A first-time guide to Glacier National Park

27.06.2024 - 16:57 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 27, 2024 • 6 min read

Lesser-known than Yellowstone and Yosemite, but no less spectacular, Montana’s Glacier National Park is a high-country nirvana of untamed forests and huckleberry-scattered slopes bisected by hulking granite peaks dotted with glassy lakes and rushing waterfalls. 

Glacial forces molded this epic landscape that covers one million acres along the border of the United States and Canada. Its immense valleys are some two million years old and act as a biodiversity time capsules. Even novice adventurers can appreciate these stunning scenes, thanks to a hugely accessible infrastructure (there’s even a train service running through the park). 

Glacier has hundreds of miles of trails, ranging from short afternoon family hikes and multiday backpacking adventures to nature boardwalks for those less mobile or in wheelchairs. If that wasn’t enough, you can go biking, lake swimming, star gazing, rafting, plus extreme nature spotting – black and grizzly bears roam free here.

All times of year are beautiful in Glacier for different reasons. In winter some roads will be closed due to snowfalls, but the park is quiet and those looking for solitude will find dreamy snowy hikes (bring snow shoes) and great hotel deals (although many lodgings and most campgrounds are closed for the season). In spring, nature is most active and flowers are in full bloom, while summer invites rafters in search of white-knuckle thrills and lakes warm enough for a swim.

The busiest time to visit in the peak of summer, and a reservation system has been implemented for cars from 26 May to 10 September, between 6am and 3pm. Many drive to do the mesmerizing 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Rd, bisecting the park from west to east. Expect congestion during peak times and queues at parking lots.

Whether you only have one day or a whole month, the park has plenty to keep active travelers occupied, with more than 700 miles of trails plus numerous outdoor pursuits, from fishing and kayaking to rafting and stargazing.

Jump into the best of Montana with these spectacular road trips

Glacier is one of few national parks you can easily visit without a car – instead hop on the train route used by the Great Northern Railway built in the early 20th century before automobiles took off. The super-scenic Amtrak Empire Builder travels from Seattle to Chicago, stopping at two Glacier National Park entrances in the summer months, plus the feeder towns of Whitefish in the west and Browning in the east. 

Affordable shuttles run from the nearby communities of Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Kalispell (home to Glacier Park International Airport). Free park shuttles (in summer only – check updated schedules) run around the park to the most popular trailheads,