Hello, there! I’m Alex from Alex on the Map. I grew up proper by Glacier National Park within the close by city of Kalispell. My summer season days as a baby have been spent exploring its many trails and swimming within the crystal clear lakes.

Despite the fact that I’ve traveled everywhere in the world, Glacier continues to maintain a particular significance for me—I used to be even married on the shores of Lake McDonald this summer season!

When you’re excited about heading to Glacier, you’re in for a deal with. I’ve taken a number of out-of-towners by means of “the Park” and so they have been blown away. There’s a motive there have been greater than three million guests there final yr!

Right here’s my native’s information to visiting Glacier National Park in Montana!

The Greatest  Time to Go to

Montana summers are brief, and most guests crowd into the park in July and August. Whereas this time has the very best climate (and the warmest temperatures within the lakes), it may be tremendous crowded and take away from the expertise of being in a naturally stunning place.

When you can, late June and early September are nice instances to go so as to keep away from the crowds. You even have much less of an opportunity for forest fires to damage your journey.

How to Go to + Get  There

The predominant airport is Glacier Worldwide, or airport code FCA. Most guests fly in right here after which hire a automotive for his or her keep.

When you’re feeling really adventurous, fly into the close by cities of Bozeman or Missoula and drive north. It provides you an opportunity to see extra of the beautiful Montana panorama, and you may additionally discover higher flight offers through the summer season.

You’ll most actually need to hire a automotive.

Be certain that to do it a bit prematurely simply in case—you don’t need to end up stranded simply because others have thought forward earlier than you probably did. All the main automotive rental corporations are on the airport or are in Kalispell and Whitefish together with Alamo, National, and extra.

The place to Keep

The place you will have to keep will rely on how shut you need to be to the park. Personally, I believe tenting is all a part of the enjoyable while you’re in a spot like Glacier.

Verify a couple of months prematurely for areas within the park itself, or think about a campground close by like KOA Campgrounds, which have a couple of places close to Glacier.

Listed below are some extra spots value contemplating if you’d like to keep away from roughing the outside:

Beneath Canvas Glacier

I really like this glamping location—it is perhaps probably the most comfy mattress I’ve ever slept in! The finest a part of selecting this spot is that you just get the tenting expertise with out the additional problem of pitching a tent since your lodging are already arrange.

Glacier Outside Middle

Situated solely a mile from the West Glacier entrance, this lodge options clear rooms and has an exquisite porch for you to chill out on after a protracted day of mountaineering. It additionally has barely decrease costs than a few of the fancier resorts positioned in Whitefish.

Belton Chalet

The Belton Chalet is nearly all the time booked months prematurely due to its posh-yet-rustic vibe. Whereas it is perhaps on the higher finish of some vacationers’ budgets, it does provide easy accessibility to the east aspect of the park and a few of the higher mountaineering trails.

What  to Do

Any expertise you’ve in Glacier goes to be an excellent one, however there are particular highlights that may’t be missed—particularly in the event you solely have a couple of days to discover!

Going-to-the-Solar Street

The crown jewel of the “Crown of the Continent,” Going-to-the-Solar is the place for a few of the most dramatic views of the park and the best way to climb up to Logan Go.

When you can, hire a smaller automotive to keep away from tight activates a tiny street. It’s additionally the place various totally different hikes begin for guests who need to hit the path.

Lake McDonald

As one of many clearest lakes in the US, Lake McDonald has turn out to be Instagram-famous. Whereas you will get a glimpse of it at Apgar Village, head to the Lake McDonald Lodge for a little bit of historical past and the right locale for a picnic.

You’ll be able to even often spot wildlife as you head down to the lake for a drink!

The Highline

Need to strap on these mountaineering boots? The Highline is a good place for starting hikers or those that simply need to expertise a few of the park’s most photogenic views. You begin at Logan Go earlier than strolling on a reasonably flat path earlier than heading again once more.

Avalanche Lake

If the Highline isn’t sufficient to satiate your urge to hike, then you definately’ll need to head for Avalanche. This pretty simple four-mile loop affords beautiful views of a glacial lake with crystal clear waters.

You’ll see numerous different guests headed to this spot for excellent images or to have lunch with a view.

Ice Cream at Apgar Village

Charming Apgar is positioned proper after the West Glacier entrance and has some charming shops and eating places. Nonetheless, you need to just be sure you embark on a particular journey for ice cream at Eddie’s.

My grandmother often makes the 40-minute drive from Kalispell up to the park solely for his or her huckleberry cones—it’s that good!

What  to Carry

A lot of what you will have to carry with you comes down to whether or not or not you’ll be tenting or not. When you plan on getting your tenting provides when you are in Montana, each Kalispell and Whitefish have out of doors shops like Sportsman Skihaus and REI for your whole wants.

For everybody else, you need to want some fundamentals for mountaineering and some other garments you suppose you would possibly want for time enjoyable at your lodge or campsite. Relying on the time of yr (suppose shoulder season), it is perhaps value it to carry a lightweight jacket, as nicely.

Listed below are some gadgets I might suggest having in your suitcase with you while you head to Glacier:

Additionally, you will need to decide up a can of bear spray in the event you plan on doing any mountaineering.

Bears have just lately turn out to be a serious presence within the park (they have been previously on the “threatened” listing, so that is excellent news!) and it by no means hurts to put together your self. You’ll be able to hire a can on the airport, out of doors shops, or within the outlets within the park.

Simply keep in mind not to take it with you in your flight dwelling!

Useful Ideas

Don’t contact or feed any animals. Not solely does it educate them to strategy people after they shouldn’t, however this may be detrimental to their wellbeing in the long term.

Likewise, just be sure you are tenting that you just correctly retailer your meals in order that bears and different animals can’t get to it!

Get to the park as early as doable.

With so many individuals making an attempt to get in for the day, you may want to arrive as early as six within the morning in the event you plan on mountaineering a few of the extra widespread trails. Logan Go tends to refill quick with parking, so the sooner you get there, the higher.

If you would like to keep away from driving within the park, you may want to take one of many supplied shuttles as a substitute. Not solely do the shuttles drop you off at the most well-liked elements of the park, however in addition they enable you to escape a few of the stress of driving in crowded areas.

Total

I get again to the park a minimum of every year, and I really like getting the possibility to revisit a few of the locations I cherished probably the most from childhood. When you can, I like to recommend three days in Glacier on the minimal, although when you’ve got extra time to spend there, do it.