Glacier National Park - Must Visit!
Glacier National Park
Where to stay:
Glacier National Park is in quite a remote location so there are limited stay options available. The two primary places where you can more easily find accomodations are Kalispell and Whitefish.
We stayed in an airbnb on a farm near Whitefish but there are several inns and motels around the park.
Getting here:
There are two primary ways to come to Glacier National Park
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By Air - not all airlines fly into Kalispell but you might be able to find a connecting flight in. The airfare is generally more pricy as this is not a very popular airport.
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By Road - You can drive to Glacier National Park but it can take a while even from Spokane, Washington (closest major city, takes 5 hours) or Boise, ID(takes 10 hours).
Weather:
The weather here can be extreme with high temperatures of 80F during summer and lows of -40F during winter months. The sweet spot is between July to September where all the roads and hikes are open to public and the temperatures are very pleasant and the wildlife is very active too.
Day 1:
Sunset at Lake McDonald
If you are looking for a peaceful spot to start your evening, look no further than Lake McDonald. It is a vast beautiful lake, with coloful pebbles, crystal clear water and gigantic panoramic mountain range.
This spot is well known for reflective photos of the mountains in the water on calm days and its multicolored picturisque sunsets.
Day 2:
Hidden Lake Overlook
Another jewel to the park is the Hidden Lake. This is a 2.7 mi roundtrip hike with a 500 ft elevation gain. The hike, as beautiful as it is, has no shade and the sun can really beat on you.
You start the hike at Logan Pass Visitor Center and make your way past stairs and mountain goats, if you are lucky. But remember to stay away as they are wild animals and can attack if provoked or if they feel threatened.
Although, this is a moderate level hike, take it slow as you are possibly still getting used to the altitude.
Logan Pass
There are several overlooks as you make your way to the next hike and one of the spots is Logan Pass. The gorgeous overlook can take your breath away.
The picture you see below is the Oberlin Bend and you can see part of the Highline trail which is a 12 mile trail to a glacier. This is a very popular trail but we opted to do a different trail instead. This trail is known for its wildlife spotting, lush wildflowers, incredible views and narrow cliffs. If you have a fear of heights like me, maybe think twice before attempting to conquer this one.
You are constantly surrounded by snow clad mountains, vast blue skies and deep turquoise waters straight from the glaciers and these colors are unimaginably beautiful and nothing like I have ever seen before.
Avalanche Lake via trail of cedars:
The next hike I’d recommend is the Avalance lake trail. This is a 5 mi round trip hike has tall cedar trees throughtout the hike and an elevation gain of around 700 ft.
The lake itself is beautiful and after a good rain spell, you can catch waterfalls here and also swim in the lake. The water was still too cold for us to dip into but we enjoyed the view.
This hike will take about 3-4 hours so pack water and energy bars and enjoy a calm picnic by the deep blue waters.
HOT TIP: Go early for good photos. At noon, the sun makes its a little difficult to capture the beauty of this lake.
Day 3:
Hike day at Grinnell Glacier!
Where do I even begin with describing one of the best hikes I have ever done. Grinnell Glacier is a signature Glacier National Park hike. The base of this hike is located at the north most part of the park - near Many Glacier Hotel.
You run into turquoise blue water of the Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine, and Grinnell Lake. You will run into mountain goats, Bighorn sheeps, Elk and Bears so remember to carry your spray with you and keep making sounds!
We did run into (from a distance) some grizzlies and even some Moose so bringing a binocluar to vew the wildlife is always a good idea.
The hike itself is a 10.6 mi round trip hike with a wooping 1600 ft elevation gain. This is not for the faint of heart. There are many places where you can turn around and you feel like it cant get better than the view you see but the more you push through, the more spectacular it gets.
The dramatic cliffs, Alpine meadows, and wildflowers here are bound to make you feel many different things and you will - at least temporarily - forget about the meetings you have to take, the chores you have to run, and any other human challenges you might be over thinking.
Bring layers as the weather gets cooler the more elevation you gain. This is a very long hike so as soon as you feel like you are almost there, you’ll only be at the halfway mark. The path or the trail is narrow and sometimes slippery so make sure you have very sturdy shoes on for support.
You can grab food at the Many Glacier hotel but food options are limited so pack before you start the hike. There are two ways to start the hike - we walked the whole way but if you plan in advance, you can take a boat across Swiftcurrent Lake + Lake Josephine and shell about 3 miles each way.
Day 4:
Going to the Sun Road with multiple view points along the way
Sunrift Gorge:
Lake Josephine
St Mary’s Lake:
Huckleberry Icecream:
A local treat, you will find huckleberry products such as ice-cream, pies, jams and even hot sauce on sale all around the park during summer. We got this tasty ice-cream at Eddie’s Ice Cream near lake McDonald.
Additional Tips:
- Book early to get a good deal on hotels and flights
- Bears are very active during summer - Dont be like us and please carry a Bear Spray
- Cell service is minimal in the park - download maps before your trip
- The roads can get narrow so drive safe.
- Sun is not forgiving at this altitude so make sure you have sunscreen
- The heat can dehydrate you so carry extra water and snacks
- Parking in the park is limited so get here early.
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Amrita
