Glacier National Park Complete Guide — Going-to-the-Sun, Trails and Wildlife

Glacier: The Crown of the Continent

Glacier is what happens when mountains meet ice meets sky. A million acres of carved valleys, turquoise lakes, and peaks that still hold 25 active glaciers. Going-to-the-Sun Road is arguably the most scenic drive in any national park. The wildlife is abundant, the trails are world-class, and the scale is humbling.

Getting There

Nearest airports: Glacier Park International in Kalispell (30 minutes to West Entrance), Great Falls (3 hours), Missoula (2.5 hours).

Entrance fee: $35 per vehicle. America the Beautiful pass accepted.

The shuttle system: Free shuttles run along Going-to-the-Sun Road from July through Labor Day. Useful for one-way hikes and avoiding parking headaches at popular trailheads.

Book Glacier lodging early. In-park options like Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge fill 6+ months in advance.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

This 50-mile engineering marvel crosses the park from west to east, climbing to 6,646-foot Logan Pass. The road typically opens fully by late June or early July — check the status before your trip. Highlights along the drive:

Lake McDonald: The largest lake in the park, reflecting the mountains in its clear waters. The historic Lake McDonald Lodge sits on the shore.

The Loop: A series of switchbacks that gain 1,000 feet in 3 miles. The Weeping Wall (a natural waterfall cascading over the road) is right here.

Logan Pass: The continental divide. Park here for the Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Overlook. Arrive before 9am for parking on summer days.

Jackson Glacier Overlook: The best roadside view of an active glacier in the park.

St. Mary Falls: A short walk from the road to a powerful waterfall.

Best Hiking Trails

Highline Trail (11.6 miles, strenuous): The single best day hike in Glacier — possibly in any national park. The trail clings to the Garden Wall above Logan Pass, with sheer drops on one side and mountain panoramas on the other. The first 1.5 miles are the most dramatic. Take the shuttle back from the Granite Park Chalet junction.

Hidden Lake Overlook (2.7 miles, easy-moderate): From Logan Pass, a boardwalk trail to one of the most photographed views in the park. Mountain goats are common on the trail. Continue down to the lake for a 5.4-mile round trip.

Grinnell Glacier Trail (10.6 miles, strenuous): The best glacier hike in the park. Views of Grinnell Lake's impossible turquoise water, Upper Grinnell Lake with icebergs, and the glacier itself. Bring plenty of water and sun protection — this trail is almost entirely above treeline.

Avalanche Lake (4.5 miles, moderate): The most popular moderate hike. A forested trail leading to a stunning alpine lake surrounded by waterfalls and cliffs.

Iceberg Lake Trail (9.3 miles, moderate): A relatively flat trail to a lake dotted with floating icebergs, even in July. Excellent for wildflowers and wildlife sightings.

Wildlife Viewing

Glacier is prime habitat for grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and moose. The Many Glacier area is the best for wildlife — dawn and dusk along the trails near Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier produce consistent sightings.

Carry bear spray on every trail outside the developed areas. Buy or rent bear spray — it's essential safety equipment, not optional.

When to Visit

Best: July-September for full access. August has the best weather and wildflower displays.

Shoulder season: Late June for wildflowers at lower elevations, though Going-to-the-Sun Road may not be fully open.

Winter: The park transforms for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Only the Apgar area is accessible by car.

Planning Your Time

• Minimum: 2 full days (Going-to-the-Sun Road + one major hike)
• Recommended: 3-4 days (all of the above + Many Glacier area)
• Thorough: 5-7 days (west side hikes + east side hikes + boat tours)

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Glacier consistently ranks in the top 3. See where it lands in our complete national park rankings.

Combining Glacier with Other Parks

Glacier + Yellowstone + Grand Teton (7-10 days):

This is the classic northern Rockies road trip. Glacier (3-4 days) → 5.5 hour drive → Yellowstone (3 days) → 1 hour drive → Grand Teton (2 days). Book park-to-park lodging at gateway towns along the route.

Glacier + Banff (7 days):

Cross into Canada for Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta. The drive from Glacier to Banff is 4 hours via the Chief Mountain Border Crossing.

Important: Book Glacier lodging 6-12 months in advance for July and August. Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge fill faster than any other park lodges in the system.

Getting to Glacier and Logistics

Glacier is remote, which is part of its appeal and part of its challenge. The nearest major airports are:

• Glacier Park International (FCA) in Kalispell — 30 minutes to the West Entrance
• Great Falls (GTF) — 3 hours to the East Entrance
• Missoula (MSO) — 2.5 hours to the West Entrance

Book Glacier-area lodging — Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge fill 12+ months in advance for July and August. Book cancellations daily if you miss the initial window.

Shuttle service runs along Going-to-the-Sun Road from July through Labor Day, connecting the West Entrance to Logan Pass and St. Mary. Useful for one-way hikes and avoiding parking headaches at Logan Pass.

Going-to-the-Sun Road Opening Timeline

The full Going-to-the-Sun Road typically opens between late June and mid-July, depending on snowpack. The NPS plows the road from both ends, and the alpine section between The Loop and Logan Pass is the last to open — avalanche paths on Logan Creek can hold 80-foot snowpacks well into June.

Typical opening schedule:

• West Glacier to Lake McDonald Lodge: Open year-round
• Lake McDonald Lodge to Avalanche Creek: Opens late April or early May
• Avalanche Creek to Logan Pass: Opens mid-to-late June (sometimes later in heavy snow years)
• Logan Pass to St. Mary (east side): Opens around the same time or slightly earlier
• Full road closure for the season: Mid-October (weather-dependent)

Check the NPS Glacier road status page before your trip. If you're visiting in June and the road isn't fully open, you can still access Logan Pass from the east side (St. Mary) while the west side clears.

Two Medicine and Many Glacier — The East Side

Many visitors never make it past Going-to-the-Sun Road, but the east side of the park is where the most dramatic scenery and wildlife lives.

Two Medicine Valley: Less crowded than Many Glacier and stunning in its own right. The Two Medicine Lake boat tour takes you to the trailhead for Upper Two Medicine Lake (3 miles round trip) and Twin Falls (1.4 miles). Rising Wolf Mountain (9,513 feet) dominates the skyline. The area is rich in Blackfeet cultural history — names like Rising Wolf and Two Medicine come from indigenous names and stories.

Many Glacier: The heart of the park for serious hikers. The Many Glacier Hotel sits on Swiftcurrent Lake — the most photogenic lodge in the system. From here, you can walk to the trailheads for Grinnell Glacier (10.6 miles), Iceberg Lake (9.3 miles), and Swiftcurrent Pass (7.6 miles with 1,800-foot gain). The Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail adds an 8-mile round-trip to a restored historic tunnel that pierces the Ptarmigan Wall — one of the most unique trail experiences in any national park.

Logistics: Many Glacier is 2.5 hours from the West Entrance by car. The Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn are the only in-park lodging on this side. The nearest town is Babb, Montana, with limited services. Carry cash — some rural businesses do not accept cards.

Bear Safety in Glacier — A Practical Guide

Glacier has the highest density of grizzly bears in the Lower 48. An encounter is a real possibility on any trail, especially in the Many Glacier area and along the Highline Trail. Here's how to stay safe:

1. Carry bear spray on your belt or chest strap, not in your pack. Practice drawing and firing it before your trip (buy a practice can for $20). The effective range is 25-30 feet and the spray lasts 7-8 seconds.
2. Make noise. Talk, clap, or call out on blind corners. Bears usually move away if they hear you coming. Bear bells are widely considered ineffective.
3. Hike in groups of 3+ people. Group size dramatically reduces bear encounters.
4. Store food properly. Backcountry campsites have bear boxes or poles. Never keep food or scented items (toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant) in your tent.
5. If you see a bear from a distance, back away slowly and detour around it. Never run — running triggers a chase response.
6. If a bear charges, stand your ground, deploy bear spray, and drop to the ground face down with your pack on if contact is unavoidable. Protect your neck and the back of your head.

Boat Tours on Glacier's Lakes

Glacier operates historic wooden boat tours on four of its lakes, operated by Glacier Park Boat Company. Tours run from late May through September:

• Lake McDonald: Departures from the Lake McDonald Lodge dock. 1-hour scenic tours ($22+).
• St. Mary Lake: Departures from Rising Sun. 1.5-hour tour to St. Mary Falls and Wild Goose Island.
• Two Medicine Lake: 45-minute tour with views of Rising Wolf Mountain.
• Swiftcurrent Lake: 1-hour tour from the Many Glacier Hotel dock. The most scenic boat tour in the park.

Combining the boat tour with a hike saves miles — the boat drops you at the far trailhead, and you hike back. The Grinnell Lake hike is a classic boat-and-hike combo: boat across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine (2 lakes, $32), then hike 3.4 miles to Grinnell Lake and back to the hotel.