Rent a side-by-side in Hungry Horse and head up the North Fork to Polebridge (rough roads suddenly become your friend)- then explore Kintla Lake and Bowman. Full day right there.
Glacier national park
- Thread starter Cygar
- Start date
I drove it once straight thru. I am all about driving over flying to save money but that’s one drive I will NEVER do again.
My mind really wanders on hiway 212 and also driving through Miles City. I dream of 200-150 years ago and being there. If you drive 212 after dark, the animals will be all over the sides of the roads eating. The rain runs off the pavment and it gets more water on the side of the road so the vegitation is more lush. Lots of braking at night. But not much traffic. Always fearful of breaking down in the middle of nowhere.
Had a friend say they zipped up to the Canadian side after the US part. Said it’s much less crowded and even nicer there.
Anytime I think. Grizzlies are out all summer. You don’t have to work that hard to see one, in my experience. There’s signs everywhere that say don’t shoot them. Mainly because you won’t kill them and will just piss them off.
+1
We spent 5 days there in 2021 and saw bears everyday. Had a close encounter with a bear when hiking Grinnel Glacier.
My family has a cabin in Glacier. Been going forever. My wife and kids spend a month every summer on Lake McDonald. You are getting good advice. Don’t forget your mace
We drove it straight through a few years ago. The sunrise in southern Montana is incredible.
On the way home, somewhere between Bozeman, MT and Moorcroft, WY (around 2:30/3:00 AM) I had to play slalom through a herd of elk at about 70 mph. It was like the scene from Vacation. My wife wakes up, looks over at me and asks if I’m OK. “You’re sweating” she says. Yeah…well…we almost just died.
If you guys want good authentic pizza Jersey Boys in Whitefish or North Fork Pizza in Columbia Falls.
Both images were taken at Lake McDonald Lodge down on the rocky beach. The locals carry guns not mace. I carry a 10mm and Bear Spray.
This is Avalanche Falls during a light painting trip into Glacier. This image took about 80 photos and I painted each section with a flashlight. Glacier is the darkest place I have been outside of fishing on the Atlantic at night. This image was done in late summer- hence the reduced flow of water through the falls.
You already know this- but never venture around Glacier unless you have at least a can of bear spray. In addition, carry the bear spray in your hand- not hooked to your backpack slung off of your back. I prefer a 10mm to bear spray; however, I do carry both. More people die in Glacier every year from falling off of ledges or into fast running water. They are all trying to get that spectacular photo with their phones. Glacier is not an amusement park.
the one benefit of being scared of heights is you're not really capable of getting close enough to a ledge to fall off.
Agreed, but the rim of Grand Canyon was nerve wracking when we went with a young ADHD kid. I wasn't worried about falling, but rather worried about my kid not paying attention (a given) and falling.
