The Best Itinerary For Glacier National Park: Day-By-Day Guide + Map

My top recommendations for can’t-miss hikes in Glacier are Grinnell Glacier Trail, Hidden Lake Trail and Avalanche Lake Trail.

The best short hikes in Glacier National Park are Trail of the Cedars, Baring Falls, Running Eagle Falls and Swiftcurrent Nature Trail.

For more, check out this detailed guide to the best Glacier National Park hikes.

How Many Days In Glacier National Park

I recommend at least 3 days in Glacier National Park. With 3 days you can see the highlights in Apgar, Lake McDonald, Many Glacier and along Going-To-The-Sun Road.

Highlights in these areas include Avalanche Lake Trial, Hidden Lake Overlook, Highline Trail, St Mary & Virginia Falls and Grinnell Glacier Trail.

However, if you’re interested in some longer hikes, I encourage you to extend your itinerary for Glacier National Park to 5 days.

While it’s possible to see a lot of Glacier National Park with shorter hikes, the real beauty is on the longer trails. This is also where you have the best chance of spotting wildlife.

With 5 days in Glacier National Park you can explore Two Medicine, and add an extra hike or two in Many Glacier (where you’ll find the best longer hikes).

Going-To-The-Sun Road Shuttle

Glacier National Park offers a free shuttle in the popular areas of the park along GTS road. No reservations are required for the shuttle, which runs between Apgar Village and St Mary Visitor Center.

The shuttle does not run to areas outside of Going-To-The-Sun Road, like Two Medicine, Many Glacier, North Fork, Goat Haunt, or Waterton Lakes. You’ll need your own vehicle in order to access these areas of Glacier National Park.

I recommend using Expedia to compare the best car rental prices.

Vehicle Reservations

Vehicle reservations are required to enter some parts of Glacier National Park during the busy season. Currently, Glacier is still experimenting with the best way to handle crowds, so the reservation process changes slightly each year.

Typically, reservations are required from late May through early September. The specific 2025 dates have not been released yet.

Read more about Going To The Sun Road tickets and how you can enter the park even if you’re unable to secure a vehicle reservation.

Glacier National Park Itinerary 5 Days

Here’s a quick overview itinerary for Glacier National Park in 5 days:

• Day 1: Avalanche Lake Trail, Trail Of The Cedars, Apgar Village, Lake McDonald Boat Rental, Johns Lake Loop
• Day 2: Going-To-The-Sun Road, Hidden Lake Overlook, Highline Trail, St Mary & Virginia Falls
• Day 3: Grinnell Glacier Trail, Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, Apikuni Falls, Bullhead Lake, Horseback Ride
• Day 4: Cracker Lake, Iceberg Lake
• Day 5: Pitamakan Pass, Running Eagle Falls

Day 1 – West Glacier, Apgar Village & Lake McDonald

Highlights: Avalanche Lake Trail, Trail Of The Cedars, Apgar Village, Lake McDonald Boat Rental, Johns Lake Loop

On day 1, arrive via West Glacier as early as possible. I recommend getting to the park before 9am, but if you’re flying in that morning this may not be possible.

As soon as you enter the park head directly to Avalanche Lake Trail. This is a great way to start your trip, and it’s also best done earlier in the day before it gets too crowded.

Parking at the trailhead is limited. If you’re unable to find a spot, or you’re arriving later in the day, I recommend parking at Apgar Visitors Center and taking the shuttle to the Avalanche Creek stop, which drops you at the trailhead.

Avalanche Lake Trail is 5.9 miles and takes you to a beautiful lake with several waterfalls in the backdrop. You can read more about my experience hiking Avalanche Lake Trail to know what to expect here.

Conveniently, the trailhead to Trail Of The Cedars is right next to Avalanche Lake. I recommend hiking this short 0.9 mile loop while you’re there.

After, head back to Apgar Village to explore the shops and eat lunch at Eddie’s Cafe & Mercantile. Definitely save room for a scoop of huckleberry ice cream (it’s famous!)

Note: everything in Apgar Village is very walkable. It’s easiest to park at the visitors center, then walk the bike path to the lake. Parking elsewhere is extremely limited and not worth the hassle.

Spend the afternoon on Lake McDonald. You can swim, or rent boats from Glacier Park Boat Co.

Boat rentals (kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards and motorboats) are available at Apgar or Lake McDonald Lodge. You can expect to pay between $20-$30 per hour, depending on the type of boat you rent.

Note: advanced boat reservations are only available for 10:15am. Reservations at all other times are first-come, first-serve.

End your day with a 2 mile walk around Johns Lake, near Lake McDonald Lodge.

There are several options for dinner at Lake McDonald Lodge, including Jammer Joe’s Grill & Pizzaria, Lucke’s Lounge, and Russel’s Fireside Dining Room.

For the most efficient use of your time, I recommend staying near West Glacier, Apgar or Lake McDonald for your first night. This positions you close to GTS Road for an early start on day 2, which is the best way to avoid crowds. (Complete recommendations on where to stay below)

Day 2 – Going-To-The-Sun Road & St Mary

Highlights: Going-To-The-Sun Road, Hidden Lake Overlook, Highline Trail, St Mary & Virginia Falls

Get another early start to day 2 so you can enjoy Going-To-The-Sun Road before it gets crowded.

From Apgar Village, head east along GTSR. In total, it’s two hours of driving to get to the opposite side of the park. The road is 52 miles long and cuts through some of the most scenic views in the park.

There are many Going To The Sun Road stops worth pulling off for, so I recommend planning at least 4 hours to complete the drive.

The best hikes along Going To The Sun Road are Hidden Lake Overlook, Highline Trail and St Mary & Virginia Falls.

Hidden Lake Overlook and Highline Trail both start from Logan Pass Visitor Center. There’s a fairly large parking lot there, but it fills up by 8am during the summer.

I recommend getting to Logan Pass before 8am so you can find parking.

Hike Hidden Lake Overlook first. It’s a great place to spot wildlife, and they’re more active in the morning. Additionally, the first section of Highline Trail can be icy (even in summer!) so it’s best to give it some time for the sun to melt the ice.

Hidden Lake Overlook is 2.7 miles total, and takes you out to a raised overlook where you can see Hidden Lake below. The trail is a mix of wide and well maintained dirt as well as raised wooden boardwalk. It’s not steep, but there is consistent mild elevation gain.

Hidden Lake is a great place to see wildflowers.

If you’re up for a longer hike you can continue past the overlook down to the lake. In total it’s 5.1 miles to the lake and back, and there’s a steep descent on the last 1/4 mile.

For more details, read about my experience hiking Hidden Lake Trail.

Highline Trail is 14.9 miles out and back. You can do as much or as little as you’d like. During my visit, I was short on time so only hiked the first few miles of Highline Trail.

From Logan Pass, the trail picks up across the street and you’ll immediately come across the chains section. It’s relatively flat for the first mile, but the trail is narrow and follows a steep cliff.

There are ropes along the wall of the mountain to help keep you steady. This portion faces north, so ice is likely. I recommend bringing gloves because the chains can be cold.

There’s also an alternate option to hike Highline point-to-point and end at The Loop, along GTS Road. It’s 12.1 miles with a significant downhill portion for the last 3 miles (over 2,000 feet down).

If you hike point-to-point you can take the shuttle from The Loop back to Logan Pass.

After hiking, keep heading east on Going-To-The-Sun Road toward St Mary.

The parking for St Mary & Virginia Falls is extremely limited and is full by late morning. If you’re visiting during July-September I recommend taking the shuttle from Logan Pass to St Mary Falls so you don’t have to worry with parking. It’s about a 15-minute drive.

St Mary & Virginia Falls are two of the most popular Glacier National Park waterfalls. In total, it’s a 3.1 mile hike. You’ll come across St Mary Falls first before continuing to Virginia Falls.

It’s not uncommon for people to take a dip in the water. Pack your bathing suit and towel!

For dinner near St Mary, stop by Two Dog Flats Restaurant (inside the park), or Frogs Cantina, Rising Sun Pizza or Kip’s Beer Garden (outside the park).

I recommend staying near St Mary for the remainder of your trip. This will keep you centrally located to the hikes on the eastern half of the park, which is where this itinerary for Glacier National Park is headed next. (Complete recommendations for where to stay below)

Day 3 – Many Glacier

Highlights: Grinnell Glacier Trail, Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, Apikuni Falls, Bullhead Lake, Horseback Ride

Day 3 in Glacier is all about exploring the Many Glacier area. This is by far my favorite area of Glacier National Park – there are stunning views at every turn. It’s also home to my favorite hike of all time … Grinnell Glacier!

There’s limited parking at Grinnell Glacier Trailhead (this is a common theme in Glacier National Park), so try and arrive early. I recommend 8am or earlier.

If you can’t find parking at the trailhead, alternate options include driving a little farther down RT-3 to Swiftcurrent Trailhead, or heading back towards Many Glacier Hotel where there is much more parking available.

From Many Glacier Hotel you can pick up Swiftcurrent Lake Trail, which takes you along the east side of the Lake and meets up with Grinnell Glacier Trail – the mileage is roughly the same if you start at the hotel.

Grinnell Glacier Trail is 10 miles long and over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. The first several miles are mostly flat, and follow Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, before ascending up to the glacier.

There are optional boat tours you can take to cross both lakes. Round trip tickets cost $40 and you must book your reservations well in advance.

The boat tour will save you about 4 miles of hiking (round-trip), but in my opinion this is the easiest section of the trail and you can probably hike it faster than it will take to load/un-load the boat.

Additionally, the boat has a very limited schedule, so you’ll have less flexibility with your itinerary.

However, the boat tour is great for securing vehicle reservations for Many Glacier. If you have a reservation you will automatically be granted a vehicle reservation for Many Glacier only.

You can read a more detailed overview and experience hiking Grinnell Glacier Trail here.

On your return, take the trail to the right when you approach Swiftcurrent Lake. This takes you to Many Glacier Hotel along Swiftcurrent Nature Trail.

In total, Swiftcurrent Nature Trail is 2.6 miles. It shares the first 0.7 miles with Grinnell Glacier Trail, which you’ve already completed.

Once you see the dock on Swiftcurrent Lake, your original trail is to the left (back to the Grinnell Glacier Trailhead parking). Instead, head right along the east side of the lake for another 1 mile towards Many Glacier Hotel.

There are several options for lunch at Many Glacier Hotel – The Ptarmigan Dining Hall, Swiss Lounge, and Heidi’s Snack Shop & Espresso Stand (grab-and-go).

Because of how tricky parking can be, I recommend leaving your vehicle for the day and walking between trailheads. They’re all fairly close.

After lunch, stop by Swiftcurrent Falls on your way to Apikuni Falls. Swiftcurrent Falls is along an unmarked trail.

You can find the trailhead at the north end of Many Glacier Hotel Parking Road, where the loop road returns to a single road just before merging back onto RT-3. The trailhead is on the northeast corner of the loop. The falls are 0.1 miles down the trail.

Then, head 1.5 miles back down RT-3 to the Apikuni Falls Trailhead. It’s about a 30-minute walk along the road to get to the trail.

Alternatively, you could walk the Saddle Horse Corral, instead of the road. It’s a horse path that runs along the south side of RT-3. You’ll see it branch off to the right just before you exit the Many Glacier Hotel parking area onto RT-3.

On Saddle Horse Corral you’ll be farther from the road traffic, but watch out for horses and droppings. This trail connects back up to RT-3 right across from the Apikuni Falls Trailhead.

Apikuni Falls trail is 1.8 miles up to the falls and back. I’d say it’s moderately challenging with a steady incline the entire way. You’ll be able to get really close to the falls.

In the afternoon, you have two options. The first is to hike Swiftcurrent Pass Trail to Redrock Falls and Bullhead Lake. The second is to take a horseback ride along Swiftcurrent Loop (a 1-hour loop trail ride which brings you between Swiftcurrent and Lake Josephine).

Option 1: Hike Swiftcurrent Pass Trail

The trailhead is located near Swiftcurrent Motor Inn – about 2 miles from Apikuni Falls Trailhead. While it’s not ideal, I still think walking is your best option if you’re visiting during the busy summer months.

Swiftcurrent Motor Inn is less than half a mile past Grinnell Glacier Trailhead, so the hike back to your car after hiking the trail is short.

The total trail out-and-back is 13.7 miles, but you can do as much, or as little of it as you’d like. There are several notable things to see along this trail.

The first lake you come to is Fishercap Lake, then Redrock Falls and Bullhead Lake. I recommend spending time at Bullhead Lake if you want to see moose – they frequently come to the water, especially around dusk.

Fishercap Lake is also a good spot to see moose. It’s much closer to the trailhead, so if you’d prefer not to hike back after dark this may be a better option for spying moose at dusk.

Option 2: Horseback Ride In Many Glacier

If you’re interested in seeing Many Glacier by horse, I recommend the Swiftcurrent Loop trail ride. It’s one-hour on the horse, plus time before and after for safety briefings, loading and unloading.

This trail ride starts at the stables near Many Glacier Hotel at 3:30pm, which fits perfectly into this itinerary for Glacier National Park.

Expect to pay around $100 per person. The trail takes you to stump lake, which is located between Swiftcurrent and Lake Josephine. This is an excellent place to spot some moose!

For dinner, I recommend Nell’s at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn or one of the restaurants at Many Glacier Hotel.

Day 4 – Many Glacier

Highlights: Cracker Lake, Iceberg Lake

On your 4th day in Glacier I recommend two longer hikes – Cracker lake and/or Iceberg Lake.

Cracker Lake is a 12.8 out-and-back trail that takes 5-6 hours to complete. This is a great trail to spot wildlife, including grizzly bears (from a distance) and moose. The hike has stunning views and ends at Cracker Lake, which is a brilliant turquoise color.

Cracker Lake is long, but it’s not a super difficult trail. The best part is it’s less popular so you likely won’t have many crowds.

I recommend parking at Many Glacier Hotel or Swiftcurrent Motor Inn for the day. Cracker Lake trailhead is at the south end of Many Glacier Hotel parking, and Iceberg Lake trailhead is 2-miles down RT-3 at the northwest corner of Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking.

If you’re visiting between July-September parking will fill up by 8am or 9am. Arrive early and park, then walk between trailheads so you don’t lose your spot.

After hiking Cracker Lake trail, I recommend getting lunch at Many Glacier Hotel, or Swiftcurrent Motor Inn before head up to Iceberg Lake.

Iceberg Lake is 9.6 miles out and back. It’s a modest elevation gain the entire way, with only two short but steep sections. The trail ends at Iceberg Lake, which typically has icebergs floating in it well into the summer months.

In total, this trail takes between 4-5 hours to complete. It’s quite common to see bears, moose and mountain goats along this trail.

For dinner, stop by Nell’s at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, or head back towards Many Glacier Hotel for more restaurant options.

Day 5 – Two Medicine Itinerary For Glacier National Park

Highlights: Pitamakan Pass, Running Eagle Falls

On your final day in Glacier National Park, head towards Two Medicine area, just south of St Mary.

Pitamakan Pass is a remarkable hike that takes you to views in Glacier National Park most visitors don’t see. You’ll have to earn it though. It’s a 14.8 mile trail with significant elevation gain – just under 3,000 feet.

Plan for at least 7 hours to complete this hike. The trailhead is located at Two Medicine campground, just north of Pray Lake.

From the ridge line you can see Pitamakan Lake, Seven Winds Of The Lake, Oldman Lake, Boy Lake and Lower Two Medicine Lake. It’s really an incredible view with so many lakes and mountain peaks in all directions.

I recommend packing a lunch and eating it on the trail. There aren’t any restaurants located in Two Medicine.

After, head back east along Two Medicine Road to Running Eagle Falls. This is a flat and easy hike in Glacier National Park – just 0.7 miles!

Running Eagle Falls is also referred to as Trick Falls. When the water flow is high, usually in the spring and early summer from snow melt, it appears to be one waterfall. However, as the flow tapers off later in the season you’ll notice that it’s actually two falls stacked on top of each other.

For dinner, I recommend heading in to East Glacier Park, just outside of Two Medicine. The Burger Box, East Glacier Stageline Pizza, and Two Medicine Grill are all great options after a long day of hiking.

Glacier National Park 3 Day Itinerary

If you only have 3 days in Glacier National Park this is how I recommend adjusting your itinerary for Glacier National Park.

• Day 1: Avalanche Lake Trail, Trail Of The Cedars, Apgar Village, Lake McDonald Boat Rental, Johns Lake Loop
• Day 2: Going-To-The-Sun Road, Hidden Lake Overlook, Highline Trail, St Mary & Virginia Falls
• Day 3: Grinnell Glacier Trail, Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, Apikuni Falls, Bullhead Lake, or Cracker Lake

With limited time, I would skip the Two Medicine area, and I would spend only one (very full) day in Many Glacier so you are also able to spend a day near Lake McDonald and along GTS road.

Day 1 & 2 – Apgar Village, Lake McDonald & Going-To-The-Sun Road

Follow the itinerary for days 1 and 2 as outlined above. These are some of the best things to see in Glacier National Park, especially Going-To-The-Sun Road

Day 3 – Many Glacier

The itinerary for day 3 in Glacier National Park outlined above is what I recommend for a shorter trip, with a few alterations.

Start early by hiking to Grinnell Glacier, and picking up Swiftcurrent Nature Trail to complete the loop around the lake on your return. In total this should take around 6 hours.

In the afternoon, there are two different itinerary variations I recommend depending on your interests.

The first option is to take the short hike up to Apikuni Falls before heading down the road to Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge and hiking to Bullhead Lake along Swiftcurrent Pass Trail.

These are shorter and easier hikes, which may be nice after hiking to Grinnell Glacier in the morning.

The second option is to stop by Many Glacier Hotel for lunch before starting another long hike to Cracker Lake.

Cracker Lake is incredible, and definitely worth seeing if your legs have the energy. Personally, I think Grinnell Glacier is the better hike and would recommend you prioritize that if you can only do one.

Cracker Lake is 12.8 miles and takes about 6 hours to complete, but overall it’s not a very difficult hike aside from the distance.

Where To Stay When Visiting Glacier National Park

The most convenient place to stay when visiting Glacier National Park is Apgar Village, Lake McDonald or St Mary areas.

For this itinerary, I recommend spending your first night near Apgar Village or Lake McDonald, and then the remainder of your trip near St Mary (or Many Glacier as a backup).

The key to finding where to stay in Glacier National Park is to position yourself as centrally as possible so you aren’t spending unnecessary hours driving back and forth across the park.

Please book as far in advance as possible. In-park lodging reservations open 13 months in advance and sell out quickly – sometimes within minutes.

Apgar Village & Lake McDonald Places To Stay

• Village Inn at Apgar
• Apgar Village Lodge & Cabins
• Lake McDonald Lodge 
• Motel Lake McDonald

St Mary Places To Stay

• Rising Sun Motor Inn
• St. Mary Village

Many Glacier Places To Stay

• Many Glacier Hotel
• Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins (closed for 2025 season)

Additional Options For Where To Stay In Glacier National Park

For more options, check out this guide to Glacier National Park hotels in and around the park.

For a more budget friendly trip, there are many Glacier National Park camping options, as well.

Restaurants Near Glacier National Park

There are many options for restaurants near Glacier National Park. In full transparency, most of these restaurants don’t have much competition so the food and service is mediocre, but they make up for it with convenience.

Restaurants Near West Glacier

There are several restaurants just outside of Glacier National Park west entrance in the town of West Glacier. Keep in mind, these options are outside of the park entrance, so you may get stuck in long lines to re-enter.

• Belton Grill Dining Room – Fine dining ($30-$50)
• Glacier National Pizza – Pizza ($10-$20)
• West Glacier Mercantile – Burgers, Grab-And-Go ($10-$20)
• Freda’s – Cafe with full menu ($20-$30)

Restaurants Near Apgar Village & Lake McDonald

There are several options for restaurants near Apgar Village and Lake McDonald.

• Eddie’s Cafe & Mercantile – Burgers & ice cream ($20-$40)
• Jammer Joe’s Grill & Pizzaria – Pizza ($10-$20)
• Lucke’s Lounge – Full menu ($20-$30)
• Russel’s Fireside Dining Room – Full menu ($20-$30)

Restaurants Near St Mary

Options near St Mary are a bit limited given the small town. There’s one restaurant inside Glacier National Park (Two Dogs Flats) along Going-To-The-Sun Road.

• Two Dog Flats Restaurant (inside the park) – Burgers, salads & sandwiches ($20-$30)
• Frogs Cantina – Mexican ($10-$20)
• Rising Sun Pizza – Pizza ($10-$20)
• Kip’s Beer Garden – Bar & grill ($20-$30)

Restaurants Near Many Glacier

Many Glacier restaurants are also more limited. The first three are located inside of Many Glacier Hotel and the last is near Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.

• The Ptarmigan Dining Hall – Fine dining ($20-$30)
• Swiss Lounge – Lounge serving full menu from Ptarmigan ($20-$30)
• Heidi’s Snack Shop & Espresso Stand – Coffee shop & grab-and-go ($10-$20)
• Nell’s – Diner ($10-$20)

Restaurants Near Two Medicine

There aren’t any restaurants in the Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park, but there are several options just outside the park entrance in East Glacier Park.

• The Burger Box – Take away burgers ($10-$20)
• East Glacier Stageline Pizza – Pizza ($10-$20)
• Two Medicine Grill – Breakfast & grill ($10-$20)

Glacier National Park Packing List

Glacier National Park has some large temperature swings, even well into the summer. The difference in elevation across the park will also mean significant changes in temperature depending on which part of the park you’re in.

Layers are super important for any trip to Glacier, regardless of the season. During my visit in early September I was in shorts and a t-shirt in Apgar Village, and a winter jacket, hats and gloves the next day at Logan Pass.

Even if you’re traveling in August, bring with an insulated jacket, a hat (or something to cover your ears), and gloves.

The hikes at Glacier are incredibly beautiful, but they tend to be longer hikes and have some serious elevation gain. A good pair of hiking boots, a 16-22 liter daypack and trekking poles are must-haves.

I recommend these trekking poles on Amazon (the ones I have!) and my Danner’s are the best hiking boots for Glacier National Park.

I’d also recommend a good headlamp if you plan to hike around sunrise or sunset in Glacier.

If you’re new to hiking, check out my guide to the best hiking gear for beginners. I offer budget-friendly options because building up a good set of hiking gear can be pricy when you’re just starting out!

For a complete list, download my free Glacier National Park packing guide.

Best Places To See Wildlife At Glacier

Glacier National Park is full of wildlife. The odds that you’ll see moose, bears, bighorn sheep, or mountain goats while you visit are extremely high.

These are the best places to see wildlife in Glacier National Park:

Moose – Fishercap Lake, Bullhead Lake, Hidden Lake, Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine, Two Medicine Lake

Bears – Cracker Lake, Hidden Lake, Iceberg Lake, Grinnell Glacier, Highline Trail

Mountain Goats – Highline Trail, Logan Pass, Oberlin Bend

Bighorn Sheep – Grinnell Glacier, Highline Trail, Logan Pass

Getting To Glacier National Park

Unfortunately, there’s no super convenient way to get to Glacier National Park. The closest airport is Kalispell, which can be quite expensive and, as a smaller airport, has fewer flight options. From Kalispell, it’s about a 30 minute drive to Glacier’s west entrance.

There are several additional airports that may be more affordable if you’re willing to drive a little farther, though.

Airports Close To Glacier National Park

Glacier Park International Airport (FCA)
Distance from Kalispell to Glacier National Park: 30 minutes to West Glacier entrance

Missoula Montana Airport (MSO)
Distance from Missoula to Glacier National Park: 2.5 hours to West Glacier entrance

Great Falls International Airport (GTF)
Distance from Great Falls to Glacier National Park: 3 hours to West Glacier entrance, 2.5 hours to St Mary entrance

Spokane International Airport (GEG)
Distance from Spokane to Glacier National Park: 5 hours to West Glacier entrance

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
Distance from Bozeman to Glacier National Park: 5 hours to West Glacier entrance, 5 hours to St Mary entrance

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Distance from Seattle to Glacier National Park: 9 hours to West Glacier entrance

Best Time To Visit Glacier National Park

Early September is the best time to visit Glacier National Park. For the first week or two in September, the shuttles, boat taxi’s, restaurants and hotels are still operating on a normal schedule.

The weather at Glacier National Park in September is still great for hiking, and the crowds are starting to dwindle. It’s the best of both worlds.

By mid to late September the shuttles will no longer be running, and you’ll start to experience more snow at elevation. It’s still a great time to visit, but you’ll need to rely on your own vehicle to get around the park.

Spring – Glacier National Park In April, May & June

Spring is a good time to visit Glacier National Park if you’d like to see waterfalls. However, the weather is still chilly and unpredictable with late spring snowfall and Going-To-The-Sun Road is not yet opened, which limits your access to several of the best hiking trails in the park.

Summer – Glacier National Park In July, August & September

Summer is the perfect time to visit Glacier National Park if you don’t mind crowds. The wildlife are active and you’re likely to see a moose, bear, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. Summer is also wildflower season in the alpine meadows.

Going-To-The-Sun Road is open, as are all the restaurants and lodging options in and around Glacier National Park. The largest downside to visiting during summer are the crowds.

Fall – Glacier National Park In October, November & December

Fall in Glacier National Park starts to see crowd levels dwindle significantly. By mid-October Going-To-The-Sun Road will be closed for the season, and snow will start to permanently cover most of the hiking trails.

Winter – Glacier National Park in January, February & March

Winter in Glacier National Park can be harsh. Temperatures stay below freezing and snow covers most of the park. You won’t find many restaurants or lodges open during the winter months.

Nearby Road Trips

There are so many incredible National Parks within a few hours drive of Glacier National Park.

Also consider extending your road trip east to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, or west to Mt Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Park.