Glacier National Park (Teaser 7)

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, has had a long history of human inhabitance; artifacts have been found in this area that date back over 10,000 years ago.  About three-hundred years ago, several native tribes inhabited the region, including the Blackfeet (who were pushed off of their lands and now live primarily on reservations across Montana), Salish, and Kootenai (who were pushed off of their native lands and now primarily on the Flathead Reservation).  These tribes lived in separate areas, but all appear to have utilized larger tracts of land which they used for hunting.  For more information on Native Peoples of North America, I recommend National Geographic’s “Indian Nations of North America.”

When Europeans arrived on the American Continent, they flocked to areas like the lands of Glacier in the hopes of making money off of trapping and hunting wildlife such as beavers in order to make money from their skins and furs.  This started an interest in the region, ultimately resulting in the arrival of miners and then settlers in 1891, when The Great Northern Railway was built and provided easier access to the area.  As the region developed, people began to see the inherent beauty of the place as worthy of protection from exploitation, and in 1910, President Taft made it the nation’s 10th national park.

Although there is some interesting information about the history of the park on the park’s website, I advise anyone looking for historical accuracy to look elsewhere.  Because the park is administered by the US government, there is limited information about the history of the native peoples that were driven from their traditional lands, likely because this would paint American history in a less than favorable light.  In fact, there is very little information about the native tribes living in these regions at all, aside from the fact that they existed.  As these people inhabited this land far longer than the European invaders, I find this rather insulting and dubious. 

 Regardless, the park itself is beautiful.  According to Colorado College, Glacier has some of the more diverse wildlife populations in North America.  While I don’t doubt this is true, I have heard that it is not as common to see wildlife in Glacier as it is in other National Parks.  I am not sure how true this is, as I went before the majority of animals would be out and about.  This was true both times I went, and while I didn’t see any megafauna, the landscapes and glaciers were gorgeous.  Other reviews I have read seem to indicated that people often see large amounts of megafauna, so perhaps it depends on the time of the year you go.

There is an abundance of walking trails which are always breath-taking, regardless of where you take them; you can’t go wrong!  According to the park’s website, there are over 740 miles of maintained trails, and trails that tick all of the boxes.  Some are short 1-3 mile hikes, some are half-day or day hikes, and some circuits could take a few weeks to complete.  If you’re a more leisurely type and prefer to stay on paved paths, there are quite a few such paths in the park as well as a number of beautifully located camping spots.

Going to the Sun Road is generally considered the highlight of the park, which generally opens the first week of June and stay open until September or October.  The short season for this road is due to its high elevation and propensity for heavy snowfall and ice which makes the road impassible.  Because of the road’s reliance on weather, it is best to check the park’s website before you set out as the road can suddenly close if there is snow or debris.  If you are planning a trip during the peak season between July 1st and September 1st, it is possible to take the park’s shuttle across the Going to the Sun Road, which stops at several locations within the park.

There are a variety of activities and megafauna to see during every season, so if you are planning a trip out to the Montana region, consider stopping by Glacier, regardless of the time of the year.  If you are planning a trip especially to see Glacier, I highly recommend visiting early to mid-June to beat the major crowds of summer, but have the best chance of catching Going to the Sun Road as it opens for the season.  If you want to make this a part of your trip, make sure to double-check with the park’s website.  Generally, the road opens the first week in June but this varies every year depending on road conditions.

Tips:  

1. Glacier Park is open all year round, regardless of whether Going to the Sun Road is open to traffic.  There are maintained roads at the base of the park from West Glacier (entrance) to McDonald Lodge, allowing for an abundance of activities such as hiking and skiing.
2. The closest airport to Glacier is Kalispell, where it is possible to rent a car and drive the hour or so to the park.  It is also possible to fly into a number of other, larger airports, such as Missoula, and then rent a car and drive up to the park.
3. Glacier borders Whaterton National Park on its northern side, which is part of Canada and requires a passport to enter.  If you will be in Glacier, I highly recommend driving up to Waterton, so bring your passport!