One Glorious Day in Glacier National Park

Montana--a new state for the Carful of Kids.

The carful of kids spent the day hiking around Devils Tower National Park before driving to Shelby, Montana. We plan on spending one glorious day in Glacier National Park before continuing our trek north to cross the border and seeing the Canadian Rockies.

The drive across Wyoming and Montana lingered and we arrived late into the night but I didn't see any large animals near the Interstate so that's always good news. The town of Shelby, Montana, is small but adequate for gas and a room.

Sometimes the road disappears, it seems we missed our detour sign.

Shelby, Montana, is a good choice to spend the night as the roads to Glacier National Park are windy and best left for day driving. The carful of kids enter Glacier NP from the eastern Saint Mary Entrance, 87 miles from Shelby or an hour and a half.

Well, you don't see that in Texas.

Glacier National Park is open every day and the admission rates depend on the season. From May 1 to October 31 the 7-day pass is $ 25 for a standard vehicle and from November 1 to April 30, the rate is reduced to $ 15 for the 7-day pass. I use my America the Beautiful Annual pass that I bought way back at Scotts Bluff  National Monument since we are visiting several NPS sites.

Months ago, I made reservations at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins near Many Glacier Hotel in the northern part of Glacier National Park. I wanted to get a room or cabin along the main route in Glacier, Going-to-the-Sun Road but those accommodations were booked six months or more before the busy summer season. So plan ahead and reserve when there's snow on the ground for your summer trip.

There is camping if you want to do that but I don't enjoy tent camping while road tripping, I've done them and I don't like to set and and break down the tent everyday. The carful of kids scatter like ants when the heavy lifting has to be done so I find and reserve cabins instead.

A word on the lodging reservation system for the popular national parks, it seems unfair but you can reserve rooms up to 12 months in advance. The reservations require full payment but can be refunded if your vacation plans change. I don't know about you but my family can't pay for vacation the summer before we leave so I have to get creative.

Along Going-to-the-Sun Road

The big draw for Glacier National Park is driving Going-to-the-Sun Road, it's the 50-mile road that crosses Glacier from east to west. It's a seasonal road but the West Glacier Entrance to Lake McDonald Lodge is maintained throughout the winter.

The remainder of the Going-to-the-Sun Road can close anytime in October depending on the snow fall. The reopening of the road can be as early as late June or as late as the first week of July depending on the plowing.

Skipping rocks while we wait for the DeSmet, a 1928 wooden boat on Lake MacDonald, to dock.

I made reservations for a wooden boat tour on Lake McDonald for 1:30 so the carful of kids are resisting the urge to stop and drive straight through. It is approximately 40 miles but I give us an hour and a half due to seasonal road construction. Good thing, we stop for 20 minutes for the paving crew.

We arrive in plenty of time for our check-in on the DeSmet, a wooden boat built by the McDonald Family in 1928. This is a ranger-led tour of Lake McDonald that talks about the biology of Glacier National Park ( tickets for adults 13 and older are $ 16.75, kids 4 to 12 $ 8.50 and kids three and under are free).

Along the rear of the Lake McDonald Lodge, it's a 1913 Swiss Chalet.

As we glide across the prisitine blue waters of the lake I can't help myself, I shut my eyes for a few minutes. It's that relaxing but you need to make reservations for this tour before you leave for vacation--there's a one hour tour leaving at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The details in the NPS Park Lodges are all custom and add to the splendor of our parks.

After disembarking the Desmet, the carful of kids walk through the Lake McDonald Lodge--the three and a half story stone and wood Swiss Chalet built in 1913. It is a National Historic Landmark, rich in rustic details and the furniture was made especially for the Lodge.

A guest sits at the piano and plays for visitors sitting in the lobby.

The Lake McDonald Lodge is another example of the western lodges that were built in the early part of the 20th century to entice tourists to the new National Park System. The Western Park Lodges were built in conjunction with the railroads or local businessmen of the era and featured an architectural style unique to the western parks that would later be described as parkitecture.

The Historic Red Buses of Glacier, if you have the time, this is a must.

Lake McDonald area is also a major departure area for the Historic Red Buses of Glacier National Park, the vintage buses were built in the 1930s and have been fully restored. The tours are booked well in advance and the average tour lasts six hours, the tour company offers tours departing from the east side of the park as well as the west side.

Before leaving the Lake McDonald area, we stop off at the overlook for McDonald Falls. 

The carful of kids continue west on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and stop at the Apgar Visitors Center  (open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. early June to early September) to get our Junior Ranger Booklets and to have a late picnic lunch. As we travel north, we have more sunlight and we have started eating 4 times a day.

After turning the SUV around, we head back east on the Going-to-the-Sun Road to retrace our drive. Don't worry, there is so much to see it doesn't seem redundant. The carful of kids stop for a hike at the Trail of Cedars, an easy .7 mile accessible walk that's in the shade. A great hike for all family members and we didn't feel like we were going to encounter any bears.

Along the Trail of Cedars Nature Trail.

Bear Aware: Glacier National Park is Grizzly Bear country. They are a larger and more aggressive breed of bear than the black and brown bears that you find in the other areas of the US. It is advised to carry and know how to use bear spray in Glacier National Park--it can be rented if you don't want to buy it since you can't take it across the border or on an airplane.

But as a Mom traveling with three children ages 12, 11 and 7 along with my best friend of 30 years, I'm not taking any chances--I stay on well marked, highly traveled trails and leave the back country hiking to those not traveling with a carful of kids.

The Mountain Goats of Glacier, it's their home, not yours. 

When the carful of kids stop at Oberlin Bend to look at the Alpine wildflowers, we encounter a couple of male Mountain Goats walking through the parking lot like they own the joint. I have always had a belief that NPS animals have a schedule of daily appearances so as soon as the pair walk through the parking lot, chaos ensues.

Some visitors start digging food out of their vehicles to hand-feed the WILD animals, one parent poses their kids with the goats too close for my comfort. A couple with small dogs pick up their pooches only to be trapped on the boardwalk. People are snapping pictures like paparazzi.

My carful of kids listen to the Park Rangers and follow their instructions. We leave as much space as possible between us and the wild animals then slowly make it back to the safety of our SUV and then snap our picture.

Overlooking Logan Pass Visitor Center

The carful of kids continue onto the next stop headed east, Logan Pass Visitors Center ( open from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. from the opening of the Going-to-the-Sun Road until September 7, from September 7 until September 21 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed for the season after that ). This is a beautiful area in the summertime that's full of wildflowers of every type and the start of the Hidden Lake Nature Trail--the parking is limited and is best visited early or late in the day.

Glacier National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The day is fading and we want to get into our reserved room at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins so we exit the Going-to-the-Sun Road and leave Glacier NP though the Saint Mary Entrance. I drive north to the town of Babb where I make a left and head back into Glacier NP through the Many Glacier Entrance.

The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn Lobby, Restaurant and General Store

The Many Glacier area of Glacier NP has a less crowded feel than any of the lodging along Going-to-the-Sun Road. This area has the Many Glacier Hotel if you prefer a larger full-service property or the Swiftcurrent that features cabins and nice motel-style rooms with a restaurant and general store.

Before checking into our room, we decide to have dinner in the Swiftcurrent Restaurant (open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for lunch and dinner ), they are extremely family-friendly and feature a kids menu. The carful of kids spot the pizza on the menu so we split a large pizza with pepperoni and pineapple, their favorite--the service and the pizza are both great.

The room at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn ($ 155/ night for two full-sized beds and attached bathroom with a shower) was recently remodeled and nicer than I expected. The white linens are pristine and the room is nicely furnished. 

The attached bathroom is utilitarian but doesn't have a tub--which some kids might have a problem with the shower. The rooms do not have telephones or TVs and the cell service is spotty. If you are a registered guest, we can use the weak Wifi in the lobby to get email but that's about it. 

If your kids need to unplug for your vacation, Glacier National Park is the place. You won't be able to download a thing and uploading photos is impossible. 

The carful of kids are calling it a day and I loved our glorious day in Glacier National Park, I wish I had a few more days to explore but more the reason to return.

Know before you go: Cooking is not permitted in or around the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins. The general store features assorted camping supplies, camping food, fresh hot coffee and ice, along with souvenirs. There is a coin laundry facility in the Swiftcurrent area. 

Up Next: Many Glacier Hotel and the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park