Spend 3 days traveling along Glacier National Park’s iconic scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road to see all the sights of this iconic drive.
3
1
1
340 mi
While there’s so much to see in Glacier National Park, you can do a lot of Going-to-the-Sun Road in a 3 day trip through the park. We spent three days exploring Glacier National Park along the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor since that was the closest to where we stayed in Kalispell and it was the only section we were able to get a vehicle reservation. Next time we go we want to stay in Babb, Montana, and visit the Many Glacier and North Fork areas of the park.
Some of the best places in Glacier National Park are along Going-to-the-Sun Road. If you plan a Glacier National Park vacation, this three day itinerary helps you see the highlights of the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor. Add on a few days if you want to visit the other areas for hikes such as the Grinnell Glacier Trail, Swiftcurrent Lake, and Two Medicine Lake on the east side of Glacier National Park.
Getting There
Glacier National Park is one of two national parks in the state of Montana with the other being Yellowstone National Park hours away at the southern border of the state. Glacier Park is in the northernmost part of the state along the Canadian Border. Called the “Crown of the Continent”, it is a great place for a short hike through the cedars, boat rides on the lakes, or longer hikes along the diverse 700 miles of trails.
The closest airport is Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in the Kalispell area. This is closest to the west entrance of the park and the start of Going-to-the-Sun Road. If you aren’t staying in the park, look for hotels or rental homes in Kalispell, Whitefish, or West Glacier Village.
Glacier National Park entrance sign from the West Entrance
Best Time to Go
The summer months are typically the best time to visit Glacier National Park, especially if you want to travel the entire length of Going-to-the-Sun Road. From about mid-October through the end of June, portions of the road are closed especially close to the Logan Pass Visitor Center. During this time, though, the parking lot at many of the popular trails and overlooks will fill quickly so make sure to get your day started early. We were there in early July and didn’t have too much of an issue with parking, but we went during the week instead of on the weekends.
Day One
On our first full day in Glacier, we only went part of the way into the park. We wanted to just get to the park and see some of the sights that were closer to us. Everything I read suggested taking the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle due to busy parking lots, traffic, and the construction on the road. After taking it the first day, we decided we would rather have our vehicle, even if that meant trying to find parking.
West Entrance
Since we were staying in Kalispell, we went through the West Entrance near Apgar every morning to get to the park. The lines weren’t too long, and there were two checkpoints. At the first stop we had to show the park rangers our vehicle reservation for the day. The second was the pay station where we had to pay the park entrance fee. My in-laws have the military veteran park pass and we had the 4th grade pass for Tyler, so we showed those and continued into the park.
Driving into Glacier from Kalispell
Apgar Visitor Center
Our first stop was the Apgar Visitor Center to get a park map and speak with the rangers about the trails. Tyler and Ryan also got a Junior Ranger book and I was able to get a stamp for my Passport Book.
Going-to-the-Sun Road Shuttle
After talking with the rangers we got in line for the shuttle. It took quite a while to get through the line so luckily the boys had their Junior Ranger books to work on and play games while we waited. There were other families in the line, so they also chatted with the kids and made up games to play. Once we were able to get through the line and board the shuttle, it was extremely loud and bumpy due to the construction on Going-to-the-Sun Road. We got off at the first stop, which was near the trailhead for Avalanche Creek and Trail of the Cedars.
Waiting for the shuttle
Working on their Junior Ranger books
Trail of the Cedars
The first trail we walked on in Glacier was Trail of the Cedars. We took the shuttle to the Avalanche Creek Transfer Location which is the furthest into the park this bus goes. To get further on Going-to-the-Sun Road you have to switch to a different size bus. From this bus stop you can easily walk to the trailhead for Trail of the Cedars. This is a 1-mile round trip loop trail on a boardwalk, one of two wheelchair accessible trails in the park.
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars
Avalanche Lake Trail
About halfway through the Trail of the Cedars, you’ll see the junction for Avalanche Lake which goes along Avalanche Creek. The entire trail is about 5 miles, and it was getting too close to lunch time for us to walk all the way to the lake. We did about half of the trail then turned around and went back. It was a very pretty walk right next to the creek through the trees. Even though we didn’t get all the way to the lake, the hike was still worth doing for the time we were on it.
Avalanche Lake Trail
Avalanche Lake Trail
Avalanche Lake Trail
Lunch at Jammer Joe's Grill & Pizzeria
When we got back to the shuttle station, we took it west again and got off at the stop for Lake McDonald Lodge. We saw the sign for the grill and pizzeria so we went there. The boys were very excited for the pizza so we all got the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. Lunch was delicious and we were all stuffed by the time we left. When we left the restaurant, on our way over to Lake McDonald, we passed a field full of ground squirrels. Tyler and Ryan spent about 15 minutes just watching them pop in and out of their burrows.
Jammer Joe’s
Cute ground squirrels
Lake McDonald
After lunch, we walked through the historic Lake McDonald Lodge to view the unique building and took a stroll through the gift shop. The lobby had comfortable couches and a very relaxed ambiance next to the dining room. Once we were done checking out the lodge, we walked out back to the lake. It was absolutely gorgeous with the many colored rocks and the view of the mountains over the lake. We spend a while exploring down by the lakeside. Once of the best things was walking across the rocks, through a small creek runoff, and playing near the water.
Lake McDonald
Lake McDonld is known for its colorful rocks
Lake McDonald Creek
Stephanie and Justin at Lake McDonald
Ryan playing by the lake
Flowers near the lake
Shuttle to Apgar
We spent about two hours in the Lake McDonald area including lunch, the lodge, and the lakeside. Before boarding the shuttle to head west back to Apgar and our vehicles, we stopped at another small gift shop to look around. By the time we arrived back to our vehicles, it was almost 5PM so we decided to go ahead and head back to our rental home for the evening and get an early start the next day.
Day One Map
Day Two
Our second day in Glacier, we didn’t spend as much time in the park because we had a white water rafting tour scheduled.
Apgar Village
After going through the West Entrance, we again stopped at the parking area for Apgar Visitor Center but this time stayed there to walk around. We went on the small accessible path that walks from the visitor center to the village and went under the bridge. Then we walked through the village and stopped at a few of the small shops. There’s also the Discovery Cabin with exhibits about the animals in the area.
Historic Apgar School in Apgar Village
Paved pathway in Apgar Village
White Water Rafting
While booking our trip to Glacier National Park, we all decided we wanted to try some white water rafting. We found a tour through Glacier Raft Company to do a half-day of white water rafting on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. This gave us the best views of the river and a unique perspective of Glacier National Park. While this isn’t quite something in the park, and you don’t have to have a vehicle reservation or national park pass, it was still an amazing way to spend the afternoon.
White Water Rafting
Small rapids on the Middle Fork River
White Water Rafting
Day Two Map
Day Three
Our third day in Glacier was spent going to the east end of Going-to-the-Sun Road for a boat ride on the St. Mary Lake and all of the stops on the way back. We had tour tickets for the boat ride, so we stopped at a few overlooks on the way there, but drove straight through to the boat ramp before exploring the rest of the park. We also decided that it would be best to take our own vehicle instead of the shuttle to make sure we weren’t late for our boat ride. Sine we traveled the entirety of Going-to-the-Sun Road, our overall elevation gain was about 3,300 feet.
Weeping Wall
Along Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the features is the Weeping Wall which is about halfway between The Loop and Logan Pass Visitor Center. Weeping Wall is a place where water flows over and through the cliff wall from when Going-to-the-Sun Road was initially built. This isn’t a place that you can stop, and there aren’t any pullovers, but it’s a neat place to see as you drive through the park.
Triple Arches
Triple Arches on Going-to-the-Sun Road
Continental Divide
Yes another place that you view along the drive without a specific pulloff, the Continental Divide runs generally north to south through the park. The divide is at 6,646 feet in elevation and is the dividing line where water flows either towards the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico or towards the Pacific Ocean.
Boat Ride on St. Mary Lake
The highlight of our third and last day in Glacier National Park was our boat ride on the St. Mary Lake. Boat rides on St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park offer a serene and captivating experience amidst stunning natural beauty. We did our boat ride through Glacier Park Boat Company.
While on the boat tour, you have the opportunity to see:
- The mountains that make up the Continental Divide
- Crystal clear waters of Saint Mary Lake in the mountain valley
- Wildlife such as mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and bears on the surrounding cliffs or fish such as lake trout in the water
- View Sexton Glacier which feeds into St. Mary Lake
- View the famous Goose Creek Island in the middle of the waters of St. Mary Lake
Boat docked at Rising Sun
Wild Goose Island on Saint Mary Lake near Rising Sun
Baring Falls
The boat ride took us to the short hike to Baring Falls that can be accessed from the boat dock or from a trail on Going-to-the-Sun Road. It’s a very quick 5-minute walk to the base of the waterfall. The boys and I found a small cliff that we could scoot along on the left side of the waterfall to get close to the water. Since we had to get back to the boat for the return trip, we only had about 10 minutes at the fall but could have spent a lot more time there.
St. Mary Visitor Center
Once we finished with the boat ride, we drove all the way to the St. Mary Visitor Center at the easternmost side of Going-to-the-Sun Road. In St. Mary Village, you can fill up with gas in the village, check out the visitor center and its astronomy talks, or visit the St. Mary Campgrounds.
St. Mary Visitor Center Ranger Program
Jackson Glacier Overlook
Stopping at the pullout for the Jackson Glacier Overlook gives you the best view of the famous glacier along Going-to-the-Sun Road. The parking lot isn’t very big, but is one of the bigger pullout areas. It’s a great spot to stop, view the glacier, and take a rest along the roadway. Also, towards the west side of the overlook, there’s a small trail you can start on that leads to a tunnel under Going-to-the-Sun Road. The boys thought the tunnel was neat so we went as far as that but did not continue along the Gunsight Lake Trail, which takes you much closer to the glacier.
Jackson Glacier
Stephanie, Tyler, Ryan, and Justin at Jackson Glacier Overlook
Jackson Glacier
Logan Pass Visitor Center
The Logan Pass Visitor Center parking lot was the most difficult to get a parking spot when we were there in early July, but after driving around for about 5 minutes we were lucky to find someone leaving. There are a few trails that start here, including tow of the parks most popular trails, Hidden Lake Trail and the Highline Trail, so vehicles are often parked there for a few hours. Logan Pass is the highest point in the park at 6,647 feet above sea level in elevation. This is one of the three visitor centers in the park and has a bookstore, gift shop, water-filling station, restrooms, and park rangers for information.
Hidden Lake Overlook
This was one of the best hikes we did in the park! Along the way there was still a bit of snow on the sides of the walkway that we could see and touch, even in early July, which was baffling to us southerners. The first part of the hike was along a boardwalk with bighorn sheep just off to the side. As we got further along the trail, we saw some mountain goats and their babies at the higher elevation. Some got close to us and a mother with a small child, so much so that we ended up getting the bear spray ready, just in case, but luckily never needed it. Getting to the end of the trail, we walked up to the overlook for hidden lake, which is a lake completely surrounded by the mountains and was gorgeous in the late afternoon sunlight. The cliffside next to the overlook was a perfect place to sit and rest with one of the best views in the park to look at. We spent about 20-30 minutes at the overlook before heading back down to the visitor center.
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
Hidden Lake Overlook
Bird Woman Falls
On the way back to the West Glacier Entrance, we stopped at a few more pullouts, including the view of Bird Woman Falls. This fall is almost 500 feet in height and crosses under Going-to-the-Sun Road. Ryan loves looking at waterfalls, so we ended up sitting here on the retaining wall for a few minutes to watch the waterfall and take in the views of the mountains surrounding it.
Ryan & Tyler at Bird Woman Falls Overlook
Bird Woman Falls
Bird Woman Falls Overlook
West Tunnel
When we drove through the West Tunnel, we decided to pull over and walk on the path back into the tunnel to look through the opening out into the valley. It was at this point that our group split up with some wanting to go straight back to the rental home. The four of us were in our own vehicle, so we chose to stop at a few more places as we made our way out of the park.
McDonald Falls Overlook
One of our last stops was along McDonald Creek to overlook McDonald Falls. The turnout isn’t marked, but there’s a large area to pull off to the side of the road and walk to the edge of the creek. McDonald Falls isn’t quite a traditional waterfall but a series of cascades along the creek.
McDonald Falls
McDonald Falls
McDonald Falls Overlook
Sacred Dancing Cascade Overlook
The last place we stopped in the park was the overlook for Sacred Dancing Cascades. Visitors only have to walk a couple minutes from the road to get to the footbridge area that walks over McDonald Creek and gives you a great view of the Sacred Dancing Cascades. The footbridge will also take you to the Upper McDonald Creek trail that walks along the creek with views of the waterfalls from the other side.
Sacred Dancing Cascade
Sacred Dancing Cascade
Sacred Dancing Cascade Overlook
Day Three Map
Wildlife Viewing
What We Saw:
- Bighorn Sheep
- Mountain Goats
- Ground Squirrels
- Elk
- Pika
- Butterflies
Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Goats
What We Didn't See:
- Grizzly Bears
- Black Bears
- Mountain Lions
- Snakes
- Turtles
Where to Stay
When visiting Glacier National Park and Going-to-the-Sun Road, there are a few options for lodging. Inside the park, you can try for lodging at Village Inn Motel, Lake McDonald Lodge, Rising Sun Motor Inn, Apgar Village Lodge, and Motel Lake McDonald.
The park campgrounds are another option for lodging within the park boundaries. There are two backcountry chalets that visitors can hike to for overnight accommodations. Both places are operated by Belton Chalets, called Sperry Chalet and Granite Park Chalet. Rising Sun Campground is the only first-come first-serve campground along Going-to-the-Sun Road. For those who want a secure place to sleep, most of the campgrounds are reservation-based: Apgar Village Campground, Avalanche Creek Campground, Fish Creek Campground, St. Mary Campground, and Sprague Creek Campground.
For those looking for lodging outside the park, the closest cities to the West Entrance are the small towns of West Glacier, Coram, and Hungry Horse or the bigger cities of Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish. We stayed in a rental home through VRBO in Kalispell. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the park entrance every morning.