Glacier National Park

Ted. Years ago, our friends Phil & Karen visited this park up on the Montana/Alberta border and recommended it to us. It has been high on our “must see” list ever since and this past weekend, we drove up for a quick visit.

Before I wax poetic about the wonders of this park, I need to share the big negative. Like any beautiful spot on the planet, it is being loved to death you really can't get away from people. Although it is smaller than Yellowstone and has fewer visitors, virtually all of the cars end up driving along a single 50 mile long road which is only open for about four months each year. Dubbed the "Going to the Sun Road," the engineering (and dynamite) required to build this road is unbelievable. 

Note that the road actually crosses a waterfall

The net result is that there are a lot of cars (and people) everywhere you go.  In spite of that, we really loved the park. I don’t ever recall seeing such an assembly of incredible mountains (and glaciers) in one spot. Judy found it reminiscent of Alaska in that regard.

To get to Glacier from Missoula, we drove north, passing the regal Mission Mountains in the Flathead Indian Reservation and through the lush cherry orchards along the shore of magnificent Flathead Lake. We just stopped once, to try the fabled cinnamon rolls at Pocketstone Cafe in Bigfork.

Flathead Lake (3 times bigger than Lake Lanier back in GA)

During our 24 hours in the park, we were able to take three hikes.

Avalanche Creek

First glimpse of Avalanche Lake

At Avalanche Lake

View from Avalanche Lake with 5 waterfalls

The Garden Wall on the Highline Trail. See the trail continue? Yikes!

The Garden Wall trail is only about 18" wide in spots. Lots of praying here!

This marmot welcomed us to his 'hood

Bighorn Sheep graze along a less scary part of the Highline 

Natural reforestation on the Loop Trail

At every turn, there was another glorious view.

Lake McDonald

As a young man, I would foolishly get into debates with my beloved Great Aunt Evelyn. She always won. We occasionally turned to theology and, driving through Glacier, I once more heard her voice – “How can there NOT be a God?”