Family Fun in the Great Outdoors: A Guide to Visiting Glacier National Park
Like many Americans, Glacier was high on our National Park bucket list. Every picture seems as if it could only be in a dream. Places like Going to the Sun Road, Trail of the Cedars, Logan Pass, and any number of backcountry locations lure you in for adventure and exploration. Given the fact that Glacier sits along the Canadian border, it feels nearly unreachable for most. So when we planned our epic National Park road trip we knew this was our shot to get to Montana and take it all in. Maybe a chance of a lifetime?
Glacier National Park
We also knew that by going in mid-June we were taking a big risk of not being able to see the whole park because of snow. Then COVID-19 hit and our chances of seeing the park at all nearly hit the fan. In fact, Glacier only opened up one of its two gates just two weeks before we were to arrive. And, yes, Going to the Sun Road was not completely cleared so we saw only about 1/4th of the entire scenic drive just up to Avalanche Creek. Honestly, none of that mattered, what little we did see was incredible.
Our hands-down favorite spot was the Trail of the Cedars. This easy, wheelchair-friendly, trail takes you under the canopy of cedars along waterfalls, through beautiful greenery, and allows you to just be quiet in nature. This trail could be done quickly, but I recommend taking your time and absorbing it all in. For the perfect experience, have an early dinner in West Glacier Village, then drive into the park around 6:00 pm. As everyone is heading out for the day you’ll make your way up to Avalanche Creek to park your car and get out on the trail about 30 minutes later. That’s it, you’ll be practically alone. You can take all the time you want because sunset in the summer doesn’t happen until 9:30 pm.
Another great discovery in the park was the village of Apgar, it’s so small we almost missed driving through there. Luckily, our favorite road trip tour app, the incredible GyPSy Guide, alerted us to the turn. Tucked away in the trees along the shore of Lake McDonald is a tiny village established in the late-1800’s that got its start in farming. It was soon transformed into a tourist destination because it was the only launching point into Glacier National Park before the roads existed. The tourists would step off the train in West Glacier then take a boat on Lake McDonald to reach their final destinations. The village is still a must-see with numerous cabins, a motel, campground, restaurants, and souvenir shops with plenty of historical charm. Whenever we make our way back to Glacier in the future, I would like to stay in Apgar, whether it be at the campground or in one of the adorable cabins.
Although Glacier itself is breathtaking it’s easy to say the entire surrounding area is as well. This discovery more than made up for the loss of not hitting all our bucket list places in the park. The nearby areas of West Glacier, Whitefish, and Kalispell, are spectacular and absolutely worth scheduling extra time into your visit just to take it all in.
Must do activities near Glacier National Park
Morning brew at Florence Coffee Company
A picnic at Flathead Lake
Souvenir shopping in downtown Kalispell
Fly fishing Middle Fork Flathead River
Early dinner at the Middle Fork Eats food truck
Best campground near Glacier National Park
If you’ve done any type of research on campgrounds near Glacier National Park, you have without a doubt, come across the gorgeous pictures of the West Glacier KOA. After hearing the glowing review from our friends, Stephanie and Jeremy, over at The RV Atlas, as well as many others, we knew West Glacier KOA was a must stay for us. I am here to tell you those pictures are 100% accurate. This campground is a treasure. And the (newer) dog park is unreal!!
Because Glacier was the longest stop on our incredible trip we wanted to make it extra special so we reserved the pull-through deluxe patio sites. Oh my goodness, despite the high price tag it was worth every penny. It felt like a luxury RV living with enchanting views. The sites had beautiful landscaping, patio furniture with an umbrella, BBQ grill, fire rings, and a level concrete pad. Though every site looked great, I have to say, these were amazing. Do book well in advance with this KOA and don’t be shy about contacting the office, they are the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
All in all, our visit to the entire expanse of Glacier National Park and surrounding area was a true delight. We still have much more to see and are already trying to think of how we can make our way up there again.
As we left Glacier, we were headed south to Bozeman with Yellowstone and Grand Teton in our future.