Americas Destinations

Glacier National Park – The Alps of America

September 25, 2017
Easy hikes in Glacier National Park

Oh gosh, where should I start? The breathtaking mountain views? The crystal clear alpine lakes? The abundant wildlife? I don’t know. All I know is that this place left a huge mark in my heart and memories. Glacier National Park in Northwestern Montana is also called the Alps of America, but it’s much more than that! Although the park doesn’t involve the highest peaks of the Rockies, I got a good sense how big this mountain range actually is (much bigger than the alps). Arriving after a long drive from Yellowstone, we started off with a night under the stars in St. Mary near the East entrance of the park. Fortunately that night was much warmer than in Yellowstone, so our second camping experiment was a full success! Furthermore we discovered some gorgeous easy hikes in Glacier National Park!

The weather supposed to be very stable and sunny during August and we weren’t disappointed. One of the park’s best known landmarks is the huge Many Glacier Hotel in a Swiss chalet style. It’s located right by the Swiftcurrent Lake, which couldn’t make a better scenery. It was simply spectacular!

The pristine ecosystem with its hundreds of lakes and numerous glaciers is what makes this area so special. However, climate change took its tribute, that today only a fraction of the glaciers is left compared to 100 years ago. Researches estimate that all of them might be gone within the next 30 years! That also means a loss of habitat for lots of plant and animal species… Sad isn’t it?

So as we hiked along Swiftcurrent Lake…

… it didn’t take long until our first encounter with wild animals. We spotted a female moose grazing in the lake. It was a little hidden behind a bunch of trees and it only showed us its back…

Lake Josephine follows closely where you’ll also find regular boat service.

Despite being quite accessible, the park still feels wild and unspoiled. If you like the outdoors, this is just paradise!

Our final destination of the day was turquoise Grinnell Lake embedded in a spectacular setting. Sigh!

Again, Many Glacier Hotel from a different perspective. Maybe we can stay there next time? 😉

One of America’s most scenic routes, the Going-to-the-sun-road, is a must-see of the National Park. You’ll have to take it anyway when you want to get to the West Entrance, but it’s worth taking your time and enjoy all the vistas every couple of miles.

Overlooking Wild Goose Island in St. Mary Lake: While we were there, the first sprague fires started to hit the National Park, causing hazy views and smoky air… Later in August and September parts of the park had to close because of the fire :/

Another stop worth taking is Logan Pass – the highest point of the Going-to-the-sun-road. Beside a big Visitor Center, there are lots of hiking trails that start from there. One of the most popular ones (because it’s rather easy yet beautiful) is the trail to the Hidden Lake Overlook. It’s only 1.5 miles one-way but it’s packed with beauty!

There’s so much to see from alpine flowers…

… to bighorn sheep chilling in the sun…

… and sometimes mountain goats will cross your way 🙂

Surprise – there really is a “hidden” lake at the lookout! Motivated hikers can take the extra 1.4 miles down, but as this part is going downhill (and you have to go all the way up again), we didn’t do it 😛

So in awe with these views 😍

At the end I have a restaurant tip for you: Whenever you end up in St. Mary, don’t miss Johnson’s! This cozy cabin has the best food in the area and we’re still raving about the soup and home-made huckleberry lemonade!

Useful information:

  • Glacier National Park and neighbouring Waterton Park in Canada build the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park – the first of its kind. The area has been inhabited by Native Americans since thousands of years, particularly by the Blackfeet tribe.
  • Parts of the National Park are open year-round with limited access during off-season. Summer (especially July and August) is high season and the only time where Going-to-the-sun Road is fully open. Current updates on road status, wildfires and activities can be found on the very informative official website.
  • The closest “bigger” airport is Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell. Driving is the better option and Montana is a great state for road trips! There’s also a frequent shuttle service that serves Going-to-the-sun-road during high season. This is especially useful for some hikes that end at a different point than where they started.
  • Like anywhere, high season is very busy and it’s advisable to book accommodation as early as possible. There are first come, first serve campsites across the park, which fill up quickly. Check the campsite map or stay outside the park e.g. in Whitefish, East Glacier or St. Mary alternatively. We were very happy with the campsite at Johnson’s and the Red Eagle Motel, both in St. Mary and very close to the park!
  • Just like Yellowstone, Glacier N.P. is known to be grizzly habitat. That means: Don’t forget your bear spray and be cautious!


I’m absolutely in love with America’s National Parks! Which one are you planning to visit?


You may also like these articles:

Yellowstone National Park – hiking from geysers to mountains

Niagara Falls – More than just a waterfall

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19 Comments

  • Reply kmkucharski September 25, 2017 at 8:08 pm

    Such gorgeous scenery! My favorite park is still Acadia in Maine though I’ve traveled to many others around the country. I worked for the National Park Service and lived in Acadia one fall for 7 weeks – that was heavenly even though our first blizzard was Columbus Day weekend that year.

    • Reply sileas October 2, 2017 at 5:12 am

      Oh that’s so cool! I looked into Acadia and it looks gorgeous! It must’ve been an unforgettable experience 🙂

  • Reply Vicky T. September 26, 2017 at 12:50 am

    Oh I love road trips. The view is always so breathtaking!

    Vicky
    http://vickysscrapbook.com/

    • Reply sileas October 2, 2017 at 5:13 am

      I totally agree Vicky!

  • Reply Paleica September 26, 2017 at 2:12 am

    oh ist das schön! so wie bei uns – nur in groß 😀

    • Reply sileas October 2, 2017 at 5:15 am

      Das ist mir auch als Erstes in den Sinn gekommen 😀

      • Reply Paleica October 4, 2017 at 3:09 am

        😀 das dachte ich mir auch im yosemite valley.

  • Reply From Billings to Vancouver - Postcards from the road - sweet/escapes September 26, 2017 at 11:04 am

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  • Reply SueT唐 梦 琇 September 26, 2017 at 5:45 pm

    No wonder you are loving the National Parks Julia; they are beautiful. Love the wildlife and wildflowers too but that scenery is just stunning. Nature at it’s best.

    • Reply sileas October 2, 2017 at 5:17 am

      Absolutely! Seeing all this beauty makes me humble.

  • Reply Sanne October 4, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    What a beautiful place! I really should visit more national parks. I want to see Everglades when I’m in Florida later this month, but I don’t think it will be half as beautiful as Glacier National Park.

    • Reply sileas October 9, 2017 at 5:01 am

      I wouldn’t mind a trip to Florida, after all the time I spent in the mountains, I already miss the beach…

  • Reply ourdestinationsblog October 5, 2017 at 2:42 am

    Being a mountain lover all my life, this post gave me chills of pleasure all over. What a wonderful area! Gosh, now I know what to collect money for 😀 This has to be on our “must-have-been” list. Thank you!

    • Reply sileas October 9, 2017 at 5:03 am

      This is the perfect area for you! In many ways it reminded me of the alps, but still felt different!

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  • Reply Christina October 10, 2017 at 7:50 am

    oh my gosh, this place looks amazing! It makes me wanna pack my bags and go there immediately! (but I pinned the post on pinterest so I don’t forget about it. haha) It looks so calming, relaxing, idyllic – straight out a movie! I am so grateful that national parks were invented!

    • Reply sileas October 11, 2017 at 5:08 am

      Me too! If I had unlimited time and money I’d visit them all 😛

      • Reply Christina October 11, 2017 at 5:23 am

        Yeah it’s always the same – not enough time and not enough money 😒 😀

  • Reply The Wild West and the Center of the Universe - sweet/escapes October 25, 2017 at 10:03 am

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