After the Tetons and sticking with the theme of avoiding interstates as much as possible, I rerouted my way up to the Glacier National Park. National Geographic’s book suggested continuing north along Highway 89 toward Great Falls and Browning through the misty Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest and the Great Plains.
The Northern Great Plains marked the history of many peoples, the numerous Native American tribes including the Blackfeet, Arapaho, Atsina, Plains Cree, and Saulteaux (Plains Ojibwa), and the early Euro-American explorers such as the famed Lewis and Clark. Route 89 allows you to explore the history of both through the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls and the Museum of the Plain Indians in Browning. Unfortunately, the “handsome fall” so named by Meriwether Lewis no longer shows its “beautiful cascade” due to the dam constructed across it.
Just north of Browning is the town of St. Mary, the eastern gateway to the Glacier National Park. I decided to rest up for the night on one of the campsites hosted by the Native American families there. Tents are not the most ideal in this part of Montana as the rain comes in swift and fast. Camper vans might be the best way to go. Another advantage of having a self-contained vehicle is that you can just camp by the local pub! Drink, eat, sleep, and hike!
From the St. Mary side, you can access both the Many Glaciers and the Go-to-the-sun road. Regardless of which one you choose, you should do your research on the bears and permits as both can cause delays and closures of trails. I was able to get the Go-to-the-sun road permit, however, the Iceberg trail was closed due to frequent bear activities.
Indeed there were bears. Hiking down the nearby Swiftcurrent Pass Trail, I encounter not one, but two bears closely by the trail! The first bear was timider, but the second one was rather hungry and started marching towards me as soon as I saw him/her. Putting all my bear knowledge into use I slowly walked backward facing the bear while making loud sounds. At the same time, I pulled out my bear spray ready for the worst situation. Slowly I encountered more people who also needed to go past the bear. All of us together were able to make loud enough sounds and have enough bodies to sway the bear to go off of the trail. Crisis averted!
Aside from the bear, the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail is truly a gem for both wildlife watchers and scene viewers. Aside from running away from bears, you also get to experience the alpine lake, the rushing waterfalls, and the occasional munching moose. Eating lunch by Bullhead Lake with the glacier and the Swiftcurrent Mountain as the backdrop was truly one of my highlights of this trail.
Go-to-the-sun Road is certainly one of the main attractions of the park. Many of the most famous day hikes depart from this road. The few I chose were the Hidden Lake Trail, Baring Falls Trail, The Loop-Granite Park to Grinnell Glacier Overlook connecting the Highline Trail, and the Mount Brown Lookout Trail.
Two of my favorites are definitely The Loop- Grinnell Glacier Overlook-Highline Trail, and the Hidden Lake Trail. Hidden Lake trail departs from the famous Logan Pass traversing on top of the mountain to an overlook that has a truly awe-spiring view. It’s said that this trail produced most of the scenic pictures of the Glacier National Park. I suspect that it’s doubly so when the wildflowers are blooming. Walking on this semi-wood-paved trail, you might even catch glimpse of the wondering mountain goats.
“The Grand Loop” which connects The Loop, Granite Park, Grinnell Glacier Overlook, and the Highline Trail is THE day of the park. The 4000-plus-feet elevation gain and 13.5-mile-long trail shows you the best of this National Park: glaciers, overlooks, mountain tops, wildlife, canyons, and lakes. Of course, it is a longer trail so it pays to start early. Water points are mostly along with the Highline portion of the trail. Almost none along The Loop to Granite Park. If you can manage it, I hundred recommend going up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook that peeks at the Many Glaciers side of the park.
Glacier National Park is not all arduous activity. Lake McDonald is a great place for relaxation. With days rising to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, a chill dig in the lake with some reading on the side is the perfect slow afternoon. Alternatively, you can also take a scenic cruise, or borrow a kayak to enjoy the lake waters. Either way, make sure you stop at this giant alpine lake for some tranquil afternoon vibes.
An alternate slow afternoon plan could be fishing by the river. Like most of the western states, fly-fishing is very popular around Glacier National Park. Be sure to check out the fishing permits before you start!
As for my lodging on the western side, I opted for a Hipcamp location on a ranch close to Whitefish, an up-and-coming mountain town. The ranch owners were incredibly nice and allowed me to use their Starlink during my stay. I also stayed at one of the campgrounds close to the National Park which also featured a BBQ café. The campground was fully featured with showers and washing machines. If you need to do your laundry. definitely stop by there!
