Your Guide to Visiting Glacier National Park in Summer

Wildflowers dot the landscape, rugged mountains 🏔 jut up into the blue sky, and mountain goats roam free. There is no prettier sight to behold than Glacier National Park in summer.

Glacier’s landscape is changing at a fast pace. This park used to have more than 80 glaciers 🧊 within its boundaries. Now, the number has dwindled to around 30. So, visit to see what’s left of these natural formations!

I have been to all the National Parks in the Lower 48 and Glacier is my favorite of them all. Every time I visit, I am in awe 😮 of the remarkable landscape that surrounds me. I have been multiple times now and yet, there are still so many new places that I want to see and hikes that I’m dying to take in Glacier.

Although this park is undeniably incredible, it is also extremely crowded in the summer time. It’s so crowded, that the park has even began requiring reservations for entry into much of the park.

It can be hard to plan a trip to Glacier, so you can read below for everything you need to know about visiting in summer. This guide includes how to get to Glacier, what to do in the summer, and importantly, how to get reservations into the park!

You Might Also Like These Posts:

• Ultimate Glacier National Park Itinerary
• A Magical Trek in Glacier: Iceberg Lake
• Your Complete Guide on Biking the Going to the Sun Road

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Glacier National Park in Summer Rundown

Glacier National Park Highlights Above

What to Do in Glacier National Park in Summer

Go Hiking

There’s no doubt about it, hiking is one of the very best ways to see Glacier National Park in summer. Bright blue hikes, wildflowers 🌸, and jaw-dropping mountain views line the trails. Every single trail in Glacier is worth a visit and you will be amazed!

Glacier hikes 🥾 are often harder with great elevation gain. There are a few great hikes that are family friendly like Avalanche Lake or Hidden Lake, but you’ll find these are also more crowded. Despite the crowds, you will not be a disappointed by these trails, they are all stunning.

Trail conditions can change from the beginning of summer through the end. Snow and wildlife activity can close trails 🚫, so you can stay updated on the website here. Even if a trail is open its important to always bring bear spray! You never know when you may come across a Grizzly.

Best Hikes in Glacier National Park:

• Iceberg Lake (9.3 miles, 1450 Feet, Moderate)– Path to a lake that constantly has ice on it
• Grinnell Glacier (11.2 miles, 2181 Feet, Hard) – Tough trek to a glacier, which features lakes and forests
• Avalanche Lake (6 miles, 750 Feet, Moderate) – Beautiful family friendly hike to a stunning lake
• Cracker Lake (12 miles, 1650 Feet, Moderate) – A long hike to a bright blue lake at the end of the trail
• Hidden Lake (5.3 miles, 1374 Feet, Moderate) – Gorgeous walk to a dark blue lake in front of scenic mountains, you can do an easier trek to the lookout and back
• Highline Trail (15 miles, 2500 Feet, Hard) – Stunning views over areas of Glacier with steep cliff sides
• Trail of the Cedars (1 mile, 50 Feet, Easy) – Beautiful boardwalk trail, which you can connect to Avalanche Lake
• St Mary Falls (3 miles, 450 Feet, Moderate) – One of the easier hikes in the park that takes you to two beautiful waterfalls

Drive the Going to the Sun Road

You’ll never forget your first time driving the Going to the Sun Road 🚗. I’ve been on hundreds of scenic drives and none could compare to this one.

This road travels up through the Rocky Mountains, over the continental divide, and is 50 miles long! Along the way you’ll have the chance to see incredible glaciers, panoramic mountain views, cascading waterfalls 💦, and mountain wildlife.

There are many great destinations to stop at along the way including Logan Pass, Lake McDonald, and abundant trails. If you do not want to drive yourself, you can take the famous Red Bus Tours.

Most of the road is closed throughout the year 🛑 and it only opens up in entirety sometime in July! You can check for opening updates on the NPS website. So, you have to take advantage of the summer and drive along this wonderful road if you can. Reservations are required, which you can read more about down below!

Take a Guided Tour

There are endless possibilities for tours within Glacier National Park in summer. You can choose to go on a boat ride 🚤 with a ranger led hike, attend a ranger talk, or do an educational course. It’s a great way to learn more about the park, the environment, and its history.

I did a boat ride with a guided hike to St Mary Falls on my first visit and it was incredible! So, you should definitely read about all of the offerings and look to see if there’s anything you’d enjoy.

Camp or Backpack in the Mountains

Camping and backpacking throughout the wilderness of Glacier are magical experiences. There’s nothing like sleeping under the stars 💫 with incredible mountainous terrain all around. Plan your vacation for one of the most spectacular camping destinations in the country!

There are 13 campgrounds in Glacier and a few of them are on a first-come, first-served basis. The rest require reservations 6 months in advance, which you can find on recreation.gov. While, there are 65 backcountry sites to choose from! You can get permits in advance, or try you luck at getting one on the day of your trip.

Go Biking

If you’re an avid bicyclist 🚴‍♀️, then the Going to the Sun Road is one of the best rides you can do. Most bikers enjoy this challenging road in the early summer, when roads are getting cleared and cars are still not allowed.

It’s a tough challenge, so you should be in good physical condition. If you want to bike in peak summer, then you should be experienced. Bikers are required to bike in single file when cars are allowed on the roads. Otherwise, the crowded two lane road can be very dangerous!

Fish in the Lakes

Glaciers melt down into the mountains and create clear waters of rivers, streams, and lakes. It’s the ideal fishing 🐟 area with incredible trout and other species. You do not need to get a permit to go fishing in the park, but make sure to abide by all the restrictions.

Boat on the Waters

These same pristine waters that are great for fishing, are also wonderful for boating. Bring your own watercraft, get inspected, and head out on the lakes. Or, if you do not have your own boats you can take one of the great boat tours offered by the park. It’s a great way to see the park from a new perspective and the best summer activity!

Weather in Glacier in the Summer

Glacier National Park in the summer is truly unbeatable 🙌🏻. If I could go to Glacier every summer, then I would.

In the early summer, from June to the beginning of July, you can expect cooler temperatures. Highs are often in the low 60s with even colder nights. There is occasional snowfall in the beginning of June and rainy days are possible.

Luckily, in July and August, temperatures warm up and the sun shines 🌞 throughout the park. You can expect warm days, with highs in the 70s and low 80s, and cool nights in the mountains. Most of the snow will melt by late July and wildflowers bloom. It’s a stunning time to visit.

How to Get to Glacier National Park

Glacier is far from most airports and cities, but it is worth the drive. The closest airport is, Glacier Park International Airport, just 40 minutes from the park in Kalispell. However, flights are costly to get there, so you can fly into larger airports ✈️ in Missoula (150 miles away), Great Falls (145 miles away) or Bozeman (287 miles).

There is an Amtrak station located in Whitefish 🚞, so this is a good option to enjoy scenery from the train. Once you get to Whitefish, you will most likely want to get a car to drive around park.

Luckily, if you have to drive, you’ll get to take in tons of scenic views along Highway 2. It’s on of the very best road trip destinations.

Things to Know about Glacier National Park

How to get Glacier National Park Reservations

Due to the extreme crowds that descend on Glacier in the summer, the park has decided to put a new reservation system into place. In the past couple of summers, they had a reservation system for the Going to the Sun Road, but now they’ve expanded it.

You will now need reservations for 4 areas of the park: Going to the Sun Road, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and the North Fork.

All reservations are in place from July 1 through September 10th from 6 am-3 pm. The Going to the Sun Road and North Fork reservations begin on May 26. In order to get reservations, you will need to go onto recreation.gov to book them. There are different systems for each part of the park, so you will need to choose which ones to get first.

If you get a reservation, don’t forget to take a screenshot 📲 or print it out to show the rangers. You will also need a parks pass to enter the park as well!

Reservation Release Schedule

This year they are doing a new system, where reservations will be available during different time periods. There will be an initial round and then another release 24 hours in advance. The schedule is listed below.

I Didn’t get Glacier Park Reservations, Now What?

It can be disappointing 😕 to not get any reservations or get reservations you didn’t necessarily want. But do not worry, you are not out of luck. These reservations are only required from 6 am until 3 pm.

You can enter Going to the Sun Road through the St Marys Entrance before 6 am or enter it from either direction after 3 pm. Additionally, you can enter North Fork, Two Medicine and St Marys before 6 am or after 3 pm as well. So, you can choose to wake up early or head to the park in the afternoon to visit!

Daylight lasts a long time in the summer, so if you don’t visit until after 3 pm there is still plenty of things you can do! 👍🏻 You can even fit in some of the long hikes if you want. It will also allow you to skip some of the busiest hours in the park.

There is one additional loophole: if you book a campground, lodging, or commercial tour in those areas of the park, then you do not need the vehicle reservations. You will simply show them those tickets and be allowed into that designated area of the park.

What to Pack for a Trip to Glacier

Although days are often warm and sunny, nights can get very cold 🥶 in the summer. So, you will want to dress for the changing weather of the mountains. Pack plenty of layers, sunscreen, and supportive shoes for the trip!

If you have plans to get off the roads and into the wilderness, then you will need to pack bear spray! Grizzlies 🐻 are a common sight on the trails, so make sure to learn how to properly use the spray before visiting.

Packing List:

• Comfortable Hiking Boots
• Hiking Poles
• Day Pack
• Water Reservoir and Reusable Water Bottles
• Snacks and Food
• First Aid Kit
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Sunglasses
• Bear Spray
• Nice Camera
• Hat to block sun
• Shelter
• Parks Pass
• Rain jacket or light jacket
• Satellite phone
• Downloaded Maps
• Photos of Reservation

Final Thoughts on Visiting Glacier National Park in Summer

I hope you’ve been convinced to plan a summer trip to Glacier National Park! It’s truly a bucket list destination with an overwhelming amount of beautiful views. You will surely fall in love and want to go back again.

Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this park guide!

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