Continuing with my travel theme of exploring national parks this summer I decided to make my way to Montana to visit Glacier National Park! With only 3 days to allocate to this trip I put together what I felt was an ideal and manageable itinerary that would allow me to see the highlights and beauty of Glacier National Park!
Where To Stay When Visiting Glacier National Park
I personally chose to stay in Whitefish, Montana. This quaint town is only 15 min from Glacier National Park Airport, and a 45 min drive to Glacier National Park Entrance (full disclosure it is about 1.5 hours to some of the popular trails that are near Logan Pass Visitors Center). I chose to stay in Whitefish because they have such a cute downtown area with lots of amazing restaurants available. Your alternative option is to stay in the park but the accommodation and dining options are not as great as they would be if you stayed somewhere else. Another option outside of the park would be to stay in the town of Kalispell, Montana which is also pretty close to the airport.
During my time in Whitefish I stayed at the Good Medicine Lodge and I can not recommend this Bed and Breakfast enough! If you are a fan of boutique accommodations you have consider staying here. I did a full blog post on my stay showcasing all the details of this place. You can find it here!
3 Day Glacier National Park Itinerary
Day 1 – Going To The Sun Road / Hidden Lake Overlook/ St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail
Depending on the time of year that you are visiting can dictate when you choose to start your day and head out to the trails! I visited mid-September and chose to be at the first trail by 1 pm, as opposed to waking up for a sunrise hike. I also felt going later in the day was better because there were less crowds. Most will try and go early around sunrise.
Going To The Sun Road
As you make your way towards some of the popular trailheads you are going to drive on Going-to-the-sun-road which is one of the most picturesque scenic drives in the US. You will be driving on a two lane road mountain side with spectacular views of glaciers and lakes below until you reach Logan Pass. There are several viewpoints that are set up for visitors to be able to pull over and get photos!
Hidden Lake Overlook
I was the most excited for this particular hike! I had seen so many pictures of the turquoise blue water, beautiful surrounding landscape, and the wildlife that frolicked around as visitors passed. Hidden Lake Overlook is an easy to moderate 2.9 mile trail that should only take you about 1.5-2 hours depending on how much time you choose to stay at the view point. Hidden Lake Overlook hike starts at Logan Pass Visitors Center. You may have a hard time finding parking here. It takes most about an hour to get a spot so do factor this into your planning.
When visiting you might have the option to extend this hike and continue all the way down to the Hidden Lake if you’re lucky. That would then make this entire hike 5.3 miles round trip. When I visited I was only able to make it to the overlook because the second part of this hike was closed due to grizzly bear activity. A common occurrence in the summer months! Also, now might be a good time to mention to remember to bring bear spray with you. You can rent a can of bear spray at Glacier International Airport for half the price of buying it new. I would recommend doing that and carrying it with you on all hikes.
St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail
St Mary and Virginia Falls are another very popular trail in Glacier National Park and for good reason! This trail is very short and easy, only 2.9 miles round trip with so much to see on the way before you actually reach the first waterfall.
This trailhead is located just a few miles past the Logan Park Visitors Center. You will notice that a lot of the trees are burned. This is the aftermath of the Reynold’s Creek Fire from 2015. It was late in the day when I finally made it to this trail so no one was really around and I have to tell you that the wind whistling through those naked trees was truly eerie! It kind of sounded like screams to be honest. It was chilling. You will reach St Mary’s Fall pretty quickly. I’d say less than 1 mile. The trail was so pretty! You will pass St Mary’s Lake and then come up on St Mary’s Falls where you will probably see visitors swimming so you might want to bring your swimsuit if you think you might want to go in. St Mary’s Fall drops 35 feet in three tiers. You can climb up and around to get a closer viewpoint but do be careful! The view points from the bridge are also so nice!
I personally did not make it to Virginia Falls. I started this trail too late in the day and was cutting it too close to sunset. It would be really wise to try and be off the cliffside road before the sun goes down for safety reasons. I personally didn’t want to risk driving cliffside in the dark to see that second waterfalls so my friend and I made the decision to head back to Whitefish!
Day 2 – Highline Trail To Grinnell Glacier Overlook
For your day two I would recommend the Highline Trail to Grinnell Glacier Overlook. This hike is going to be an all day adventure that ends with a gorgeous view of Grinnell Glacier!
This trail starts just outside of the Logan Pass Visitors Center so you can park there or in that general area. The highline trail is 6.8 miles and an additional 0.6 miles that are pretty steep but so worth it if you’ve already made it that far because you will be able to end your hike with an amazing view of Grinnell Glacier! Plan for this hike to take you around 8 hours minimum and be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks!
Day 3 – Sunrise at Lake McDonald / Avalanche Lake Trail
Lake McDonald
Lake McDonald is famous for its gorgeous mountain views. This lake is located in the Apgar Village area. I would recommend routing to the Apgar Village Inn and finding parking there. When I visited Montana, the area was getting a lot of smoke from the wildfires in Oregon which made the visibility pretty horrible to be honest, but even in this state I thought it was beautiful in a moody kind of way.
Avalanche Lake Trail
This trail was very easy to start and then it did get moderate mostly because it was uphill for the last part with some steep stairs. The Avalanche Lake trail is 2 miles until you reach the lake. You can certainly keep going and loop all the way around the lake if you wanted to. I personally just made it to the lake and stayed in that general area.
On the way to the lake you will pass the most beautiful gorge and a few waterfalls. The clear turquoise water is really what made these water features so spectacular! This trail is a must if you are visiting Glacier National Park!
Need More Montana Resources?
Check Out My Restaurant Guide To Whitefish Here
Check Out My Stay At Good Medicine Lodge Here