Let me start off by telling you, this is not a fashion post. When I’m on a hiking trip, in this case Glacier, I’m in my “nature state of mind.” Fashion is the last thing I’m concerned about. My clothing choices include items that are functional, comfortable, and for the weather conditions. Especially if it’s cold. I hate being cold! I used to suffer to look cute. Sleeveless shirts in sub zero temps or high heels to the zoo. Those days are over. I still pack one “cute” outfit when I travel on hiking/nature/adventure trips, however, I have yet to dress up. The last thing you feel like doing is putting on a dress after a 15 mile hike. I’m always prepared though “just in case” I get a second or third wind.
Our family LOVES national parks. Last summer we went to Acadia in Maine, which is a must see. We’ve been to several NP across the U.S. and we want to see most of them. There are a couple in Alaska we will probably opt out of, so it’s not our goal to see them “all.”
Glacier National Park is one of the best national parks for hiking. It’s non-stop beauty and the hiking trails do not disappoint. On this trip, we were able to cover about ten different hikes. We have a list of hikes we want to cover next time we get a chance to go. To see more about the hikes we took, read our blog post on Plan A Hiking Trip To Glacier National Park.
Where We Stayed
Shelby, MT
We decided to drive, rather than fly, to Glacier. Road trip! It was about a 14 hour drive, which is doable in a day. We drove it in a day on the way home, but on the way there, we wanted to see the mountains in daylight, so we stopped in Shelby, MT to get some rest and stayed at the Comfort Inn. There aren’t a ton of places to choose from and typically I’m skeptical of Comfort Inn’s, but not here. The hotel was very nice and clean. I feel confident in recommending it and would stay there again. You can walk down the hill and grab a quick bite to eat before you hit the hay and prepare for your big day ahead. You are only an hour away from the east entrance of Glacier.
When we woke up, the beauty of the mountains were in our sight. Initially we had planned to head to West Glacier for our first day, however, we were so excited, we went right into East Glacier and stopped at Two Medicine. I’m so glad we did! If we hadn’t done it that way, I don’t think we would have made it over there. It was a bit far from where we were staying on the west side and it would have been a lot of driving (which we already had plenty of). It happened for a reason. I would recommend doing it this way as well. Two Medicine is beautiful and well worth it! You can see where we hiked under our Hiking Glacier post. Two Medicine is known to be one of the most beautiful spots in the park due to the lakes, mountain peak views, and more.
Whitefish, MT
Since we were driving and not flying, we had a few extra dollars to spend on a nicer hotel. We booked a room at the FireBrand, a boutique hotel in Whitefish, because it looked really fun and contemporary, yet maintained a mountain flair with its massive timbers featured around the hotel. It is within walking distance to downtown, which we typically like because we like a lot of action.
We had never been to Whitefish before, so we didn’t really know what to expect. We like to wake up and walk around downtown and grab breakfast, or unwind at the end of the evening in a great restaurant and walk back to our hotel. The location of the Firebrand was perfect. It was about a block off the “main street.” Amenities include a coffee bar, breakfast/lunch/dinner, Firebrand bar (fireside patio open daily), and a rooftop with a beautiful seating area with a large hot tub (rooftop service is available). They have a spa, which sadly, I did not use.
Overall, we enjoyed the Firebrand and wished we had more time to spend there. We spent two nights, but usually didn’t get in until late after hiking and we were up and out the door early. Next time, I’d like to enjoy a day relaxing, checking out the spa, and using the bikes they have available for cruising around. Firebrand Location: Whitefish, 26 miles to West Glacier.
Columbia Falls, MT
Inn at Meadow Lake was our favorite place to stay on the trip. We stayed in a two bedroom, two bath condo with a full kitchen, pull out bed, and fireplace. We had a ton of space, which is always needed on a family vacation. The master suite was on the second floor with a full bathroom. My kids were as excited as we were to have their “own” space.
You check-in at the main entrance where the golf center and restaurant are located. We had a little trouble finding this at first. It’s to the left as you are driving into the property. We had been hiking all day and it was late, so we couldn’t see the best either. You know how it is when you are tired and hungry?! Pick your battles.
The resort has so much to offer! You could easily spend an entire day enjoying the amenities. You can use their bikes, fitness center (huge outdoor hot tub located here, but you have to be 18+ to use), outdoor and indoor pool, golf, spa, and full activity center. I could easily see myself spending a week here.
Rocky Bar-O on Flathead Lake
Inn at Meadow Lake also offers an option to use their private beach lodge called Rocky Bar-O located on Flathead Lake near Big Fork. At first, when I booked the room, it looked like the lake was on the hotel property. It isn’t. However, it is well worth the 40 minute drive to use this private house and beach. We needed a rest from hiking and this was the perfect way to do that. You have access to paddle boats, paddle boards, full kitchen, private beach/dock, etc.
Once we arrived, we were getting ready to settle in for the day, until we spotted a marina next door (Old Faithful Watersports). We walked over out of curiosity and well, we wound up renting a wake boat and surfing for the rest of the day. The lake was huge and the water was a decent temp for surfing and swimming. We had a blast exploring the lake (beautiful scenery all around) and we would definitely do this again.
We did change hotels a couple of times, but we are glad we did. It was worth the experience at each place.
Editor’s Note:
There are several AWESOME spots to stay in the park or near the park entrances. We never plan a trip early, so by the time we knew we wanted to take this trip (a week before we left), everything was booked. However, we were happy we stayed in Whitefish because we wound up seeing the town and ski resort. The Inn at Meadow Lake was a fantastic place to be. It was worth the drive for us. Not everyone may feel the same (it’s an extra hour of driving a day), so if you can get your reservations early, do it. They suggest one year in advance. Next time, we would also stay a night in Waterton at the Price of Wales hotel.
Where We Ate
Whitefish, MT
Latitude 48: A contemporary, and vibrant atmosphere, but don’t let it scare you. We wore shorts and caps and we were still allowed in. I had the hummus platter, along with a crab cake. AMAZING! Why I didn’t take a picture, I’m not sure. We loved the vibe and the food was great. Ask for a table in the corner so you can look outside. Yum.
The Buffalo Cafe: We were the lucky recipients of rock chip to our window 50 miles into the start of our trip. My husband went to Auto Glass Wash and Wax in Whitefish to get it fixed. What amazing service and $9 to fill in the chip. The owner was very professional, nice, and more than fair. I would highly recommend checking him out if you need any service while in Whitefish. While he was there working on the chip, my kids and I walked around Whitefish to find breakfast. I was a little surprised to find very few choices. There was a bakery and a crepe place, but I’m dairy free and my daughter is egg free, so that typically is not an option. We finally ran into The Buffalo Cafe on a side street on the way back to the hotel. It was a great stop with a full breakfast. It was very busy, so we did have to wait 20 minutes. If have a time crunch, look ahead to breakfast options.
Bierstube at Whitefish Ski Resort: We took the chairlift up to the first area and from here you can walk up some stairs to some shopping and eating. We chose the “Stube” because it had outdoor seating. You have to order your food/get your food at the counter and the food was marginal. The views made up for it.
Columbia Falls, MT
The Night Owl/Back Room: This is located on the outside of Columbia Falls. It was 9:00 PM before we quit hiking for the evening and we were hungry! We had a hard time finding a place that stayed open past 9:00 and finally found the Back Room. The atmosphere was nice (outdoor seating) and the food was decent. The pizza was a good choice. If it’s late and you are hungry, definitely check it out. If it’s early and you have more time, go downtown Whitefish.
Gunsight Saloon: Again out of desperation, we ate here. We like hiking later in the day, because the trails aren’t as busy, however, it does get late since the trails we took were usually fairly long. It was a huge saloon downtown Columbia Falls that has live music and outdoor seating for adults. The kids could eat in the regular bar area. You seat yourself and order at the counter. We sat there for awhile before we figured this out. The food was ok. Again, if it’s late, it’s a decent place to stop. You don’t have many choices after 9 PM.
Glacier Park
West Glacier Cafe: We ate here after whitewater rafting. We wanted to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. If you decide to do this, you have to get your order to go because technically the outdoor seating isn’t part of the restaurant. The food was good and you could get a local microbrew if you’re into that.
Ptarmigan Dining Room at Many Glacier Hotel Restaurant: This was our favorite dining spot of the entire trip. Located in the Many Glacier Hotel, the views from the restaurant are amazing. You could see the mountain peaks and the lake below. The food was fantastic and the drinks were cold. The overall vibe of the place was spot on. And don’t worry. The dress code is casual, so we fit in perfectly fine in our hiking wear. Highly recommend.
Eddie’s Cafe in Apgar Village: This was a fun place to have a quick lunch. They have outdoor seating and the staff was very friendly and helpful. My husband had a taste of some huckleberry wine. The one thing you will notice about this area is there is huckleberry everything! My daughter enjoyed some huckleberry ice cream as well. Eddie’s has a cafe, gift shop, and ice cream shop. A great stop.
Where We Played
Shopping in Whitefish
There are several places to shop including gift stores, art galleries, organic soaps, clothing, outdoor shop, and more. Take a couple hours and walk around downtown. I was thinking this bike could be a lot of fun (or a lot of trouble! Ha).
Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort
You can easily spend a whole day here if you want to. From mountain biking, gondola/chairlift rides, zip lining, alpine slides, eating, and more. We took in the chairlift ride all the way to the top, along with the alpine slide. We would have done the zip lining, but it was a minimum of two hours and we didn’t have the time (hiking trumped zip lining). From gorgeous views to adventure extremes, this is the stop for you.
Bridge Jumping at Old Belton Bridge
We learned about this spot from our whitewater rafting guide. It’s where all the locals go to hang out and is known for bridge jumping. We aren’t sure about the actual distance of the jump from top to bottom, but we think it was about 40 feet. My son was the only one daring enough to jump. Can you see the guy taking a nap in his hammock under the bridge? Anything goes…well, almost anything. Even if you don’t want to make the jump, it’s a fun place to go and hang out. I had a great time just watching the cliff and bridge jumpers. You can ask how to get there in the West Glacier Village or ask at the rafting company. It’s very close to that area, but I couldn’t tell you how to get there now. It was in the country. We parked along side the road. That’s about all i remember. Ha. Click on the link above for more info.
White Water Rafting with Glacier Raft Company:
If you plan to go on a white water rafting trip, I recommend Glacier Raft Co. They were very professional and laid back. Our guide was really fun and informative (hi Dylan and yes, mom and dad he still has a job!). We arrived around 9:00 AM and our trip ended around noon. We were there in late July so the rapids had tamed down a bit. There was one level III, but even that wasn’t too crazy. It’s a great way to see the park from the water, along with some potential wildlife sightings. We saw a black dog (or wolf) on the trip. It was not confirmed. They also see black bear on a regular basis. It was a great time. Afterward, we walked to West Glacier Cafe to eat. It was a really fun morning and highly recommend. P.S. Remember when I said this was not a fashion post? Those helmets are sexy!
Rent a wake boat at Old Faithful Watersports at Saddlehorn Marina
We went to our hotel’s private beach lodge and wound up walking next door and renting a wake boat. It’s a great way to see the lake, views, and have a ton of fun while you’re at it. You can read more about this adventure under the Places We Stayed (Inn at Meadow Lake) located earlier in this post.
Glacier National Park
West Glacier Village: Parking tip – park behind the Canadian visitor center. There is usually spots here since no one thinks of driving back there (you can’t see it). It’s an easy walk to the shops and restaurants from there. This is close to where the white water rafting building is located.
Apgar: A great place to stop is the Apgar village. Check out the beautiful rocks on the shores of Lake McDonald, go on a boat tour, horseback riding, rent a canoe, and more.
Logan Pass: Along the continental divide, one of the most popular stops in the park. Several hikes, visitors center, and beautiful views.
Many Glacier: Fantastic hotel, trails, boat cruise, horseback riding, and the epic hikes to Grinnell Glacier and Iceberg Lake. I definitely want to spend more time here. A great stop and a must see. We saw the most wildlife here.
Two Medicine: Trails, boat ride, wildflowers, & mountain peaks. Known for having the most dramatic scenery and trails in Glacier.
Click here to view the hikes we recommend. One word. AMAZING!
Wildlife Viewing:
We were hoping we would see wildlife on this trip and we did not leave Glacier disappointed. The very first day we were there, we spotted a bull moose on the Virginia waterfall hike. It was very exciting since this was our first day. We saw several bear, moose, baby wolverines (debatable, but something that looks like them), fox, deer, mountain goats, ram, black wolf (unconfirmed), and these crazy little marmots. The best place to view wildlife is Many Glacier.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Take a day and head to Waterton National Park in Canada. It is a beautiful drive and like Niagara Falls, the Canadian side is as spectacular, if not more spectacular, than the U.S. side.
Prince of Wales
Our first stop was the Prince of Wales hotel. You definitely should stop here and take a look around. The views behind the hotel are nothing short of amazing. You look over Waterton Lake with mountains all around. This hotel is one of the most photographed hotels in the world and once you arrive, you will definitely see why. You can enjoy afternoon tea or if you’re hungry, grab a bite in their restaurant. Views are also gorgeous from inside the hotel. We are bummed we didn’t spend a night here. Next time!
Waterton Village
After our stop at Prince of Wales, we headed down to Waterton Village. It’s a cute little town full of shops, hotels, and restaurants. You can also rent electric bikes in town for a full day of exploring. I really wanted to do this. We were short on time because we wanted to hit Many Glacier on the way home. SAD FACE! If and when we take this trip again, this is a #1 item on my bucket list.
Some of the areas we wanted to go were closed due to fires. This was a bummer. I would recommend stopping at the visitor center to ask about specific hikes or drives to take around the area.
On our way out of town, we spotted a grizzly bear eating along the meadows. This added to the beauty we were already in love with surrounding Waterton.
Other Things to Do:
There is so much to see and do in the Glacier Gateway area. Some other suggestions include:
- Fly Fishing
- Flyboarding – This looks so fun! Located on Whitefish Lake at Riverside Recreation
- Horseback Riding
- Kayak, canoe, or rent a paddle board
- Boat trip – This is one thing I wanted to do, but we ran out of time-insert sad face or crying face. Ok, not that bad, but it would have been really fun. Check out the schedules here. I wanted to take the Many Glacier ride, but they all look fantastic
- Go Llama Trekking – really, not joking. Click here.
- Biking or Zip line at Whitefish Mountain – The zip line looked really fun
- Go to a Waterpark . Located near Columbia Falls
- Golfing – There are several options. If you stay at Inn at Meadow Lake, you can spend a day golfing there
- Attend a play – Check out the theaters around Whitefish and Big Fork
- Fun Center (maze, bumper boats, mini golf, and go carts) – Near Coram (West side).
- Go to a brewery, distillery, or winery – There are several around the area
- House of Mystery/Vortex – These are a little corny, but still can be fun! It’s a 45 minute tour and you can find out more here.
This is just a start. There is SO MUCH to do around Glacier. Want to take a hot air balloon ride? Yes, they have that too.
Other Important Details:
Fees: We got a National Park pass before our trip which was the America the Beautiful annual pass covering more than 2000 sites. We will more than likely use it again and even if we don’t, we like to support the parks. Click here to buy in advance. Fees at the gate range from $35 for a 7-day permit for a car, $20 for bike/walker, and $30 for motorcycle. An annual pass is $80. Click here for updated prices to Glacier. The price of entry for Waterton was $15.70, but prices will vary, so check before you go for the exact price. Click here for current prices to Waterton, along with other great information.
Going to the Sun Road: The most amazing scenic drive and scary at times! The road isn’t open very long, usually mid-June/July depending on snow that year and closes the third Monday of October (typically). It takes about two hours to drive the full distance, but you will be making many stops along the way for sightseeing or wildlife.
Red Tour Bus: If you are sick of driving, you can take an old time tour bus and let them do the driving. It takes the pressure off and is very informative. View information here. Shuttle: You can also take a shuttle which is free in the park. They stop at various places and you can hop on and off. For more information about shuttles, click here. This can be especially helpful due to traffic congestion and parking issues. Make sure you don’t miss the shuttle home. We ran into a couple that missed their shuttle after a long hike and had to hitchhike back.
Summary Itinerary
Day 1
Travel Day
Day 2
Arrive at the east entrance of Glacier. Hike Two Medicine Area (Aster Falls, Paradise Point, Overlook, & Running Eagle Falls). Start behind the Two Medicine boat rental office. Eat lunch we packed. After Two Medicine, arrive in St. Mary to look around a bit. Beautiful lodge. Continue on to see Sunrift Gorge and hike Sun Point Nature Trail, Saint Mary Falls, and end at Virginia Falls. End evening returning to Whitefish via the Going to the Sun road. Supper in Columbia Falls.
Day 3
Wake up and walk around Whitefish. Eat breakfast at the cafe. Head to Whitefish ski resort. Take both chair lifts up to the top of the mountain for beautiful views. Take the Alpine Slide down, which is a fun thing to do. They have a great zip lining area that I would recommend checking out if you have time. Eat lunch at Bierstube. It was good food, but you have to order and pick up your food at the counter. After lunch, head to West Glacier and catch Trail of the Cedars before dark. Eat supper at Latitude 42 in Whitefish.
Day 4
Wake up and head to Glacier Rafting Company located in the West Glacier Village for white water rafting. Eat lunch in the Village at West Glacier Cafe. Head to Avalanche Lake for an 8 mile hike (or shorter depending on what you want) and then head to Logan Pass/Hidden Lake Overlook to end the night. Eat supper at Gunsight Saloon in Columbia Falls (we ate here because nothing else was open).
Day 5
Head out to Waterton National Park in Alberta, Canada. Eat lunch at the Price of Wales hotel (for sure). Walk around and shop the village. Our plan was to hike the Red Rock Canyon and Akamina Parkway to the Akamina Lake, but both areas were closed due to fires. We were very sad about that, but still worth the trip. After Waterton, head to Many Glacier. Hike Apikuni Falls and Swiftcurrent Lake Trail. Eat supper at Ptarmigan Many Glacier hotel. Head home.
Day 6
Bridge jumping at Belton bridge and lunch at West Glacier village. Head to the Rocky Bar O private summer house at Flathead Lake (part of Inn on Meadow Lake) and rent a boat from Old Faithful Watersports near the Saddle Club marina next door. Spend the day wake surfing Flathead. Return to Inn on Meadow Lake for a great supper on the patio. A local brew to try – Cold Smoke, Kettle House Brewing, MT.
Day 7
Head for home. Boo. Going home is always a bummer, but I did miss my cat Rosie.
Click here for everything else you want to know about Glacier National Park.
Studies have shown how nature improves overall mental and physical health. I couldn’t agree more. At a minimum, take a stroll at your local park or take a drive out in the country and find a trail to take. Believe me, you will feel better!
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