Visit Montana: Glacier National Park

Gorgeous day at Glacier National Park!

The highlight of our family's road trip through the Pacific Northwest was our visit to Glacier National Park.

Beautiful drive through the park

Once home to an estimated 150 glaciers, Glacier National Park is now the site of just 25 remnants.

For many visiting Glacier National Park, the highlight is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  The 50-mile road winds through Glacier National Park, showcasing the best of Montana's natural beauty.

Throughout the drive there are many turnouts where you can stop to take pictures, or walk further down along paths to bridges and closer views of the stunning scenery.

Lake McDonald

Lake McDonald was absolutely gorgeous.  The water was astonishingly clear, and it seemed to go on forever!  The kids had some fun skipping stones, and it was just such an amazing spot to soak up the surroundings.

Skipping stones

We continued as far as we could on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, passing snow-capped mountains, turquoise creeks, and cascading waterfalls.

Going-to-the-Sun Road West tunnel

Heavens Peak

Unfortunately, part of the Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed during our visit, and we could go no further than Logan Pass (about half-way through).

Also, because of the time of year we went, a lot of services (restaurants, visitors center, etc.) were closed, so be sure to bring snacks and drinks for the long drive just in case.

And only vault toilets were available for use due to the visitors center being closed at Logan Pass (if you haven't used them before, be prepared for the odor).

Visitors to Glacier National Park can also go hiking, camping, fishing, and boating, but our family was content seeing all of the views by car.

Despite closure of some of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, we still saw so much.

The ever-changing vistas were incredible, and I still can't get out of my head how pure and pristine everything was - the crystal clear creeks, the majestic mountains, the placid lake.

If you find yourself in Northwestern Montana, or anywhere near the area, a visit to Glacier National Park is totally worth the time and drive.

Glacier National Park
West Glacier, MT
(406) 888-7800