Glacier National Park (Part 1 of 2)
This is a story that I almost didn't want to write. Can you remember back to a time in your life when you discovered a special vacation destination off the beaten path that you enjoyed so much, that you didn't want to share it with everyone for fear that it would be spoiled? Eleven years ago I visited Glacier National Park in Montana for the first time and immediately proclaimed it to be my favorite place in the US. Part of my appreciation of the park was no doubt due to the fact that, as a longtime resident of South Florida, it wasn't every day that I could marvel at snow-capped mountains, green valleys, waterfalls, and fresh air, not to mention summertime weather below 90 degrees. But what really stayed with me were the images of Glacier -- images of alpine wildflowers growing alongside a glacial stream, bighorn sheep standing on a rocky escarpment, the trickle of water down a mountainside. No picture or photograph that I have ever seen has captured the essence of these images.
In August of this year, as part of a 10-day vacation to the Canadian Rockies, I made a return trip to Glacier National Park. Much to my delight, the park was still pretty much the way I had remembered it. I was surprised to read that Glacier actually draws more than 1.7 million visitors a year (according to National Park Service statistics). Even in August I never really got the feeling that the park was that crowded, perhaps due to fact that its 1,600 square miles of terrain fan out into 740 miles of hiking trails, 175 mountains, and 653 lakes. Even the Logan Pass Visitor Center, where it can sometimes be a challenge to find a parking spot in the middle of the day, didn't pose any problems.
 |
Long before any European explorers ventured into the region, native americans used the area's passes to journey from one hunting ground to another. The Blackfeet Indians of the northern plains protected their buffalo hunting grounds, but other tribes were known to frequent the mountains of Glacier as well. British trapper David Thompson is regarded as the first European to record impressions of the area in the 1780s, and he was followed by other fur trappers in the early 1800s. In 1858, a British expedition led by John Palliser began scouting a northern route to the Pacific Ocean for the Hudson's Bay Company, and though explorers kept searching for the the perfect mountain pass to run a railroad over the Rockies, it wasn't until 1889 that John F. Stevens, an explorer for the Great Northern Railroad, discovered Marias Pass, the lowest mountain pass between Canada and Mexico.
The discovery of Marias Pass proved to be setback to the Blackfeet Indians, who had guarded this region closely. They were further devasted by a smallpox epidemic that struck in the 1880s. When word began to spread about the plight of the Blackfeet, James Willard Schultz, an American who had long traveled with the Blackfeet and had become a full member of one band, contacted his friend George Bird Grinnell, the editor of Forest and Stream magazine, who used his publication and political influence to help increase government aid to the Indians. Visiting the Glacier area a number of times between 1880-1900, he declared it "The Crown of the Continent" and initiated the movement to have it declared a national park. On May 11, 1910 Glacier National Park was created by an Act of Congress.
The tourism potential of the area was also gaining momentum by the end of the 19th century, and the completion of the railroad in 1892 eventually spawned the towns of Midvale (East Glacier Park) and Belton (West Glacier). By 1910 a building phase began during which railway employees constructed large hotels at East Glacier Park and Many Glacier, as well as a network of tent camps and mountain chalets. Early visitors to the park traveled on horseback, for it wasn't until the Going-to-the-Sun Road was completed in 1932 that automobile access was possible from one end of park to the other. In that same year, Glacier National Park, along with Waterton Lakes National Park, were designated by Canada and the United States as an "international peace park," the first such joint recognition in the world.
 |
Glacier National Park is located in northwestern Montana along the Canadian border, straddling the Continental Divide. It can be reached by car from Calgary in about 3 1/2 hours or from Kalispell or Columbia Falls in less than an hour. The park features three main entrance points. Two of these entrances are West Glacier and Saint Mary, located at the western and eastern park boundaries respectively. A northern entrance to the park is located at Many Glacier, west of Babb, off US 89. Amtrak stops at both East Glacier (Glacier Park Station) and West Glacier (Belton Station) and intermountain buses operate during the summer months from Missoula, Kalispell, Whitefish, and Great Falls.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road
Running through the park and connecting the east and west sections is the impressive Going-to-the-Sun Road, an architectural marvel that winds its way through some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery you'll ever see. Bisecting the heart of the park, the 50-mile road parallels the shores of the park's two largest lakes, and features a number of scenic turnouts to allow visitors to stop and enjoy the scenery or pick up a hiking trail. When I first visited the park 11 years ago, I remember driving along this winding road with my mother sitting in the passenger's seat. As each turn in the road unveiled yet another steep dropoff, she would express her nervousness by imploring me to slow down. Eleven years later I made a point of taking these sharp turns a little slower, but this time it was my wife who was understandably nervous whenever I would take my eyes off the road to catch a brief glimse of the green valley below or to glance at one of the many waterfalls cascading down the side of a mountain.
Where to Stay
Seven lodges and inns located throughout the park afford a variety of accommodations, from the Swiss-style Many Glacier Hotel to the Lake McDonald Lodge, built as a hotel and hunting lodge in 1895. If you are planning a trip to Glacier, it is a good idea to book your rooms well in advance. On my most recent trip, we stayed at at the Rising Sun Motor Inn, located about 20 minutes from the park's east entrance. With 72 motel and cabin rooms, it features an impressive view of Saint Mary Valley and the bright red mountains in the background.
 |
For reservations and information on Many Glacier Hotel, Rising Sun Motor Inn, Lake McDonald Lodge and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn contact Glacier Park, Inc. at 406-892-2525 in the US or 403-236-3400 in Canada. For information and reservations on Apgar Village Lodge call 406-888-5484. Glacier National Park also includes 13 campgrounds, most of which are available on a first-come first-served basis. Fish Creek and St. Mary campgrounds may be reserved ahead of time through the National Park Service Reservations System by calling 800-365-CAMP.
In part II of the story, I take a look at the many activities and programs that Glacier National Park has to offer.
Other useful resources:
Employment Opportunities- Includes general information on types of positions available at Glacier NP and contact information on how to apply.
Glacier Institute- An outdoor education organization located in NW Montana, offering youth camps, adult field courses, and discovery school programs with local school districts.
Glacier Natural History Association - Supports park research, cultural preservation, and educational and interpretive activities through proceeds from bookstore operations in visitor centers and ranger stations.
Glacier Park Inc.- Booking service for the seven historic hotels, lodges and inns in and around Glacier National Park and the red bus tours.
Montana Parks Division- Lists state park information by region, an events calendar, and feature stories.
National Forests - Northern Region - Links to USDA Forest Service units in Montana and Idaho.
Waterton Lakes National Park - Includes history and information on the Waterton, Alberta side of Glacier National Park
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park - A World Heritage Site consisting of both Glacier National Park (US) and Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada).
