Things to know about Glacier

  • The Going to the Sun road closes so plan your trip accordingly.

  • There are some great places on the other side of the Going to the Sun road.

  • Logan Pass Visitor’s Center is very nice. The trail-head to Hidden Lake is there.

  • Hidden Lake trail has many steps, but it’s worth the hike.

  • Pull off and take in the views. They’re worth it.

  • Vehicles over 21 feet, over 8 feet wide, and over 10 feet tall aren’t allowed on the Going to the Sun road. Red Bus Tours offers guide services inside the park.

  • Be prepared to wait for parking spots at the visitor centers.

  • Bring a picnic with you to the park. You won’t regret it.

The Oberview:

We drove from the Portland, Oregon area to get to Glacier. It’s a 13 hour drive from our house going through Spokane. We have friends that live by Flathead, Montana, and they offered to let us stay in the housing that they have for the field workers. It was quite a commute each day to get to Glacier, but, hey, free lodging isn’t to be turned down, plus we got to visit with our friends and see there beautiful cherry orchard. There are plenty of places to stay in or near Glacier.

Places to check out between Portland and Glacier:

Stonehenge Memorial in Maryhill, Washington. http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/stonehenge-memorial There are wonderful views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood from here. Also the small town at the base of the mountain is quaint and filled with orchards. It’s a great place to buy fresh fruit when in season. There are several wineries on of which is at the Maryhill Museum http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/ (not the memorial).

The Country Mercantile is north of Pasco. They have fantastic food and treats there as well as clean restrooms. It’s a fun place to get gifts and goodies. https://www.countrymercantile.com/

Spokane, Washington is a fun town. Be sure to get off the Interstate and explore the downtown area. The Riverfront Park is a great area to explore. https://my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontpark/attractions/skyride/ The courthouse isn’t too far away and the architecture is beautiful.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is a fun town to explore. There is a beautiful lake and a theme park too. We wanted to get to Glacier, so we didn’t spend any time here. It’s on my bucket list though. https://www.coeurdalene.org/play/attractions/

Wallace, Washington is a quaint historic town. We spent a little bit of time walking around here. We also had a delicious lunch in one of their several restaurants.

Exploring Glacier -

Going to the Sun road is the number 1 must be done. The drive is not for the faint of heart. The roads are curvy and narrow and the drop offs are steep. If you don’t want to drive, you can take the Red Bus tour. http://www.glaciernationalparklodges.com/red-bus-tours Keep in mind that the Going to the Sun Road is very narrow and has rock overhangs that limit the sizes of vehicles. There are plenty of pull offs (some pretty small) to get out of the car and take pictures. There are also plenty of trails to explore off the Going to the Sun road.