Map tips: each color represents a different day. Click a marker to learn more about the spot, and click the star in the map header to save the entire map under Your Places in Google Maps.
Note: Glacier National Park in Montana is not an easy destination to plan for, ever. It was extra challenging in 2025 due to timed vehicle reservations and construction closures. I left many of the logistics out of the daily details and added them at the bottom instead. Hopefully, you’ll find the additional information helpful if you’re planning a trip, and can enjoy the photos and recap if not!
Day 1
We arrived at Kalispell airport (FCA), the closest option for Glacier National Park around noon. Picked up our rental car, drove to Costco to load up on groceries, and made the 1 hour 45-minute drive to Lone Elk Lodge in East Glacier. Settled in, made dinner, and called it a day.
Day 2: Hiking near Two Medicine Lake
We had booked round-trip boat tickets a few days earlier for Two Medicine Lake, which was a 25-minute drive from where we stayed. The best hike in Two Medicine is the Dawson-Pitamakan loop trail which is 18 miles. Our plan was to summit Mount Helen, which is just above Dawson Pass, so we weren’t going to do that whole loop. Taking the boat shaves off about 3 miles each way. It’s not impossible to do either Mount Helen or the full loop without the boat, but it would lengthen the hike and day by a lot.
Once you get off the boat, the trail to Dawson Pass is well marked. There are beautiful views along the way, especially once you gain some elevation.
When you reach Dawson Pass there are two peaks in opposite directions. Mount Helen is to the left and Flinsch Peak is to the right. There are no official trails to either but it’s as straightforward as possible to see where you have to go.
Helen is lower, less technical, and I liked the views better from what I’d seen online, so it was an easy decision. It’s truly a walk-up summit and ended up being one of my favorite experiences and views from the trip. It was the first summit with my son which made it even more special. Total for the day ended up being around 10 miles with 3,300 feet of elevation gain.
Returned the same way and made dinner when we got back.
Day 3: Blah
Rained all day long. No views or visibility whatsoever – about as bad as it gets. Very lucky that we did not book the Two Medicine boat trip this day, as they were already sold out and the previous day was our only option while we were staying in the area. Pretty low-key, lazy day. Had a decent meal at Serrano’s (Mexican food) in East Glacier and that’s about all worth mentioning.
Day 4: Iceberg Lake Trail
The Many Glacier area is often considered to be the most beautiful part of Glacier National Park (I found that to be true). We had purchased round-trip boat tickets for this day and a one-way boat ticket 3 days later. We booked many months in advance because they are always in very high demand and you had to have a reservation of some kind to enter Many Glacier at all during the summer of 2025 (more on this at the bottom).
Basically, we used the boat tickets as our entry ticket to Many Glacier. We spaced them out a few days in case of bad weather (turned out to be a great decision). Also in case trails were closed due to bear activity (happens often in the area but was not a factor for us).
Unfortunately, the weather was very similar to the previous day with only slightly less rain. We had the intention of using the round-trip tickets for the Grinnel Glacier Trail. The boat cuts off 1.7 miles each way for that one. Again, not impossible to do without the boat but helpful.
The Grinnel Glacier Trail has arguably the best scenery in the park, so it wasn’t worth doing when there were no views. There was no way we were going to waste or skip 1 of the only 2 days that we had access to Many Glacier, however. We decided on doing the Iceberg Lake Trail, which I felt would be the second-best hike in the area. I felt Cracker Lake would be third, but that was longer and closed for bear activity.
The boat is not used for Iceberg or Cracker, so our reservation truly ended up being an entry ticket to Many Glacier only. The Iceberg Trail actually starts almost a mile away from the Many Glacier Hotel at Swiftcurrent. Since that was completely closed off due to construction, it added about 1 mile each way from the normal hike. That made it a total of about 12 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain.
I have mixed feelings about the Iceberg Lake hike. Having the 3,000-foot cliffs above the lake (along with everything else) covered in clouds made it somewhat mysterious, eerie, and awesome in a way. However, we know the views and seeing the true color of the water in sunnier times would have been amazing. I’m very glad we got to do it at all, even if it was rainy, cold, and not what we hoped.
Day 5
- Glacier Park Lodge Golf Course
- Hidden Lake Trail
- Wild Goose Island Viewpoint
The rest of the trip was showing beautiful weather and that held true. We took family pictures in the morning at Lone Elk Lodge then went golfing 5 minutes away at the Glacier Park Lodge. I am not a golfer, but it was a beautiful setting with the surrounding mountains.
After lunch we drove about 1 hour 30 minutes into the heart of the park at Logan Pass. Logan Pass is on the Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR), which winds through the mountains from East Glacier to West Glacier. Many popular hikes start at Logan Pass, including the 3-mile RT Hidden Lake Trail. After 1.5 miles and almost 500 feet of elevation gain on a mostly-wooden boardwalk path is an overlook that yields one of the most recognizable views in Glacier National Park: Bearhat Mountain looming over Hidden Lake. You can continue on the trail and descend to the lake itself, but we turned around at the overlook.
We stopped at the Wild Goose Island Viewpoint, which is right off the road and another of the most recognizable views in the park. You don’t need more than a couple minutes here and there was plenty of nearby parking each time we passed it.
Day 6
- St. Mary Falls
- Virginia Falls
- Whitewater rafting
St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls are easily combined into a 3.6 mile RT hike. Note that it’s 3.6 miles from the trailhead parking lot. If you’re taking the shuttle, the shuttle stop is actually closer and less mileage.
I had originally planned on doing the waterfall hike same day as Hidden Lake since the trailheads are only about 10-15 minutes apart. Since we didn’t have time the day before, I drove back up to Logan Pass by myself early to see the waterfalls.
The trail to St. Mary Falls is very popular because it’s quite easy. There is an initial descent of about 250 feet and the falls are just over a mile from the trailhead. There is a bridge that provides a great view of the two-tiered falls. Continuing on the same trail for another 0.6 miles and regaining almost 300 feet will take you to Virginia Falls. I thought Virginia was much more impressive and there are several viewpoints to explore. Very glad I didn’t miss doing this hike.
Headed back, had lunch, and we all drove almost an hour (not through the park) to the Glacier Raft Company in West Glacier. We did a half-day rafting tour which was great for all ages. Everyone stayed in the raft and it was mostly tame, but there were some fun rapids that made us work.
Day 7: Grinnel Glacier Trail
I was mildly worried that weather, bear activity, or anything else would mess up the only other chance we had at hiking the Grinnel Glacier Trail. Luckily, we had a beautiful day and no issues (Hike Guide coming soon). Since our boat tickets were one-way only with a first-come, first-serve basis, it didn’t matter what time we started (other than trying to make the last boat back at 5:45).
We drove 1.5 hours to the hotel parking lot and set out at 9 am. The first 1.7 miles, which aren’t necessary to hike with round-trip boat tickets, went by very fast. The scenery was phenomenal so we were happy to tack on a little extra mileage and enjoy the views for longer than we would have on the boat. It’s mostly flat until a slight climb towards the end where the trail to go up to the overlook and the trail to head down to the boat dock converge. Then there’s pretty steady elevation gain for the rest of the trail.
Getting the first glimpse of Grinnel Lake was such a cool moment. Seeing Grinnel Lake from this trail was one of those “I have to see it with my own eyes” views. I’d been looking forward to it ever since I first saw a picture of it. World-class view, definitely up there with the most beautiful mountain landscapes I’ve ever seen.
The lake stays in view for quite a while, although it does change as you get higher and further. Eventually you’ll arrive at the end of the hike, which is the Grinnel Glacier feeding into Upper Grinnel Lake. We ate, put our feet in the water, and admired the views for a bit before heading back. Several Bighorn sheep were posing for photographs, which was a wonderful bonus.
Had dinner reservations back near our lodging at the Glacier Park Lodge to end the day. Amazing hike and a highlight of the trip.
Day 8: Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada
- Running Eagle Falls
- Bear’s Hump
- Prince of Wales Hotel
- Cameron Falls
Some of the group did goat yoga in the morning and I headed to Two Medicine solo to see Running Eagle Falls. This is a beautiful waterfall that we probably should have done on day 1 since we passed the trailhead parking and it takes less than 15 minutes total. There was a lot of water from the previous days of rain so there was flow from the upper area. In drier times there is only water flowing through the rock in the lower level (Google pictures, you’ll see what I mean). Definitely do it if you’re in Two Medicine.
After lunch we drove almost 2 hours into Canada for Waterton Lakes National Park (no entry fee). The plan was to summit Mount Crandall. However, there was a bear on the trail and the “easier” trail we were trying to do was pretty much nonexistent. Had to white-flag it, unfortunately. Went to the incredibly crowded Bear’s Hump parking lot and couldn’t find a spot. Luckily found one within walking distance and made the 1.5 mile RT hike with about 700 feet of elevation gain. The view is spectacular but expect tons of people at all times. Great consolation hike.
We then went to the Prince of Wales Hotel to walk around and enjoy the views from the grounds. Lastly, drove a few minutes away for the park-and-see Cameron Falls. Definitely worth a stop since it doesn’t take more than a couple minutes total.
We didn’t spend too much time in Waterton, especially for almost 4 hours total of driving, but there were several things to see and it was well worth the side trip. Plus, it ended up being the only bear we saw on the trip. Crypt Lake would be a great hike in the area, but that requires a boat ride and a full day.
Day 9: Highline Trail
We packed up to check out of Lone Elk Lodge and headed to St. Mary for lunch. We knew it might not be the best plan to drive the entire GTTSR in the middle of the day. We’d get back to West Glacier faster by going outside the park, but we had pretty much the whole day to do whatever we wanted. Plus, we hadn’t ventured beyond Logan Pass yet.
The Highline Trail is another one of the popular trails that start at Logan Pass. We were extremely lucky to only have to circle around a couple times before finding a spot, as it can take hours (not kidding).
The Highline Trail can be confusing so I’ll try to explain as best I can. If you don’t care about the details for the hike, skip this bulleted section.
- The actual trail is almost 12 miles long.
- One end is at Logan Pass, the other is at a different spot along GTTSR called The Loop.
- Most people that do the full thing park at Logan Pass, hike to The Loop, and wait for the free park shuttle to get back to Logan Pass. I’ve heard the section that descends to The Loop is rough on the knees, so that and possibly having to wait an hour or more for the shuttle did not sound appealing to any of us.
- Grinnel Glacier Overlook is a steep side trail that is closer to The Loop than it is Logan Pass. This side trail will add almost 2 miles total and is the toughest, steepest part of the hike. I wanted to see that view but it would require about 14 miles of hiking if ending at the Loop and even more if returning to Logan Pass. Skipped it.
- The chain section is right by Logan Pass. You could spend about an hour, maybe slightly more, to just do the chains and turn around.
- A great option is to hike from Logan Pass to Haystack Pass and back for a total of 7.2 miles. You get the best views, the chain section, and don’t have to worry about getting a ride back to the start.
We only did about 2.5 miles out then turned around. It was mostly flat since we skipped the climb up to Haystack Pass; we had great views; and we got to do the chain section twice. No regrets. We didn’t think the chain section was bad at all, but it can be intimidating for those very uncomfortable with heights.
Continued our drive and had to stop at the Bird Woman Falls overlook. Stunning scenery, have to stop there.
Drove out the other side of the park at West Glacier and continued on to our rental near Columbia Falls. Settled in and had dinner.
Day 10: Reynolds Mountain (well, most of it)
Some of the group set out very early for Logan Pass for a harder hike. About 1 mile into the Hidden Lake Overlook trail is another trail that goes to the left. There is a post that says it’s an unmaintained trail and it does not have an official name, but it is very obvious and defined. We took this one which heads straight for Reynolds Mountain. Our plan was to get to the saddle below Reynolds and figure out if we wanted to try and summit Reynolds (to the left), go up Dragon’s Tail (to the right), or be satisfied with the views from the saddle.
The entire area was shrouded in clouds that slowly lifted as we left the main trail towards Reynolds. Amazing scenery and experience.
Decided to attempt Reynolds. It is a tough, steep slog through multiple sections of scree. I don’t have a lot of helpful information because I don’t even know if we took the best, or correct, path. There is a lot of route-finding and sometimes it’s “pick whatever way looks best to you,” so be prepared if you’re thinking of trying it. Cairns are helpful at times but not always around. We saw a group of mountain goats through one section which was awesome.
Eventually I was the only one still going, close to the summit. I was spending more and more time looking for cairns, turning back at times, had to get through some class III sections, and it was getting pretty exposed. Decided to turn around, which was a little disappointing but definitely the right decision.
As somewhat of a consolation, I scrambled up towards the Dragon’s Tail. I ran into what was likely the same mountain goats again and jealously watched them navigate the terrain with ease. To do the whole Dragon’s Tail would involve very, very exposed climbing so I only did a portion of it. In hindsight, maybe we all should have done this instead of attempting Reynolds, but there were awesome views from every part of this hike.
Note that Oberlin Mountain is considered maybe the easiest summit in the park and also starts at Logan Pass. Unfortunately, it was closed due to bear activity. We would have done that one if possible.
Drove back and all of us went into West Glacier for dinner. Some of us then went to the Apgar picnic area on the shore of Lake McDonald to watch the sunset there before calling it a day.
Day 11
Spent the morning getting as much packed as possible so we could enjoy our last evening. Went back to the Apgar picnic area to have lunch and wade around in the water in warmer weather.
We booked 2-hour UTV rentals through Glacier Ridge Runners in the afternoon. That was a lot of fun as we got to do some off-roading on the drive up to Desert Mountain. Made a quick stop at the Old Benton Bridge to jump into the water, too. Finished out the day, and the trip, with dinner at our rental. Flew home the next morning.
Additional Glacier National Park notes
Reservations, Permits, and the Like
This is the hardest part of planning a trip to Glacier National Park. You can’t just get a National Park pass and come and go as you please. Since Covid, they’ve implemented a reservation system at least in some capacity every summer. The rules have changed from year-to-year, so you absolutely must read the NPS’s rules very carefully. When we went, you could only enter the park from West Glacier between the hours of 7 am and 3 pm with a timed reservation from recreation.gov. There were no vehicle reservations needed to enter the park from the east side, which was another reason we booked at Lone Elk Lodge so we didn’t have to deal with the reservations with a party that had multiple cars.
2025 was especially challenging because the entire Swiftcurrent area, which is in Many Glacier, was closed due to construction. This meant there was less lodging, less parking, and less dining options. You had to have a boat, horse, hiking shuttle, or lodging reservation to even get into the area. No private vehicles were allowed at all during the summer without one of those reservations, which were very difficult to get (see the Lodging section below about getting up at 2 am to try unsuccessfully). Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with that added challenge but know that Many Glacier is always in the highest demand.
Some other things to remember:
- You still need to have a national park pass even if you get a vehicle reservation.
- There are usually multiple opportunities to get vehicle reservations. For example, the vehicle reservations were released 120 days in advance but they also released more for next-day entry at 7 pm each day.
- If you don’t get a reservation, you can still enter the park before 7 am and after 3 pm (at least those were the rules in 2025). Remember, everyone else who didn’t get one will have the same plan as you.
- Because there is a mad dash to get in to the park before and after the restricted hours, parking is always an issue. We got to Logan Pass just after 7 am one day and found the 200+ parking spots were all taken. When I went to do the St. Mary and Virginia Falls hike, the car immediately in front of me got the last spot at the trailhead parking just before 7 am. Thankfully, I was able to get a spot nearby at one of the small, unnamed parking sections scattered along GTTSR that morning but it won’t always be that easy.
- You do not need a vehicle reservation to get to the Apgar campground or village. There is a turn just before the station where they check for reservations.
Lodging
One of the other biggest and most difficult questions is where to stay. The Kalispell airport is on the west side of the park, so it’s no surprise that West Glacier has many more options for lodging, restaurants, and amenities. You can find pretty much every “normal life” thing or place on the west side. With that comes the hordes of other people, however.
The east side of the park is much quieter and rural. There are less lodging and dining options, but with that comes less people, too.
There are also some lodges within Glacier National Park itself. I think Many Glacier Hotel would be the best place to stay, for at least some of a trip. It is at the end of a 12-mile dead-end road, so it wouldn’t be convenient to get anywhere else. But there are plenty of hikes to fill up more than a few days.
We tried to get reservations to stay at Many Glacier Hotel at 2 am local time the second they went on sale 13 months in advance and came away empty. We had a large group we were trying to book for, which lessened our chances significantly, but that should give you an idea of how early you have to start planning and how coveted those rooms are.
There is a generous cancellation policy, however, and oftentimes rooms do become available for the lodges inside the park. This is especially true if looking in the current month or week, but most people can’t plan a trip to Glacier National Park on very little notice.
We loved staying on the east side and Lone Elk Lodge in East Glacier was perfect for us. There are 4 units and we rented 3 of them. Easy, quick access to Two Medicine and a similar drive to Logan Pass from the west side. Plus, it was closer to Many Glacier and Waterton than when we stayed on the west side.
Spending several nights on the west side was great, too, and it made for a very quick ride to the airport on our departure day. I think staying in the park would be best; splitting time on the east and west would be my second choice; staying only on the east side third, and staying only on the west side fourth. I understand staying on the west side would be preferred for many people, though.
Dining
I have yet to hear, “the food in Glacier National Park is amazing!” Many of the in-park lodges have a less-than-stellar reputation for dining. I’m saying that based on what I’ve read and heard; we only ate at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier and the food was decent but not exceptional. There aren’t many options at all in the park and I wouldn’t set my expectations too high if staying there. You’re staying for the beautiful location and convenience of being closer to the good stuff. We packed and made most of our meals, which worked out great.
Boat tours
All boat tours are booked at the Glacier Park Boats website. The boats at all locations can sell out well in advance so it’s a good idea to at least check how many tickets are left on the site. It will only ever show a maximum of 10 tickets available, if you’re not quite ready to book. Anyone looking to book more than 10 tickets has to call the office.
Outbound boats are all sold at specific times but returns are first-come, first-served and you may have to wait for the next one. If all the outbound boats are sold out, there’s a good chance there may be one-way tickets available for just the return. Many people use the boat tours for sightseeing, and many use them to cut off miles when hiking, so you may have to wait a while on the return. If needed, they can send multiple boats to make sure everyone waiting can get back.
Note that the Many Glacier boat tour requires a short, 0.25 mile hike and is not an option for those with mobility issues. The first boat goes from the Many Glacier Hotel to the other end of Swiftcurrent Lake. All passengers must disembark there and walk to the next boat dock at Lake Josephine. There is no option to stay on the boat.
So, yeah, it can be a hassle to plan a trip to Glacier National Park. But it’s worth it!
Leave a reply