cbender

Both directions are interesting. I can't say that I prefer one over the other.

Much of Hwy 2 is in the trees, with limited views. There are a few places that are interesting to get out and look (Essex, several river overlooks with views of goats, etc). The drive from Saint Mary (GTSR) to East Glacier (Hwy 2) will take 45 min to an hour. Honestly, if you've only got 3 days I'd completely skip Hwy 2, East Glacier, Two Medicine, etc. Those spots are interesting, but not on the must see list of Many Glacier, Logan Pass/Going to the Sun Road, Lake McDonald. I'm spending 9 days in the park this summer, and doubt I'll make it down to the Southeast side at all; too many other things to do, particularly if you're hiking anywhere.

If you have the opportunity to stay in the park I'd choose to do so, despite the high cost and limited amenities. Particularly, at least one night at Many Glacier will save you considerable travel time and allow you to have a nice, relaxing evening in the most scenic easily accessible location in Glacier. There are few things more enjoyable than sitting on the porch overlooking the lake while enjoying a beer.

craz

Thanks it has been noted and it has been crossed off.

jrsinpdx

Is RI Ramada Inn?

I stay at the FI regularly and it's nothing special but it is the only Marriott.

IMHO the best property in GTF is the La Quinta. The Hilton properties are all OK as well.

craz

mixed up GTF with HLN thanks jrsinpdx for correcting me a few posts below this 1

jrsinpdx

Not that it matters at this point, but I think you're confusing Helena with Great Falls. The FI is the only Marriott in Great Falls. Helena has a RI by the airport and a it's very nice property.

Enjoy Glacier! We're headed back again in early August and I can't wait.

craz

I believe you are correct. I 1st looked into FCA, but it was RJs and more important no HZ for Saver rates only 1200 pts a day. I then looked at a map and saw that MSO was closest to FCA, but saw only a CY for 25k.I then looked at HLN and GTF. was looking for an airport close to Glacier, HZ saver rates, a Cat4 or lower to use a cert for or cheap rates. Looks like I mixed up GTF with HLN , sorry about that and Thanks for catching it

In the end MSO won HZ saver rates, closest to FCA and a cheap DaysInn by the airport ($62ai) with a free shutte for my 1st night and arriving 11:30pm, and Mainliners for all flights. Although like RAP no seats available for my MSO-MSP flight

craz

a Big ^ to all of those who posted in this thread, who answered my PMs or PMed on your own.

Just got back from spending 3 great days @ Glacier, the only down side was being forced to make a $100 donation to the Park. (was heavy on the metal as I wanted to get thru the road closure area before they closed it in my direction and then you wait apx 20-30 mins before they start up again.) btw he was driving in the opposite direction and his radar still got me, so you are Warned

there are 2 areas where they are closing the road and use only 1 lane for both directions. The road East of Logan is Closed to all traffic from 9pm - 7am. The other area is just East of Avalanche, where I had to wait from a few mins to apx 25

djp98374

The past few years Logan Pass area has been closed for road work from snow melt-memorial day and roughly labor day-first snowfall.

during the summer they are doing construction so there will be periods of 320-30 min road closures in one direction.

Now is the latter season so they may have the road closed except for buses on Mon-Thu and open Fri-Sun ????

LemonThrower

just got back.

confirm sporadic road closings.

Going to the Sun Road is worth doing in both directions. we did, and coming back at sunlight was a highlight.

did the hike at logan pass - 2 hours round trip to the observation deck; did not hike down as that's another 2 hours. be flexible as weather and visibility change often.

many glacier hotel looks like its worth a stay.

views all over the park were impressive

cvhatton

If you are staying at the Many Glaciers hotel, make sure you fit in the Grinnell Glacier hike and depending on time/fitness levels you can take the boat ride across the lakes which will cut out a few miles of the hike overall.

aztimm

How much time would be the minimum you'd spend at Glacier?

I was thinking of an eventual ~week vacation, flying in/out of GEG, driving to Kalispell, and using that as a base.

I have a request (demand) from my other half to be out of the country for a 50-year birthday next Aug. YYC is on the short list, but my thoughts were on exploring town, with daytrips to Banff and Lake Louise.

If one could get a feel for Glacier with just an overnight (or maybe 2), we could do it all in one trip.
Or would we be better off going to Waterton Lakes National Park and not going to the US side at all?

djp98374

If you were to come down from Calgary.....

You can drive down in the evening and then do 2 nights someplace. Or leave Calgary in the Am then do 2 nights in glacier and then drive back in the PM on day 3

Many Glacier--you could spend the full two days here.
Two Medicine
St Marys/Going to the Sun up to Logan Pass

Other option is do one full day in Many Glacier and then the next day do the AM in Two medicine and take the boat across the lake and do a trail then in the afternoon drive up to Logan Pass area (usually after 3pm you can get parking up there).

If you opt to stay in the Wateron Lakes area you could take a boat to the USA side in the area of Goat Haunt

You could do the 2 days/nights in Many Glacier/St Marys then drive up on day 3 into Wateron Lakes and stay there overnight or just make it a day trip then work your way back up to Calgary.

If you are going to operate out of Kalispell--you have one main entrance and road (going to the Sun road). there is a road off of here that is gravel of to Polebridge area.

to drive from Kalispell to St Marys is about 2 hrs without any construction stoppages.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ional_Park.png


From GEG to Kalispell is about a 4-5 hr drive depending on which way you drive. You also have an hr time change.

Kalispell/Whitefish area has far more non park operated lodging options than Eastern side. the eastern side is Park lodging and a few hotels/motels/camping options.

Either from GEG or YYC you can do a loop trip where you visit glacier and then Banff/Lake Louise, and maybe even going up to Jasper


Another travel option from YYC.....

first drive to Banff/Lake Louise....then drive through the park to the west side to Kootenay then drive south down 93/95 and either go down to Kalispell and drive through Glacier to then stay at St Marys/Many Glacier for two nights. An alternate road option you can drive down 93/95 and then go east over to Wateron Lakes and then drive down to StMarys/Many Glacier area.

darthbimmer

You could tick all the boxes by flying through YYC for a week, driving south of the border to the east side of Glacier for a few days, and spending a few days in Banff (1 hour-ish west of YYC) as well. I would skip Waterton-- Glacier's Many Glacier area and Banff's Lake Louise area are much more worthy of one's time. Don't believe me? Consider that standing at the foot of Lake Louise you are looking at the "money shot". Literally.

WildWilly

I second the idea of flying into and out of Calgary, It's about 3 1/2 hours to Many Glacier which in my opinion is by far the place to be. It's a real airport and an easy drive straight down. I've never had an issue at the border.

If you want supplies there's a Walmart Supercenter just below the airport right beside the highway. Just no citrus and raw meat.

I'd skip Two Medicine and the western part of the park.

From the east entrance of GTTS Rd as far as Logan Pass is fine though even along the GTTS Rd the scenery isn't as spectacular as the Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier hikes in Many Glacier.

I laugh when people write that they want some wildlife viewing. As if they sit on the patio of their hotel sipping a drink and watching the animals being paraded out front.

The Many Glacier area is the closest thing to that. I've seen grizzlies, black bears, moose and deer (and mountain goats at a distance) in Many Glacier.

Mountain goats up close on either side of the highway at Logan Pass on GTTS Rd.

As with most national park in the US (as opposed to Canada where there are tourist towns inside the parks with a wide variety of lodging) lodging is a problem. You have to book very early (a year ahead) and often take whatever is available. Very few luxury properties.

The Glacier season is quite short. Prior to late June GTTS Rd isn't open and for as much as a month later some of the higher elevation trails are either not open or muddy. Also, early in the season some trails are closed due to bear activity. Then in early September you could start to have snow problems again.

SanDiego1K

I want to plan a trip in 2017. What is the window of time I should plan travel? I see several comments about snow into June.

How far in advance can lodging be booked within the lodge? Let's pretend for discussion purposes that I want lodging for July 15 2017. What day can it be booked?

Is there a good guide book? For all my travels, I am completely unfamiliar with this part of the country.