apgar Village, September 2020

Continuing on, Going to the Sun Road will also take you past the beautiful Lake McDonald. The north shore of Lake McDonald has the clearest water I have ever seen as well as colorful rocks. This is such a fun stop. I have never seen water so clear yet colorful. The water was surprisingly warm and Logan couldn’t help himself but get in!

Colored Rocks at Lake McDonald, September 2020

The drive from the entrance of the park to Logan’s Pass Visitor Center is about an hour. The drive is extremely steep and one of the hardest parks we have drove in. Take your time and be careful. About 15 minutes into the park you will drive past John’s Loop Trail and another 15 minutes in, you will drive past Avalanche. I recommend spending one day near this side of the park and the next morning, go straight to Logan’s Pass to avoid crowds.

If you continue on past Logan’s Pass, you will come to Saint Mary’s Lake, another massive lake! We parked at the boat dock and walked down to the freezing cold water! This is as far into the park that we went, since the North Eastern part of the park was closed due to the pandemic.

Saint Mary Lake, Boat Dock, September 2020

Just south of the boat dock is the Goose Island Viewpoint which isn’t just a viewpoint. There is actually a short trail that goes past the viewpoint that leads you right to the water! I highly recommend walking down to the water, we had the place to ourselves. This was such a gorgeous and serene spot. Logan of course, jumped into the freezing abyss!

Overall, Glacier National Park was one of my favorite parks I’ve been too. The trails are not for the faint of heart, make sure you are not pushing yourself too much as the air is thin and the elevation is high. Don’t be hard on yourself, it will be harder to breathe and harder to hike in the elevation. Even the beers will hit harder than normal. Make sure to drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep!

Most roads in Glacier National Park close mid October - April. This park can get really busy as it’s only open for a few months. Make sure to plan accordingly and pack for all seasons as the summertime in Montana can go from 90 degrees to 40 degrees overnight!

Where We Ate:

The Raven, in Big Fork, was located right on the water. Flathead Lake is actually bigger than Lake Tahoe and is absolutely breathtaking. The Raven has a Jamaican feel, live music, and a huge outdoor patio that lets you hear the waves crashing. What’s better than that? I know, the Huckleberry Fizz cocktail at The Raven! The food isn’t much of a show stopper but nothing can beat the Huckleberry cocktails and great view.

Located in downtown Whitefish, Abruzzo Italian Kitchen was our favorite meal of the trip. Though a little more expensive, Abruzzo takes you to the cobble stone streets of Italy. From the dim lights to the music and homemade noodles, you will not be disappointed. With great food comes great wait times. Make sure to put your name in and then explore the downtown streets of Whitefish while you wait!

The new spot in downtown Bozeman is a must try! Revelry offers hip, industrial, yet cozy vibes with its open concept and friendly staff. I ordered a latte and the wagyu burger and was not in the least disappointed!

Where We Hiked:

The most popular hike in Glacier is the hike to Avalanche Lake. Hikes are popular for a reason, right? This truly is one of the best! However, due to crowds, I highly recommend getting to the parking lot early, like 7AM early. We arrived close to 7AM and were lucky enough to find a parking spot. Avalanche Lake is a moderate 4.5 mile round trip hike with not much of an elevation change. Once you get to the lake, I recommend walking around part of the lake to an area that is less crowded so you can fully appreciate the stunning view.

Nearby Avalanche, closer to the park entrance is the John Lake Trail. We did this trail while we were waiting for a road closure to open back up. This is an easy trail that takes you to John Lake and if you continue on, you will cross the street to see both Cascade Falls and McDonald Falls. Continue on the loop and you will eventually make it back to the parking lot. The total loop was 3 miles with little to no elevation gain. This is a hike good for the whole family!

Another popular hike is the Hidden Trail Overlook, 3 miles round trip. You can usually continue on hiking to the lake however, due to active grizzly bears, the trail was closed when we were there. To get to the trailhead, park at Logan’s Pass Visitor Center, another extremely busy spot. I recommend getting here before 8AM. Park at the Visitor Center and walk around back and you will see a trailhead that looks like a boardwalk. Don’t let the crowds fool you, this hike is short but steep and pretty strenuous. The view was one of our favorites, make sure to put this hike at the top of your list!

Next, is the Highline Trail, also located at Logan’s Pass. To access this trail, park at the Visitor Center and cross the street, you will see the signs for this trailhead. The Highline Trail is a 16 miles round trip loop. We hiked for about two miles and decided to turn around. Much of the trail promotes the same views, all of which were stunning but we decided to use our time exploring more of the park. That being said, the first mile and a half of the trail was super exciting. The trail was very rocky and narrow with a huge, steep drop. There was a railing to hold onto if needed. While on this part of the trail we saw both a Marmot and a Mountain Goat. I recommend doing just the first part of this trail to experience the high adrenaline of walking on such a narrow and high path.

About 15 minutes past Logan’s Pass, you will see signs for the Saint Mary Falls. The hike to Saint Mary Falls is downhill and fairly simple. Though very crowded, the falls offered cliff jumping. Many hikers were enjoying the cool water! Just mass Saint Mary Falls is Virginia Falls. To see both falls, the round trip hike is about 3.5 miles.

Where We Stayed:

We had a great experience staying at the Homewood Suites in Kalispell. The hotel was new and offered a rustic log cabin type of feel but was very nice. There were bonfire pits outside and the hotel offered free breakfast and free parking. The drive to the park was about 45minutes. Near the hotel were plenty of stores and restaurants. Whitefish is a great location to stay as well and would be slightly closer to the park. Though Whitefish lodging is more expensive, we will probably try to stay in Whitefish next time.

Breweries:

Keep in mind, Montana has a law that breweries cannot stay open past 8pm. If you plan on visiting breweries, make sure to start early!

Kalispell Brewing Co - try ordering their Gose and sitting on their rooftop! Sun Rift Beer Co was not our favorite brewery but the patio had rustic mountain vibes. It’s definitely worth a visit but I wouldn’t recommend eating here. Backslope Brewing is located in Columbia Falls, about 20 minutes outside of the park entrance. This is a good brewery to stop at on your way back from the park. The brewery is a new age/hippie vibe and has delicious fried pickles! Located in Big Fork, Flathead Lake Brewing Co has a gorgeous deck overlooking Flathead Lake. I highly recommend making the drive here (from Kalispell, it took us about 25 minutes). Glacier Distilling Company is a fun spot on your way back from the park. The distillery is about 15 minutes outside of the park and offers 4 tastings for $5. Make sure to try the Huckleberry Vodka and the Huckleberry Liqueur.

Best Time to Visit:

Summer, keep in mind, most roads in the park are closed between October - April

glacier national park.

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