If you've opened this post it's because you've been looking into visiting Glacier National Park in Montana or have seen the gorgeous photos and are interested to know what the fuss is about. I'm here to tell you the hype is absolutely real! We were invited by Allegiant Airlines to visit Glacier National Park and it was one of our most memorable National Park visits thus far. The gorgeous pictures you see of Glacier National Park all over social media are real. It's not the magic of a professional photographer or just altered photography, the park is absolutely breathtaking in person. The water is clear, turquoise and absolutely one of the most beautiful I've seen within the US. There's so much to see and do and its absolutely doable to do with kids. The beauty of this park is you don't need to hike long strenuous hikes to see some of the parks most stunning views. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of hikes to choose from and if strenuous and long is what you are looking for there's definitely plenty of those as well.
In this post I'm going to cover everything you need to know before you visit Glacier National Park. I'm going to share Glacier National Park Photos, Glacier National Park best hikes, Glacier National Park reservations, Tips & More. So come along and let me share with you all the tips and tricks we learned during our 4 day visit, as well as all our recommendations to help you lan an unforgettable trip with unforgettable adventures. Save time and money with our family travel guide.
First Things First
These are the key things you need to know and understand before entering the park. I'll focus on this first and then get to the real good stuff.
Park Pass
A park pass is your paid entrance fee to the park and applies to visitors traveling by vehicle, motorcycle, foot, bicycle, etc. A park pass is required to access any entry point within Glacier National Park. A private vehicle pass is good for 7 days and price is $35 Pass can be bought at the park at your time of entry or here
Going-To-The-Sun Road
Now this is where I find there is some confusion, and I'm going to do my best to clarify this for anyone thinking of visiting. The Going-To-The-Sun road is a road that takes you through the park from the West side of the park entrance through the St Marys Entrance. The Going-To-The-Sun road gives you access to many of the parks beautiful hikes and landmarks and I highly recommend you visit while the road is open. The drive itself is absolutely stunning! Important to keep in mind is that the road is open weather permitting which is usually during the summer from July to early September but always check the official website for updates https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/gtsrticketedentry.htm
Ok so you've got your park pass and you see the Going-To-The-Sun road is open...you are not done yet. If you are visiting the park between May 27-September 11th you MUST also have a Going-To-The-Sun road entrance pass if visiting between the hours of 6am-4pm. You're thinking "I'll skip the road if I don't get one" If you are entering through the West or St Marys side during the days I mentioned above, that is not an option. You MUST have both a park pass and Going-To-The Sun road pass to even enter the park. Let me tell you how you can get one and tips to work around not being able to get one that came straight from a ranger and it 100% worked for us. I'll cover all the options down below.
If you have a valid reservation such as a lodging, camping, commercial tour (boat company, red bus tour reservation), Recreational Equipment Reservations (kayaking, bikes, watercrafts) in areas located inside the West Entrance, Camas Entrance, and St. Mary Entrance you DO NOT need a Going-To-The-Sun road entrance pass. Keep in mind if your activity reservation is only for one day (watercraft) you can only access the road for THAT day. You will still need a pass for the rest of the days you will be visiting.
Purchase 3 day access ticket the day before you plan to visit. There is a limited amount of tickets and they go fast. Make sure you open an account and make sure you log in ahead of time. Tickets go on sale at 8am MDT and they go fast! You must be online and ready to purchase right at 8am on the dot. I suggest more than one person attempt to purchase on different devices. Keep in mind ticket is only good for 3 days so if you are staying longer you need ticket for rest of the days. You can start looking into opening an account here. If you get your ticket you are now good to go. If you don't get a ticket, not to panic.
As mentioned above a day activity such as kayaking or even a bike rental will allow you access to the Going-To-The Sun road. You can rent them ahead of time to get your email proof to enter here . There's lots of options. We rented a kayak for our last day since we only had the pass for 3 days and it worked perfectly for our last day.
Don't want to get a rental, don't have a lodging reservations and don't want to take a red bus tour... then you can plan to enter the park after 4pm which is when you will have the ability to drive in your own vehicle yourself without a Going-To-The-Sun road pass.
Red bus tour is another option which also needs to be reserved ahead of time. Keep in mind it is a tour so you won't be on your own time but it's definitely an option many do enjoy. You can learn more about it here
Ok now on to the good stuff! I'm going to start from the West entrance and work towards St. Marys and further out.
Things to do in Glacier National Park Montana
1. Going-To-The- Sun Road at Glacier National Park
I've already discussed in detail but had to add it to the list as we consider it a must.
2. Lake McDonald
This beautiful and massive lake is found in the West side of Glacier National Park. It's filled with spectacular sights, hiking trails, diverse species of plants and animals, historic chalets, and the grand Lake McDonald Lodge. Lake McDonald is absolutely beautiful but it shines the greatest in the morning and during sunset. The way the clear and still water acts as a mirror to the beautiful orange sky during sunset and the mountains is incredible. Across from the lake you will find Glacier Outfitters where you can rent kayaks, boats and many other water sports for a very affordable price. We kayaked and it was so much fun and really affordable. This is a very rocky lake and although the beautiful colored stones are great to admire, I do highly suggest having water shoes or sandals.
3. McDonald Creek
You can find McDonald Creek along Going- To-The-Sun Road. There are several spots along the road that allow you to park and admire the clear and turquoise waters.
4. Trail Of The Cedars
The trail of the Cedars is a short loop trail in the Avalanche Creek area. The trail goes through a cedar/hemlock forest that is more like the forests in the Pacific coast than those in Glacier. The trail is paved and handicap accessible which make it suited for all skill levels. Crossing a bridge you will even get a view of Avalanche Gorge which is such a sight to see. It's a busy trail and parking can be complicated.
5. Avalanche Lake Via The Trail of the Cedars
This hike is one of the first and most popular hikes found on the Going-To-The-Sun road. The trail is beautiful with lots of trees and waterfalls that lead to a beautiful lake with stunning mountain backdrops. Perfect to stop for a picture and to sit and admire the views while enjoying a snack. It's a moderate level hike, mostly shaded with some incline but nothing too drastic. Great for the kiddos. Parking is limited and gets full quickly so I suggest arriving early. You'll encounter tons of people on the trail which isn't a bad thing when it's an area heavily visited by bears...safety in numbers. We didn't spot any bears during our visit but we did see some deer which in itself was exciting.
6. West Side Tunnel
This tunnel has windows in it for unobstructed views of lake McDonald Valley and a sideway along the side for pedestrians accessibility.
7. Weeping Wall
The Weeping Wall’s on the Going To The Sun Road combines some of the most adored natural scenery. It's 100 feet long, gushing torrents of water during run-off, this cliff is a popular scenic stopping point. Not entirely a natural formation, this feature was partially created during construction of the Going To The Sun Road, when workers blasted away at rock outcroppings, revealing several spring-fed water veins. In early summer, these trickling veins build to a torrent thanks to snowmelt. If driving by roll up your windows because your car is bound to get wet. It's such a great sight to see.
8. Logan Pass Visitor Center
Logan Pass is the highest elevation reachable by car in the park. It is extremely popular with visitors and the parking lot is generally full between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. Consider visiting early or late in the day if possible. This area also has restroom, a gift shop and rangers available to answer questions.
9. Hidden Lake Nature Trail
This trail starts right at the Logan Pass Visitor Center and some absolutely stunning views at the end. Probably one of the shorter hikes in the park at 3 miles back and forth with such a rewarding view of the lake and Bearhat Mountain. During our visit the mountain was full of snow which made the hike a bit more challenging but so fun and unique. We saw mountain goats, marmot's and the pretties hidden blue lake at the end. The view looks straight out of a painting. Definitely took our breath away. Unfortunately we were unable to walk down to the lake due to the rest of the hike being closed due to high bear activity.