Glacier National Park

The 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses Logan Pass at 6,646 feet, offering panoramic views of glacier-carved valleys, alpine meadows, and waterfall cascades. The road typically opens late June to mid-October, and driving it is an essential Glacier experience. Stop at Logan Pass Visitor Center for alpine trails, pull over at the Weeping Wall where waterfalls cascade directly onto the road, and pause at Jackson Glacier Overlook for the park's best glacier viewpoint. Vehicle size restrictions apply — vehicles over 21 feet long, 10 feet high, or 8 feet wide (including mirrors) are prohibited on the most scenic sections. The free park shuttle runs from both west and east sides.

The Highline Trail is Glacier's crown jewel — an 11.6-mile path that contours along the Garden Wall above Logan Pass with vertiginous views and wildflower meadows. The Grinnell Glacier Trail delivers arguably the park's best payoff-to-effort ratio with turquoise lakes, a waterfall, and a close-up view of a real glacier over 10 miles round trip. Hidden Lake Overlook offers a stunning mountain-and-lake panorama for just 2.7 miles round trip from Logan Pass. Avalanche Lake is a moderate 5.9-mile round trip through old-growth forest to a stunning alpine lake backed by waterfalls. For a challenge, take the Dawson-Pitamakan loop (18+ miles) over two passes for truly remote mountain scenery.

Glacier is prime grizzly and black bear country — one of the best places in the lower 48 to see either species. Many Grinnell Glacier and Highline Trail hikers encounter bears at close range. Carry bear spray on ALL trails and know how to use it. Make noise on trails, hike in groups, and store food properly. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep are commonly spotted at Logan Pass, while elk and moose appear in the valleys. The park is also home to wolves, wolverines, and over 260 species of birds.