Glacier National Park

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Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana is one of the crown jewels of the American national park system — a place so overwhelmingly beautiful that Theodore Roosevelt called it the "Crown of the Continent," a name that has stuck for over a century. Established in 1910 and covering more than one million acres of the northern Rocky Mountains along the US-Canada border, Glacier protects a landscape carved by ancient glaciers into a dramatic mosaic of jagged peaks, deep U-shaped valleys, 130 named lakes, and over 700 miles of hiking trails. The park shares its boundary with Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park, and together they form the world's first International Peace Park. Glacier's most celebrated feature, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, is a 52-mile engineering marvel that crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass (6,646 feet) through scenery so spectacular it was designated a National Historic Landmark — the only road in the country to hold that designation. Glaciers are the park's namesake and its most poignant feature: in 1850, approximately 150 glaciers filled the mountain cirques; today only 26 active glaciers remain, their retreat a measurable consequence of a warming climate. Scientists project the last glaciers will disappear by 2030–2050. Yet the landscape they carved remains, and the hiking, wildlife, and sheer visual grandeur of Glacier make it an essential American destination.

The Going-to-the-Sun Road demands a full day to experience properly. Stop at the Loop for wildflower meadow walks, the Weeping Wall for a natural waterfall shower in early summer, and Logan Pass Visitor Center for the alpine tundra environment. From Logan Pass, the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail (2.7 miles round trip) crosses a wildflower-carpeted plateau and reaches a overlook above Hidden Lake with mountain goats reliably visible on the surrounding cliffs. The Highline Trail (11.8 miles one way from Logan Pass to Granite Park Chalet) is one of the finest day hikes in the Rocky Mountains, contouring along the Garden Wall with continuous views of the peaks and occasional glimpses of grizzlies in the valley below. Grinnell Glacier Trail (10.6 miles round trip) climbs to the face of an active glacier for an up-close encounter with one of the park's most famous shrinking ice masses — a profoundly moving experience. Lake McDonald, the park's largest lake, reflects the surrounding peaks in its famously clear, gem-colored water. Boat tours on Lake McDonald and Two Medicine Lake offer a different perspective for non-hikers.

Glacier is one of the most biologically complete ecosystems in the lower 48 states, supporting all the large predators and prey species that originally inhabited the northern Rockies. Grizzly bears are present in healthy numbers; the Logan Pass area and Many Glacier valley are prime viewing zones. Gray wolves returned to Glacier in the early 1980s and have been present continuously since. Rocky Mountain goats cling to nearly vertical cliff faces throughout the park and are especially bold near the Logan Pass boardwalk. Bighorn sheep congregate along the cliffs above the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Wolverines inhabit the remote high country. Harlequin ducks — brilliantly patterned sea ducks in summer breeding plumage — bob in the swift rivers.

Entry is $35 per vehicle (valid 7 days). A vehicle reservation ($2) is required to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road between Apgar and the Sun Point parking area from late May through mid-September — book at Recreation.gov months in advance. The road typically opens to Logan Pass in mid-June and closes to vehicles in mid-October. Campgrounds (13 total, 1,000+ sites) range from the popular Apgar and Fish Creek near the west entrance to the remote Two Medicine campground; reservations are essential for summer. Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge are beloved in-park lodges with historic character.

Glacier's west entrance (Apgar/Lake McDonald) is 2 miles from the town of West Glacier on US-2. The closest commercial airports are Glacier Park International (FCA) in Kalispell, MT (30 miles west) and Great Falls International (GTF, 130 miles southeast). From Calgary, Alberta, Canada, it is about 2 hours south on US-89 to the St. Mary east entrance. Amtrak's Empire Builder train stops at both East Glacier Park and West Glacier stations, making a rail journey to the park a scenic option from Seattle or Chicago.

Book Going-to-the-Sun Road vehicle reservations the moment the window opens — they sell out within minutes. The park's free shuttle system (late June through Labor Day) connects most major trailheads and eliminates the need for a car for most day hikes. Carry bear spray and know how to use it — Glacier has the highest concentration of grizzly bears in the lower 48, and encounters are possible on any trail. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent in summer; plan alpine hikes to summit or return by 1 p.m. Many Glacier valley on the east side of the park is often less crowded than the Going-to-the-Sun corridor and is arguably more spectacular for wildlife viewing.