Glacier National Park

Crown of the Continent

Explore things to see and do in Glacier National Park. Established as a National Park in 1910 it is a land of mountain ranges carved by prehistoric ice rivers. It features alpine meadows, deep forests, waterfalls, about 25 glistening glaciers and 200 sparkling lakes. The vistas seen from Going-To-The-Sun Road are breathtaking, a photographer's paradise. Relatively few miles of road exist in the park's 1,600 square miles of picturesque landscape, thus preserving its primitive and unspoiled beauty.

Cyclists ride along a mountain road with switchbacks in Montana’s scenic valleys and peaks

The Going-to-the-Sun Road was completed in 1932 and is a spectacular 50 mile, paved two-lane highway that bisects the park east and west. It spans the width of Glacier National Park, crossing the Continental Divide at 6,646-foot-high Logan Pass. It passes through almost every type of terrain in the park, from large glacial lakes and cedar forests in the lower valleys to windswept alpine tundra atop the pass.

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Going-To-The-Sun Road

Scenic view of a calm mountain lake with red cliffs and snowcapped peaks at dusk in Montana

St. Mary is near the east entrance of Glacier National Park and is situated between Lower St. Mary Lake, in Glacier County and Upper St. Mary Lake, in the park. The Going-to-the-Sun Road links St. Mary on the eastern side of Glacier with the park's western entrance at West Glacier. The area north of the lake along the road is rich in wildlife and beauty. Mule deer and elk call it home, while spring and summer offer an array of wildflowers including Indian paintbrush, blanketflowers and lupine.

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St. Mary

Scenic mountain valley view from a winding road in Montana, with evergreen trees and snowy peaks in the distance

Rugged, wild, and incredibly scenic, this five-day trip is filled with only-in-Montana experiences. Travel Glacier National Park’s legendary Going-to-the-Sun Road. 

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Backbone of The Rockies

Montana mountain landscape with a rocky peak and a pine forest in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky

Babb is located at the edge of Glacier National Park along the St. Mary River. There are numerous outdoor activities and scenic views just minutes away from this small town. 

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Babb

Red vintage tour truck driving along a scenic highway past rocky cliffs in Montana with distant mountains in the background

Red Bus Tour

The scenery and wildlife in Glacier National Park provides constant amazement and inspiration, for young and old alike. A fun way to reveal the deeper significance and meanings of the park is to spend time on an interpretive tour.

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East & West Glacier

Lodge at dusk with surrounding pine trees and mountain peaks in view in Montana

East Glacier

East Glacier Park is the perfect point to start, headquarter or end your visit to Glacier National Park. There are over a thousand miles of hiking trails with views of glaciers, brilliant wildflowers, snowcapped peaks and clear mountain streams. Varied wildlife inhabit Glacier National Park, including bighorn sheep, mountain goats, ptarmigan, and both black and grizzly bears. East Glacier Park will provide you with the largest variety of facilities and supplies available in the area.

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Mountain ridge with patches of snow rising above a dense green forest along a calm lake with small boats on the water

West Glacier

West Glacier anchors the western entrance to Glacier National Park and provides a variety of visitor services including lodging, cafes and gift shops. Recreation activities include golfing, hiking, biking or cruising nearby Lake McDonald on a boat tour or rafting the Flathead River. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are available in the winter too. Finally, it is one of the stops on Amtrak's northern route across Montana. Begin your exploration of the Crown of the Continent in West Glacier.

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Mountain valley with a turquoise alpine lake and snowy peaks under partly cloudy skies in Montana

Top Ten Hikes In Glacier

In 2011, Jake Bramante became the first person to hike all 734 miles of trail in Glacier National Park in one summer. He documented his experience starting with McDonald Creek trail on his blog, Hike 734. After receiving questions about the best way to experience Glacier National Park, Bramante published a driving guide for the Going-to-the-Sun Road in 2013. In 2014, he published his Day Hikes of Glacier National Park Guide.  Since his experience with Glacier National Park, Bramante has helped visitors navigate other national parks, completing day hikes guides for Zion and Yellowstone National Parks. Bramante continues to blog about his adventures by sharing videos and photos in Glacier, Yellowstone, and wherever else his shoes hit the trail.

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Around & Nearby

Woman holding a map and using a phone outdoors in a Montana town, smiling while planning her route

Polebridge Mercantile

Mountain resort buildings at dusk with a fenced meadow, fir trees, and snowcapped peaks in the background in Montana

East Glacier

Scenic resort lodge with green roof in a meadow, surrounded by tall yellow trees, with snowcapped mountains in the background near Big Sky, Montana

Glacier Park Lodge

Kayaks tied along a riverbank in front of a riverside lodging building in Montana

Whitefish

River winding through a forested Montana valley with autumn trees and colorful hillsides

Columbia Falls

Serene pond and green fields with distant Rocky Mountain foothills at sunset near rural Montana homes and trees

Kalispell

Regional
Guidebooks

Central Montana Travel Guide Glacier Country Travel Guide Indian Country Travel Guide Missouri River Country Travel Guide Southeast Montana Travel Guide Southwest Montana Travel Guide Yellowstone Country Travel Guide