As one of my all time favorite places I’ve been to, Glacier National Park is full of glacier-fed clear blue water lakes, insane granite peaked mountain ranges and scenery to be talked about for years. The sheer size of the park alone makes planning your beautiful trip a little intimidating – but I hope you find this ultimate guide to exploring Glacier Nation Park helpful – happy exploring!
- Tips for Visiting Glacier National Park
- The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary: Glacier National Park
- What to do in Glacier National Park
- When to visit Glacier National Park
Highline Trail Redrock Falls Saint Mary Lake
Tips to Visiting Glacier National Park
- Make reservations in advance (park pass, hotels, car rentals, etc.). Once you decide when you want to visit, buy your park passes ASAP. If you plan on staying at any of the lodges in the park, those typically get booked at least a year+ in advance. I stayed in Kalispell (50min from the park) in order to have more options and explore more towns – check out my Kalispell post here – but if you want to stay in or close to the park – make those ressies!
- Weather: there is more rainy, cloudy, overcast weather than sunny days in Glacier, so always have layers
- Bring bear spray. This is black + grizzly bear country and you’re exploring their home. Always have bear spray on you while hiking
- Drive carefully in the park. Going-to-the-Sun road is narrow to begin with, but can get a little hairy with the weather, always drive with caution
- Get to trail heads early in the morning to avoid crowds and to get a parking spot
- Always check the trailhead before hiking – some get closed the day of due to bear activity
- There is little to no cell service in the park, always download a map beforehand
- Bring binoculars. A lot of wildlife can be seen from a far and I probably said at least 2x/day ‘I wish I had binoculars’
Highline Trail Views Highline Trail Views Granite Park Chalet
What to do in Glacier National Park
Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road is a 50 mile road right through Glacier National Park from the West entrance to the East entrance. Always drive with caution as the road is very narrow and gets very steep but worth it. Its exhilarating and worth it for all the views.
Hike
With over 700 trails, hiking is a must do when exploring the park. There is a trail for everyone’s skill level and it’s a great way to see more of the parks natural scenery and even the wildlife – remember your bear spray.
Have Lunch at Lake McDonald Lodge
Set upon the largest (10 miles long!) lake in Glacier, Lake McDonald Lodge is a great place to just take in scenery or grab a bite. Due to Covid19, they closed their dining room and have a short ordered limited food and drink menu. You can order and sit outside on the patio, grab a picnic bench or walk to the lake for the perfect picnic.
Scenic Stops
You can’t think of Glacier National Park without mentioning the scenery. Driving Going-to-the-Sun road offers an array of scenic pull offs to enjoy a quick view, snap a few photos or enjoy your lunch.
Stay for sunset
Epic. There are multiple places in the park you can watch the sunset from and its unreal. We set up shop down by Lake McDonald which was mesmerizing.
Get your Huckleberry Fix
Huckleberries grow abundantly in Montana and there is very little food items you will find that isn’t huckleberry flavored. Huckleberry pie is one of Montana’s flagship foods and you won’t be able to miss it anywhere. There are a few shops you will see when entering or exiting the park via the west entrance, definitely stop!
Avalanche Lake Dancing Cascades
When to Visit Glacier National Park
Peak season is during the July and August months. These months are right after all snow has been plowed, roads are reopened and trails can be easily visible for hiking. With peak season comes crowds, so just always remember to make ressies early and get to places earlier than later. I visited in September 2021 and the weather was still great, 60s during the day, but everyday in the park was cloudy/rainy/overcast with little pockets of sunshine. As I mentioned in my tips to Glacier National Park, always be prepared for the weather, it can change in an instant.