Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful National Parks in the country! Located in the Northwest corner of Montana, it borders Canada and Waterton Lakes National Park (Canadian). The park got its name from all of the Glaciers that shaped it. Unfortunately, there are only 25 active glaciers left, so you should go soon before they continue to melt. The park features blue lakes, snow capped mountains, and bounteous wildlife. Read below for a great Glacier National Park itinerary.
I have been to over 40 National Parks and this is in my top two! There’s nothing quite like seeing the imposing mountains behind glacial lakes. The park is open year round, but many things close when the weather gets cold and snow hits the region. We visited Glacier in August, which is a great chance to see all of the things that are available in the park!
This park is large and getting from one area to another takes a lot of time. Some drives are up to two hours long! So, you will want to add extra time into your plans. Below you will find the best 2 day itinerary to see the different areas of the park. Make sure that you take bear spray on any of hikes that you do throughout the park!
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How to Get to Glacier
Getting to this park is tricky, as it is located far from most airports and cities. The closest airport is in Kalispell, but it may be costly to get flights here. You can also fly into larger airports like the one in Bozeman. There is an Amtrak station located in Whitefish, so this is a good option if you enjoy riding the rails.
We drove from Bozeman, Montana which is about a five hour drive. There is plenty of gorgeous scenery to take in along the way so this is not a bad option.
Things to Know Before You Go
💵 Glacier costs $35 for a private vehicle that covers 7 day. You can also use any of the annual passes like the America the Beautiful Pass to get in.
☀️ Weather changes quickly in Glacier National Park. Make sure that you stay updated and that you take the proper precautions. If there are signs of bad weather, then stay in the lower elevations.
🐻 Glacier is bear country, so make sure to stay bear aware and make loud noises when hiking on the trails. Use the rule of thumb when viewing wildlife, so that you stay the correct distance away. Pack bear spray in case of emergencies.
🦮 Pets are not allowed in most areas of the park.
⚠️ Many of the trails and roads can get closed due to snowy conditions or bear activity. Make sure to check the NPS website for regular updates on the trail conditions.
🍃 Remember to follow the Leave No Trace Principles. As always, you want to leave nature looking better than you found it.
Two Day Glacier National Park Itinerary
Day 1: Going to the Sun Road & Logan Pass
Going to the Sun Road
On your first day in the park, you will focus on getting to the Logan Pass area and taking one longer hike. One of the most famous and iconic parts of the park is the Going to the Sun Road, which travels through the center of the park over Logan Pass and gives you access to some of the most popular sights.
The road can take months to plow, because all of the snow that falls there, which means that most years the road is only fully open from late June (or even early July) through mid October. So, you can also bike it! This depends a lot on the weather, so make sure you stay updated on the openings by looking at the NPS website. As you travel through the twists and turns of the mountains, you will see the famous Red “Jammers” that are vintage tour buses originating in the 1930s.
*Note: You will need reservations to access the Going to the Sun Road during the summer from 6 am-4 pm.*
Lake Mcdonald
The road is two lanes and follows the twists and turns of the mountains. You will see Lake McDonald on your left as you start driving through the park. This lake is the largest one in Glacier National Park and it is also incredibly clear. People often go canoeing, kayaking, and paddling on the surface.
We stopped here to skip a few rocks and take in its majestic beauty! After the lake, you are going to start slowly going up the mountain. As you drive along the road, make sure that you stop at some of the overlooks to take in the stunning views that surround you.
Logan Pass
The Logan Pass visitor center is a very populated part of the park. It took us about 20 minutes to get a parking spot there! You should definitely budget some extra time for the traffic and crowds that may get in your way. This center has a great information area about the park and a gift shop if you want to pick up any souvenirs.
Hidden Lake Trail
After you stop at the visitor center, you can head out to the Hidden Lake trailhead or if you have more time you can do the famous Highline Trail. There is an option to go to the Hidden Lake Trail Overlook and then head back, but I recommend you go all the way down to the lake. This trail is moderate and it is 5.4 miles there and back. The first part of this hike will take you on a wooden walkway with some steps up through the open valley. Colorful wildflowers and fields with mountains in the distance will surround you!
Once you have walked about 1.3 miles you will get to the Hidden Lake Overlook. There will be plenty of people on this wooden platform trying to take pictures and get the best views of the stunning blue lake below. I recommend that even if you do not want to continue doing the whole hike that you walk past this viewpoint by a few hundred feet. Along the mountainside you will get a much better view of the lake and it will not have people obstructing the view. If you are lucky (like us), you will see the iconic Mountain Goats and get a nice shot with them in it. Make sure to not get too close to these animals!
As you continue walking along the mountain side, you can stare at the mesmerizing blue lake below. The hike will start to go down the mountain and it will get steeper as you continue to descend. There are a few switchbacks that you will have to take along the mountain. The hardest part of walking down this part is knowing that you will have to go back up!
We were lucky enough to have seen some grizzlies high above us when we got to the bottom. You definitely don’t want to get anywhere close to these incredible animals! We walked through the tree line at the bottom of the trail to the lake ahead. The lake itself is very calm and serene, and you may see people taking dips in the water. We chose to just put our feet in. It’s a great spot to stop and eat a snack or lunch to fuel up for the climb up.
When you’re ready to leave, you will turn around to go the exact same way that you came. The climb is about 750 feet up the mountain, so take your time and make sure to drink lots of water. You can stop to enjoy the view as you ascend the trail and make your way back. This part was definitely a bit of a workout, but I loved this hike!
Jackson Glacier
After the hike, continue along the Going to the Sun Road to the Jackson Glacier Overlook before turning around. It’s been a long day, so you should turn around here and go grab a bite to eat in Whitefish.
Whitefish is a quaint town near the Park’s Western entrance. There are places to stay, souvenir shops, and food options throughout the town. This town is reminiscent of many small Western towns and it is fun to walk around and go into various shops. We ate dinner before heading home to rest up for the next day.
Day 2: Many Glacier & St Marys Area
Many Glacier Area
The next morning we took the Going to the Sun Road all the way through the park to get to the Many Glacier area of the park. This drive took us about an hour and a half, so make sure that you plan accordingly.
We stopped by the insanely blue Josephine Lake to take a few pictures and sit in the sun. Then, we continued to the equally as beautiful Swiftcurrent Lake to see it. We wanted to fit in a short hike before our scheduled boat ride, but then we got stuck in a bear jam. We got out of the car to take a few pictures of the grizzly, but we made sure to keep a safe distance away from it.
There are a lot of great, long hikes that you can take in the Many Glacier area. One of the hikes that I wish we had time for was Grinnell Glacier, which is a 9 mile hike that leads you to one of the bluest lakes in the park. Other great hikes include the Iceberg Lake trail and Cracker Lake.
St Mary Lake
We headed back out through the Many Glacier Entrance and into the St. Mary Entrance to get back to the Rising Sun spot. We took a boat across St. Mary Lake and a guided hike to St. Mary Falls. The boat ride is smooth and they teach you about the various geographical features within and surrounding the lake. We learned a lot about the park, the wildfires that have affected it, the geographical features, and the wildlife in the park. I highly recommend taking a guided tour, because you learn things that you would not on your own.
You may want to pack some extra clothes for the St Mary Falls hike, because at the end you will get to falls and a little stream. There were plenty of adventurous people jumping off the bridge into the water below. I don’t know that I have the guts to do this, but seeing the falls were impressive and I wish I had a bathing suit to cool off in.
You can walk back by yourself and at your own pace. As we walked back the way we came, we saw a moose in the water below, which was really cool! You can see more falls back at the start of the hike. The last boat leaves the dock at 4:45 pm to return you back to your car. I really enjoyed this activity and I think you would too.
Head Back Home
We did not have time for much else, because we had to drive 5 hours back to Bozeman that night. Once we got back to the dock, we decided that it was time to head back home. If we had more time I would have loved to do many more hikes and to drive up to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. I hope you enjoyed this Glacier National Park itinerary and that you visit, because it is a true gem in the US.
Let me know in the comments if you found this itinerary helpful!
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