7 days trip

This Itinerary has information on which airports to fly in to, different sections of the park and where to stay at each section, best time of the year for to visit, and of course, our list of favorite hikes for a first timer! We will also include a few bonus items such as best spots to view wildlife, sunrise, and sunsets.

Part 1: Best months to visit

Mid July - early October.

In Detail: The best time to visit will be after the famous Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR) opens and early fall. No specific dates here as there is no set date for the opening of GTTSR. This road, specially at it’s highest elevation, receives up to 80 feet of snowfall. It is a monumental task to clear the snow and open the road for the summer season. Typically you can expect this road to be open around mid to late June. We recommend mid July to be an ideal time to consider visiting as the opening of GTTSR is more than likely and most of the trails should be clear of major snow build up. By late September to early October, it will be time for the fall season and a lot of the facilities start to shut down. But this can be an ideal time to get those fall colors.

Part 2: Airports to fly in to

Located in the northwest corner of Montana and bordering with Canada, there are several airports that you can fly in to access the park.

#1 Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)

We personally chose Bozeman Airport for our trip to Glacier because we found the best prices for airline tickets and rental cars from this airport. Be sure to compare prices with the airports listed below. The drive from Bozeman to Glacier's east side will be around 4 hrs. 40 mins. if you take the shortest route along I-15N. We did not find this route to be particularly scenic. Yet we still recommend this route if you fly in to Bozeman as it will get you over to the east side of the park in the fastest time where the views will be endless!

#2 Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) (Kalispell, MT)

The FCA airport is only a 30 mins drive from the west side of the park and is the closest airport to the park from the west. Cons: usually the most expensive airport for both flight tickets and rental cars. When we were planning for our trip (5-6 months in advance), the flights and car rentals were 2x and 3x respectively compared to Bozeman airport specially if you want to start from the west side of the park. In the later sections we go over why understanding the different sections of the park is so important and this is why you will find us referring to it several times along this blog.

#3 Spokane International Airport

This can be another great option specially for people flying in from the East Coast or the Pacific Northwest. Driving time from this airport to the west side of the park will be around 4 hrs. 45 mins. Rental cars can be cheaper at this airport compared to FCA.

#4 Calgary International Airport, Alberta Canada.

Yep, that's right, the YYC airport, although located in a different country can also be an option to fly in to! This can work best for folks that are travelling to Glacier from Canada and also from the US if you want to combine Waterton National Park (located in Canada but directly adjacent to Glacier). We would not recommend this option for people travelling from the US if Waterton is not on our wish list.

Part 3: The layout and geography of Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is massive and spans over 1 million acres. It has 4 primary sections that all require quite a bit of driving to get to/from and therefore it is essential to plan efficiently if you wish to hit all 4 sections - we highly recommend you do! Below is a marked out map from the NPS website to highlight the 4 sections, entrance locations (with stars), and logan pass.

The famous Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR) can be accessed from either the east side through the Saint Mary entrance or through the west side through the west glacier entrance.

The west side of the park is more developed, has more accommodations, restaurants, supermarkets, and close access to larger towns like Whitefish and Columbia falls.

The east side of the park is more remote and has fewer facilities. However, this is by far the best side of the park for dramatic views, epic hikes, and wildlife.

It can take 2-3 hrs. to drive from the west to the east side of the park on the GTTSR. Often takes longer as you will pull over more than once for jaw dropping landscape!

Part 4: Where to stay?

We recommend you to focus and plan this part of your trip in detail and well in advance because of two reasons. First, this park can have 3 million visitors every year and the ideal window to visit Glacier is very short due to large amount of snowfall accumulation and this means the best places to stay can get booked months out. Second, as mentioned previously, Glacier has a massive land area, different sections of the park require a lot of driving time to get to/from, so it is important to find the right spots to stay to make the drives to the famous lookouts and trails more convenient. We recommend trying to reserve accommodation at least 4-5 months in advance. If you want to stay in one of the lodges that are inside the park boundary, such as the Many Glacier Hotel, these can get booked up to a year in advance! So plan early!

Many Glacier Area (East Side):

Arguably the most scenic section of the park, this side also has fewer accommodations and is remote. The best place to stay in this section of the park would either be the Many Glacier Hotel or the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. Both are located inside the park, will give you almost direct access to the most of the trails in this section of the park. The cons? They will be more expensive and difficult to find a reservation if you are not booking up to a year in advance.

The second option, which can often be more practical for some people who cannot plan so far in advance, would be look for a reservation in the nearby town, Babb. This can be an amazing location as Babb is only a 20 mins drive to Many Glacier area and you could snag a reservation for a more affordable price if you start looking for one around 4-6 months in advance.

Two Medicine Area (East Side):

The best option for your homebase to explore Two Medicine will be East Glacier Park Village. You will be able to find multiple accommodations in this is village varying in price range but will also have to book them around 4-6 months in advance. These accommodations will not be on the luxurious side but you can find decent spots if you look well in advance. The best part? Only a 30 mins drive to Two Medicine.

West Glacier (West Side, Obviously):

West Glacier is the most accessible side of the park and this is where a large portion of the visitors end up staying. Sometimes even for the entire duration of their trip. We highly recommend against this as the drive over to the East Side is long (2-3 hrs.). So splitting up your days and accommodations between the east and west sides is the way to go. Visitors really have an abundance of options on the west glacier side, starting from the Apgar Village area, to Coram, Martin City, and Columbia Falls, Whitefish. Apgar Village area will sell out quicker than the other areas as it is the closest to west entrance. For the other areas, we still recommend to start looking 3-4 months in advance at least.

North Fork (West Side):

This is remote Glacier. The Polebridge Mercantile & Cabins offer some accommodations and would give you the closest location to the entrance to North Fork area. They have limited rooms and you would have to book well in advance, We actually recommend exploring the North Fork area from your accommodation for West Glacier! Whether you are staying at Columbia falls or right by the entrance at Apgar Village, you can get on the road to the north fork area in 15-30 mins.

Part 5: General Information

Bear Safety - Montanan has the largest grizzly population in the lower 48 states and they are only more concentrated in the Glacier National Park area. You must plan to carry and know how to use bear spray while you are out exploring Glacier. Bears can be found really anywhere in Glacier. Specially on trails, it is very important you know how to handle the situation. We recommend reading the NPS article on this - https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm

Things to pack - The weather in Glacier can be extremely volatile. Chilly mornings and afternoons even during the summer. Thunderstorms can roll in during the afternoon. It is essential to dress in layers. Specially if you have hiking plans for the day. We recommend a moisture wicking material for the base layer - avoid cotton. Having a windbreaker with some insulation to keep you warm during the mornings. We always recommend to either carry a lightweight waterproof shell jacket or simple ponchos in the bag for those random rain showers. Items good to have - small first aid kit, blister patches, and headlamps/flashlights. We also recommend hiking poles and learning how to use them effectively.

Gas stations - There are no gas stations on the Going To The Sun Road and it can take up to 2-3 hours to drive the entire length. Plan to refill before entering St Mary’s or Apgar entrance.

The 7 day itinerary

Day 1

• Drive to East Glacier from the airport

• Pickup essentials

Arrive at your airport and pick up your rental car. You will start your Glacier adventures from the East Side (near the many glacier area) of the park so drive over to your accommodation on the East Side. Get essentials such as bear sprays, water, and any food/snacks/groceries on the way to your accommodation. Rest up and prep for the big hike tomorrow morning!

Optional: If time allows and you are able to, make your way over to the Many Glacier Hotel parking area and catch the sunset over Swiftcurrent Lake.

Day 2

• Hike the iconic Grinnell Glacier Trail

• Visit Many Glacier Hotel

Wake up before sunrise! Today you will hike the Grinnell Glacier Trail - our favorite trail in all of North America! Plan to be at the trail head parking lot by 6:30 AM and no later than 7 AM. Parking is limited and this is an extremely popular trail. If you are unable to find parking at the trail head, there may be additional spots by the many glacier hotel or the Swiftcurrent hotel parking lots. However, this will add a couple more miles to an already long hike, so take that in to your consideration and set that alarm clock accordingly!

Stats: 12.5 miles | 2,100 ft elevation gain

Difficulty: Hard

Tip: Make a quick stop at Lake Josephine while on the trail for some photos. 

Day 3

• Sunrise at Wild Goose Island Lookout

• Drive to the Two Medicine Area

This morning you will plan to wake up early once again to make the drive up to Wild Goose Island Lookout and to catch sunrise. The viewpoint is only a short stroll from the parking lot. The expansive views of Glacier’s peaks along Saint Mary Lake is absolutely stunning. This will be peak photography time.

Next, you can plan to do the short hike to the scenic Barring Falls by parking at the Sunrift Gorge parking lot.

Trail stats: 0.6 miles RT

Keeping this day’s schedule light to rest up from yesterday’s hike and to prep the next ones, you will next drive over to the East Glacier Village in the Two Medicine area where you will be staying for the next 2 nights. This drive is around 1 - 1.5 hours long and has some incredible lookouts along the way. On the way, be sure to stop at Kyiyo Mercantile to try out their huckleberry bear claw!

Day 4

• Iconic boat ride across two medicine lake

• Hike the Upper Two Medicine Lake trail

Wake up on time to catch your boat ride across the Two Medicine Lake with Glacier Park Boat Company. This is one of the most scenic boat rides we have ever been on. Early mornings, the water is calm, and the boat almost feels like it is gliding across the water all while being surrounded by the towering peaks of the Two Medicine area mountains.

Tip: Make the boat reservation ahead of time as you want to be on the first boat departing. Reservation link - https://www.glacierparkboats.com/tours-rentals/two-medicine

Tickets are typically for round trip and your return trip will be based on how long you wish to spend on the other side of the lake. Our recommendation is to go on a hike to the Upper Two Medicine Lake and the boat ride to the west side of the lake makes this hike only about 4 miles round trip. This trail will take you up some remote and in dense forests and shrubs of Glacier so it is critical to learn about bear safety and carry bear spray. The trail in late July had endless meadows of wildflower as you will hike adjacent to the continental divide.

Trail Stats: ~ 4 miles RT to and from the west side boat dock

Tip: On the way back, take a quick side trail to check out the twin falls.

Day 5

• Drive the famous Going To The Sun Road

• Hike the Hidden Lake Overlook trail

Check out from your accommodation in East Glacier village as you will be making the drive over to the West side of the park today. This will be no ordinary drive as today you will be driving the famous Going To The Sun Road (GTTSR) and do a short trail! From East Glacier village you will enter the park through Saint Mary’s entrance in the East side. As you start your drive on the GTTSR, you will pass endless mountain ranges, alpine lakes, and with some luck - wildlife! Make sure to use the many pullovers if you find the space to stop and enjoy the views. At the highest point of this drive, you will arrive Logan Pass and this is where we recommend you go on a short trail behind the Logan Pass visitor center on the Hidden Lake trail. The trail is short but a bit steep. But you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Bearhat Mountain at the end overlooking Hidden Lake. Mountains goats frequent this area so be on the lookout! After the hike, continue on the GTTSR as you make your way to the west side of the park and finally check in to your accommodation.

Tip: Parking can be very difficult at Logan Pass. You could park your car at Saint Mary entrance by the visitor center and take the free shuttle from there up to Logan Pass. The shuttle will also bring you back to your car. We did this and were glad we did because by the time we were at Logan Pass, the parking lot was completely full. This can add up to 1 hr. more as to get on the shuttle will include some wait time and the drive back to your car will add to that. The other way to avoid this is to wake super early before sunrise and make it to Logan Pass by 6 AM. 

Additional Trail: Logan Pass is also where the infamous Highline trail starts from. We chose not to do this trail as we wanted to save our legs for other hikes in a different section of the park. But if you are able, this is an amazing trail from the many reviews that we see online and a Glacier classic. 

Day 6: North Fork Area

• Drive to the North Fork Area

• Explore Kintla and Bowman Lakes

Today you will be driving to the final area of the park, North Fork. From Apgar village, this drive is around 1 hr. 15 to 30 mins. It is on unpaved road and this road is filled with potholes at certain sections. Regular sedans can make the trip, just take it slow and look out for the potholes. We highly recommend making this trip to the north fork area as this truly remote glacier with fewer cars and mountain ranges spanning as far as the eyes can see. The polebridge mercantile right before the north fork entrance is a must to stop by to try out their coffee and bearclaw! Most people stop here, but we recommend you drive further past the entrance and towards Kintla Lake. This is a 15 miles long drive but there are a lot of pot holes and it is all unpaved. Kintla lake is worth the effort and deserves a visit. After spending some time at the lake, start making your way back towards Polebridge. Enroute take detour to check out another spectacular lake, Bowman Lake. Same road conditions here as well but the lake and the surrounding mountains will make up for it. These two lakes were some of the best alpine lakes we ever got to visit and were far away from major tourist traffic.

Tip: As you drive to Kintla lake and back, be on the lookout for wildlife across the plains. We spotted deer and a wolf!

Day 7: Hike Avalanche Lake

• Hike the avalanche lake trail

• Sunset at Lake McDonald

This is the last day of the itinerary and we recommend closing out your Glacier National Park trip with a hike to the beautiful Avalanche Lake. This is a fairly easy trail and the first section of it is wheelchair accessible. Although the section passed the boardwalk has some steep inclines, but the overall hike is easy to moderate. We recommend to keep this day light and to end your trip with a sunset at the shores of Lake McDonald - a perfect place to wrap up a memorable trip to Glacier National Park.

Trail Stats: 6 miles, 780 ft. elevation gain