Glacier National Park stole my heart. Its breathtaking sights left this writer speechless. My original plan was to write about my experience on the road, but that didn’t happen. I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful landscape, rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, wildlife and small towns. I remember thanking God a few times for the gift of sight. With that said, I hope that you take the time to travel to Glacier National Park to see for yourself.
This was a last minute trip for my husband and me. We didn’t have much time to research the best sights and things to do before we loading up the truck and started driving to the park from San Diego. The drive was fun and we stopped at many amazing places along the way; snapping picture after picture of the scenery. Little did we know that those pictures were just okay compared to the shots we took in Glacier.
Below, I discuss each of our stops at Glacier. Like I mentioned, we didn’t have a plan going into the park and knew little about the best sights to see during our stay. We had two days to spend at the park before we had to catch a plane back home, but I can speak for everyone in our party that we were very pleased with what we saw and experienced.
West Entrance
We entered the park through the west entrance. It’s beautiful and very inviting. Immediately to the right is an information center. I suggest you go inside and collect some information from the staff. Also, take a look at the displays around the center highlighting some of the parks history. This center primarily serves as an information facility for the Canadian side of the park; the Waterton Lakes National Park. We asked a lot of questions about the Canadian side. The staff shared that in 1932, American and Canadian governments joined Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park (both located back to back) to create the first International Peace Park.
McDonald Lake
The staff pointed out some lodging areas in the park and recommended that we check out McDonald Lake a few miles down the road. Beautiful! If I could retire and write until the day I die, I would choose that lake for my view. The surrounding mountains reflect off the lake and the lake floor is covered with multicolored rocks. The water is crystal clear and the air is oh-so-fresh. At the west end of the lake, is a small village complete with moderate to high priced lodging, an ice cream and coffee shop, a diner, shopping, kayak and bike rentals and a perfect place to swim in the lake and fly-fish in a nearby river (located behind the cabins). My husband and I stayed out by the lake well into the night until the mosquitoes got the best of us. Make sure you bring plenty of bug repellant. I walked away from this trip with fifteen mosquito bites. Not fun at all!
Going-to-the-Sun Road
The following day we said goodbye to McDonald Lake to go deeper into the park. We drove along the lake and stopped here and there to snap some photos and walk along some paths leading to more waterfalls and river views. Parking was challenging since we decided to make the trip in the middle of summer. Eventually, the road lead us to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is a two-lane narrow road built in the 1930s. It is a 52 mile stretch of road that connects west glacier to the east end at St. Mary Lake. Of all the roads I’ve traveled, this takes the cake as the most scenic. What should have taken us an hour to drive, took us four hours; stopping every few miles to snap some photos and take in the beautiful view.
Many visitors chose to travel by private vehicle, but some took the guided tour in the Red Jammer bus. If you are limited on time, and can only see a few sights, I highly suggest that you travel along the Going-to-the-Sun Road and be very careful, the roads are narrow.
Logan Pass
At the highest point of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, you will find Logan Pass located on the continental divide. A visitor center is perched at the top of a hill along with two restroom facilities to accommodate the large crowds that gather each day. The center sells souvenirs and small snacks. A few rangers are available to answer questions and provide additional information and maps of the park. Parking can be challenging to find, but I suggest that you continue to circle around for a spot in the lot. You will want to walk around the pass, take a restroom break and play in the snow. Yes, the pass is covered in snow. This is a perfect opportunity to create snow angels in the middle of summer.
Also on the pass are trails, one of which will lead you to the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail, which is a 3-mile-round-trip trail. Unfortunately, we were traveling with limited time and hoped to make it to the Canadian side that evening leaving no time to walk to the overlook. However, many traveling back from the overlook mentioned that it is a must-see.
Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada
The trip to the Canadian border from the east entrance of Glacier National Park was about a 45 minute drive. Slowly, the terrain transformed from breathtaking sights to desolate valleys. Twenty minutes past the Canadian border we entered Waterton Lakes National Park and were informed that that particular gate is the only entrance and exit from the Waterton area, meaning that we would have to stay the night and wait until 7am to cross over the boarder back into Montana. So, we decided to stay the night.
Town of Waterton
Further up the road we reached the charming town of Waterton. A visitor center is located on the right side of the road and to the left, high on the hill, is the Prince of Wales Hotel. It is simply magnificent. The interior is historically designed and left a haunted feeling in our guts, but the view is amazing. High on the hill, it watches over the small town of Waterton like a castle housing its king. I suggest that you walk along the halls, dine in the restaurant, browse through the gift shop and walk to the backyard to snap some breathtaking photos. You may even see some wildlife. We did.
Red Rock Canyon
During our stay in Waterton, we drove to Red Rock Canyon. The drive to the canyon didn’t call for too many photo opportunities of the scenery; however, we did run into a mama bear and two cubs. It was exciting! I hadn’t seen a bear prior. At the canyon, we found a beautiful creak bordered by a unique red rock formation. It is a great spot for a picnic followed by a hike (multiple hiking options available beyond the canyon).
Cameron Lake
We also drove to Cameron Lake, which I enjoyed. The drive to the lake has more photo opportunities. When we arrived at that lake, I was taken aback by its beauty, finding it to be the best hidden gem of the trip. Surrounding the lake are large mountains capped with snow. The water is crystal clear with the occasional jumping fish. Many visitors rent kayaks or boats from the small shop by the lake or relax on the nearby lawn or in foldout chairs. I highly suggest that you go to Cameron Lake and see its beauty for yourself.
Glacier Park International Airport,
Kalispell, MT
Since work was calling us home earlier than we desired, we flew back home out of Glacier Park International Airport, which is a short distance from the west entrance of Glacier National Park. I am adding this location to my list of stops because I want to recognize the amazing people that work at the airport. By far, they delivered the best customer service I have experienced at an airport. Not only were they friendly, they went out of their way to help us savior our huckleberry jam and honey that we forgot was in our carry-on (size of container was too large and therefore, unauthorized). They took the huckleberry and tracked down our checked-in luggage and placed the goods inside; hassle free and we didn’t have to throw our huckleberry away. They even have candy dishes available for passengers at the boarding gates. Never in my life have I seen such hospitality and caring spirit in airline staff. Coming from San Diego where most are self-absorbed, we found the people of Montana a breath of fresh air.
I hope that all reading this post get the chance to see the amazing and extraordinary sights of Glacier National Park and the few from Waterton Lakes National Park. For those that have more to add from their experiences at the park, I encourage you to share in the comments section.
Enjoy your journey!