Glacier National Park
We thought its going to be amazing and it was even better!
Lake McDonald
I really do not know where to start.. beautiful, untouched, wild, friendly, quiet, amazing, tons outdoor activities…
YES its far away, season is short and very hard to get a camping spot but 1000% worth of it all!
We entered the National Park from the West, Kalispell direction. Apgar is the bigger “village” close to the entrance. We had 4 nights in Fish Creek campground that is one of the biggest campgrounds. It was very well spaced out and apart of Memorial weekend 2 nights it was quiet and had the place mostly for ourselves.
Rhona made new friends and they kept coming back nearly every night.
Just checking what we were up to
Our campground was the only one open this early (end of May) and not “tents only” campground. It’s dry camping area with very strict rules of generator hours, no food/water left outside at any point, store the grill inside the car for the night kinda camping area. Bears were A BIG concern when going hiking or biking and we carried bear spray with us all the time.
Great forest roads for riding
I went for few hour mountain bike ride up to the mountains that nearly was A short ride as mile out of the camp I was told by a car driver that there was bear with two cubs on the road just a head of me but it looked like they were moving out… uhh… I had my bear spray, I read what to do if you see one, make noice so the bear knows that you are coming.. wanted to ride.. so… I kept going. I whooped loudly, often.. kept riding, told myself not to be a chicken.. and had GREAT time! I was told by 4 people during my ride that there were different bears on the road .. never saw one!!! Not that I was looking really.. few other cyclist were out as well so I did not feel like total idiot being out there… ha ha!!!
Got home… never had to pull out the bear spray..
Ian wanted to go and do the same ride… he was back in 20 min as he was face to face with a bear and 2 cubs on the road just up from our camp… they were NOT moving off the road and he was stuck for good 5 min with them bear spray ready to go.. He got home and was happy that things turned up as they did!! The next night there was a bear in the close by campground… got a sandwich from a kid that was whisk away by mom.. Next morning there was Park Ranges everywhere and very concerned about the incident as now the bear has a taste for human food and is very likely to come back… They did scare the bear away but even the possibility that the bear did not get scared enough… was a BIG concern for the Park Rangers and staff!
It’s early spring up in the mountains and bears are hungry and on the move!!!
Yes the water was freezing that’s why its Ian that is going for a swim.. not me!!
Lake McDonald Lodge
Rhona having mid run swim
Yes.. he is still 6 years old inside!
D ride to do!!!
Going to the Sun road goes over the mountains and continental divide from West side to East side of the park.
Every year while they are clearing the road from winter snow and getting barriers back on its places up there they open the road for only cyclists for few weeks. End of May when we were there it was open until Logan Pass which is 13 miles up from Avalanche Creek (up to where cars were allowed) Logan Pass is about half way up to St. Mary Visitors center on the East Side of the Park.
The road opens fully to the cars around mid June every year. You can find online updates of the road conditions.
At “the end” of the road, I was rather cooked and ready to turn around.. haha!!
It’s getting very popular to ride up the mountain on those two weeks only for cyclist. One can rent electric bikes from the village (tons of companies doing it!) . The road is quite narrow and would not recommend to go up there with tons of cars.. specially if you are not too happy with heights!
Start of the road on the bottom beside the river
Bring plenty liquid and food with you! You will need it all
Back a the camp
.. and more friends at the camp.
Glacier NP gets very busy over the summer and we were lucky to be there before it all goes “busy”. We only saw “the tourist” bits of the park about 2% of it all.. and NEED to go back. Apparently the East Entrance by St. Mary is not as spectacular as the West Entrance area?!? … Park is enormous and maybe next time enter from Canada side close to Waterton.
This time we only had little time to peek into this beautiful world. Heading down south to Poulson, Montana. We stayed in Eagles Nest Campground there before we headed up to Glacier and will spend a day there again before driving to Yellowstone. Poulson itself was fantastic, great people, awesome campsite, great butcher shop, dog parks… all that one needs!
Next Yellowstone…
