Glacier/Waterton Lakes National Park Travel Guide

Resource for those planning to tour Glacier National Park and/or Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park. Located respectively in northern Montana and southern Alberta the adjacent national parks are typically visited at the same time and offer some of North America’s most spectacular mountain ranges and most beautiful lakes. In 1932, the United States and Canada designated these two national parks together as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, a symbol of their longtime peace and friendship. Both parks offer outstanding opportunities to view wildlife and a wide variety of recreational activities.

Glacier National Park Road Trip 2014 – The Journal

Our September trip featured hiking the backcountry of Glacier National Park with some of the most fantastic scenes in the American West, including the fabulous Highline Trail.

The Fabulous Highline Trail of Glacier National Park

The Highline Trail is the premiere hike (one of many amazing hikes) of Glacier National Park, one of America’s premiere national parks. Both the hike and the park are world famous as well. The trail follows the Continental Divide, known as the Garden Wall locally, with a nonstop array of incredible views every step of the way.

Amazing Views at Ptarmigan Tunnel

Ptarmigan Tunnel goes through 240 feet of solid rock and connects the Many Glacier Valley to the Belly River Valley. It is located high on the Ptarmigan Wall and thousands of feet above the floors of both valleys. While the views are stunning at either end of the tunnel, it’s the differences that make it fascinating.

Spectacle at Iceberg Lake

We arrive at Iceberg Lake, and it is indeed an enormous spectacle, so enormous that it is difficult to grasp or capture accurately in a photo. The sheer rock walls of the Continental Divide rise straight up, more than three thousand feet above the lake. For the urbanites in the audience, that’s nearly the height of two World Trade Centers (height, 1776 feet), one on top of the other.

The Iceberg Ladies of Glacier National Park

Co-eds Brave the Frigid Waters of Iceberg Lake! Frigid and aptly-name Iceberg Lake is one of the most iconic and spectacular sights (one of many) of Montana’s Glacier National Park. Vacationing co-eds created a special moment for themselves and all who witnessed their feat by jumping into the lake and swimming to the nearest iceberg.

Beautiful Lake McDonald

One of the Glacier National Park’s largest and most scenic lakes, Lake McDonald is ten miles long and 472 feet deep, having been carved by a huge glacier. Located on the park’s west side, it is surrounded by mountains on the north, south, and east.

The Many Glacier Region

The scenery of Glacier National Park is often compared to Switzerland and the Swiss Alps. Nowhere is that more true than in the Many Glacier region in the northeast part of the park.

The Many Glacier Region – On the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail

The best way to experience the wonders of the Many Glacier region and Glacier National Park in general is by getting away from the road and on the trail. The Swiftcurrent Pass Trail transits a beautiful valley with numerous lakes and waterfalls between Mt. Grinnell and Mt. Wilbur.

Going-to-the-Sun Scenic Road

The highlight of Glacier National Park, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the world’s finest scenic drives. But its name is not always fitting. The fifty mile road connects the east and west sides of Glacier National Park, climbing spectacularly over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, elevation 6,680 feet.

The Hike to Avalanche Lake

Avalanche Lake sits just below the Continental Divide on the west side of Glacier National Park. An excellent and popular trail follows roaring Avalanche Creek up to the lake. The dense woods are dark and damp early in the morning, almost spooky, and are an excellent wildlife habitat.