Highlights From Whitefish, MT and Glacier NP (And What We’d Do Differently)

It was an average Wednesday in mid-June when Brett called me from work out of the blue. 

“What do you think of going to Glacier for a long weekend in August?”

He informed me we had hotel points and flight credits expiring soon and he was ready to hit ‘book’ as soon as I gave the ok… which I did after a brief, shocked pause. 

With less than two months until takeoff, we recruited a friend to join and together planned a four night, three day trip to northwest Montana with Whitefish as our home base.

Here are some of the experiences we loved most, a few unfortunate drawbacks, and what we’d do differently if we return in the future. 

Top experiences

I didn’t go in with many expectations, but I imagined the area in and around Glacier National Park would be filled with tall mountains, dazzling blue water, and vast, open landscapes. Much of that was true, but it’s not necessarily what “made” the trip. These are the experiences that created my favorite memories. 

Hiking in East Glacier

Our first exposure to Glacier was via East Glacier Park (which, oddly, is not actually in the park), and the Two Medicine entrance. This southeastern area of the park is known for being more backcountry and away from the hustle and bustle of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. After a series of setbacks on our first morning (more on that in the public transportation section), we set off on a hike toward Scenic Point that made all our patience and efforts worthwhile.

The trail started in the woods and then opened up to a steady incline that switched back and forth across a mountainside. Even with moody clouds overhead only occasionally allowing blue sky to peek through, it was nothing short of breathtaking. Best of all, other hikers were sparse along the trail.

Areas of the terrain were made up of loose and sometimes uneven rocks, requiring us to break our gaze from the spectacular scenery to watch where we stepped. But even looking down was mesmerizing, stepping on slate-like rocks in shades of turquoise and peach. 

The location and limited human activity made for some thrilling wildlife encounters. We got up close and personal with marmots – a rodent that reminded me of sweet, furry porcupines – and bighorn sheep.

Riding bikes to Whitefish Lake

“They’re free to use and first come, first served,” the hotel front desk agent said after we asked about a small fleet of cruiser bikes with Marriott license plates we noticed outside the lobby window while eating breakfast. “Honestly, they’re not checked out very often.”

My old resort marketer brain briefly surfaced out of retirement: Maybe it’s because the amenity wasn’t listed anywhere on the website or guest welcome materials? Or maybe we’re just crazy. Regardless, it meant two bikes were available for an impromptu bike ride to kick off Day 2. 

We rode from our hotel to Whitefish Lake, a natural freshwater lake left from an ice-age glacier that spans nearly 6 miles by 1.5 miles and reaches 233 feet – a surprising fun fact for us to discover with it being so close in size and depth to our home of Green Lake. 

The route took us near downtown Whitefish, on a riverside bike path, and to the City Beach on the lake’s southern shore. The beach and boat landing were pretty quiet midmorning, but as we parked our wheels and walked around we watched families back into the boat landing and stake out spots in the sand.

After the previous days’ hike, biking was such a nice opportunity to stretch our legs in a different way and see parts of the community we wouldn’t have otherwise. There’s something about riding a bike that makes me feel a childlike glee – especially when it’s souped up with a basket and bell!

Tasting berries on Whitefish Mountain

Next on our agenda was to take the S.N.O.W. bus shuttle to Whitefish Mountain Resort, one of the top ski resorts in the western United States. In summer, they offer hiking, mountain biking, zip lining, an alpine slide, and scenic chairlift rides. As luck had it for us, August was also prime time for picking a local legend growing along the hills: huckleberries!

After scoping out the offerings, we bought tickets to ride the chairlift to the top of the mountain and meandered back down via the Flower Point Loop and Danny On trail. The mountain hills were covered in fireweed and other vegetation – such a contrast to the rocky route the day before. 

As we wound along the hills, we passed people carrying plastic jugs filled with small, dark, blueberry-shaped berries. After confirming which were ripe and edible, we picked some huckleberries of our own to taste what inspired the flavors for everything from jams, syrups, and candles at Montana souvenir shops to craft brewery seasonal beers. 

Thimbleberries were also in season, and for some reason that’s the only berry I caught on camera. They were also a sweet treat, tasting like a watermelon-flavored raspberry.

Connecting with locals and other visitors

This isn’t something you can necessarily add to an itinerary, but I believe going into a place with the right mindset can leave you open to meeting people that make for a more enriching experience. 

For me, it started with a message to someone I follow on Instagram, @montanacarole. A freelance photojournalist for most of her life, Carole’s posts have inspired me for months and her gracious recommendations leading up to the trip made me feel welcome before we even arrived (plus, she provided the heads up about huckleberries at Whitefish Mountain!). 

That feeling continued once our boots were on the ground in Glacier country. From local shuttle drivers to fellow visitors at the park and in our hotel hot tub, we experienced kindness, humor, interesting life stories, and saving graces. (e.g. “Oh, you need a driver? I can’t, but here’s the number for someone who can.”)

These connections inspired me just as much as seeing “the sights.” 

Drawbacks

Now for the real talk. As with any trip, things were not perfect. I think it’s equally important to recognize and reflect on what could have gone better.

West Glacier was extremely crowded

Did you notice how the top experiences ended on Day 2? On our third and final day, we entered through West Glacier, the most popular area of the park. We knew it was going to be busy, but it’s hard to fathom the extent of the crowds until your precious hours are eaten up waiting for shuttles or you’re arm-to-arm with other people on a hike. 

To be fair, I really enjoyed the giant cedar trees on Trail of the Cedars – which almost felt like being at Sequoia – and dipping my hands in the cool, crystal clear water of Avalanche Lake. It was just hard to enjoy the majesty with so many others around. We ended up skipping Lake McDonald for fear we’d run out of time to catch our shuttle out of the park. 

Public transportation was hit and miss

Originally we considered renting a car, but there weren’t any available by the time we booked our trip and started planning. Plus, we were apprehensive about getting vehicle reservations for driving on the roads when the remaining tickets would be released just 24 hours in advance. 

Instead, we got creative with public transportation. Over the course of the three days we used everything from Amtrak to Uber, hotel shuttles, hired shuttles, Whitefish’s free S.NO.W. bus shuttle, and Glacier’s free Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle.

We pieced it together and made it work as best we could, but there were moments of frustration and disappointment when things didn’t go to plan – like when Amtrak was delayed for over an hour or no Uber drivers accepted the route request from Glacier Lodge to the East Glacier entrance (Don’t try that!). 

We probably could have seen much more had we rented a car, although it was public transportation that put us in proximity to so many of the lovely people mentioned above. There, the silver lining.

Wildfires lessened air quality and visibility

Our airplane touched down at Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell just after midnight. We collected our bags, exited the airport, and took our first deep breaths of fresh Montana air.

Wait – it felt like my chest couldn’t reach full capacity. Does it smell like… smoke?

Sadly, it did. Our shuttle driver, Grif, soon informed us there were more than 80 wildfires burning throughout the state – which was actually down significantly thanks to a recent rain. The numbers fluctuated over the coming days and the lessened air quality was noticeable much of the time. It also affected our visibility, sometimes making nearby peaks look more like distant silhouettes.

Although it was a bummer, we also realized it was out of our control and a good lesson in the realities and challenges faced by seemingly picture-perfect destinations.

What we’d do differently

This begs the question: What would we change if we return to Glacier in the future? With hindsight being 2020, here are a few things we’d approach differently next time. 

Plan further in advance

It was fun how quickly our trip came to be, but the short booking window limited our options for what we could see and do. The consensus among people we talked to is that it’s best to plan your visit to Glacier several months to a year in advance, especially if you want a campground or vehicle reservation.

Be in the driver’s seat

Speaking of vehicles, some of the woes we experienced may have been avoided had we been able to rent a car. (Though who knows if it would’ve just created new ones.) At the very least we could’ve spent more time “in the drivers’ seat” and less time waiting around in lines and being bound to a set timetable. If we were to do it again, we’d probably bring our own car or rent one and enter the park before 6 a.m. to avoid the busiest times. 

Seek out more remote areas

Finally, we’d likely steer clear of West Glacier. Although there’s a reason that area is popular – it truly is gorgeous – there is so much more to see in the park’s million acres and I’d rather enjoy the seclusion somewhere off the beaten path. We’d likely try to explore longer hikes in the Goat Haunt, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine areas. 

Your turn

Have questions or insights from your own travels to Glacier or other national park? Share a story in the comments below so we can all learn, laugh, or plan better in the future!