Glacier National Park

[jeff14]

We are planning a trip to Glacier National Park in late June. We are interested in knowing how many days people have spent visiting the park. We are going to be camping on the east side of the park near St. Mary's.

[vermilye]

Canyonlands is another National Park that you could spend a couple of weeks hiking, or do a quick one day drive through to see just the basic stops. Here are some links to photos from some of my visits to the park: Sunrise at Mesa Arch, Graineries at Aztec Butte, False Kiva (You have to ask at the visitor center for directions - not an official hike). Another favorite stop along the road through the park is the Green River Overlook. There is a dry campground in the park, although it is sometimes difficult to get a spot without reservations.

While there, be sure to drive out to Dead Horse Point State Park. There is a campground at Dead Horse (electric only) but even if you don't stay, the view at the point is worth a visit.

[Ernest]

We stayed at North American last year for 5 days over the 4th of July. Great Park, family owned, lots of large site with W/S/E. Good Wifi.
The campground hosted a great Chicken/Ribs/Hamburgers for the 4th.
We would go back there in a heart beat...hopefully next year.
BTW the Going To The Sun Road did not open till July 5th last year.

[kknowlton]

We did not stay or drive into Glacier Meadow; trees between CG and the road but (IIRC) I think the campsites are open to the sky (i.e. no shade). It will be more of a drive from there to the park entrance than staying in West Glacier or St. Mary; US 2 is the route that goes around the southern end of the park.

[Lauren]

I would suggest North American on the west side.

In answer to your other question it depends on your interests. Just sightseeing and minor hiking probably 3-4 days. Otherwise more.

I am not a fan of the south section of Canyonlands unless your are hiking or 4wd stuff. Long way to drive. Stick with the north section just north of Moab - beautiful.

Not a real tough hike in Arches is up to Delicate Arch - go at daybreak if you can.

LOVE that area - have been there many times and spent lots of time there. Back again later this year.

For pix see www.LaurenBarbara.com and the Wanderings link on the left to pick the destination.

Enjoy.

[jeff14]

Thanks for the advise. WE are defiantly going from the south to the north. Any advise on this rv park Glacier Meadow RV Park. I know they do not have sewer but they pump you out 3 times a week.

Any advise on how much time to spend at Arches and Canyon land National park?

[Lauren]

x2 on Merchantile AND Bowman Lake

[cindik]

vermilye wrote:
My favorite National Park. I've done everything from a 1 day drive on the Going to the Sun road on the way further west to spending 2 weeks. My favorite campground is Two Medicine, but have stayed at Apgar, St Mary, and others in the park. Lots of hikes in the park ranging from wheelchair accessible through overnights. You can check on the status of the Going to the Sun road at the Going to the Sun Road FAQs. When I was there in 2011, the road opened on July 13, although that was the latest date in recent history.

Be sure to take the drive to the Polebridge Mercantile on the West side to get a Cinnamon Bun & Sticky Roll at the bakery.

The Polebridge Mercantile is a must see, out in the middle of nowhere. I had the best meatball sandwich and sticky bun ever while there. Be sure to drive on past Polebridge to Bowman Lake, beautiful!

[vermilye]

My favorite National Park. I've done everything from a 1 day drive on the Going to the Sun road on the way further west to spending 2 weeks. My favorite campground is Two Medicine, but have stayed at Apgar, St Mary, and others in the park. Lots of hikes in the park ranging from wheelchair accessible through overnights. You can check on the status of the Going to the Sun road at the Going to the Sun Road FAQs. When I was there in 2011, the road opened on July 13, although that was the latest date in recent history.

Be sure to take the drive to the Polebridge Mercantile on the West side to get a Cinnamon Bun & Sticky Roll at the bakery.

[Lauren]

Would agree to start south and work north for all the reasons mentioned - mainly warm vs cold and accessibility in Glacier factor.

Have been to Glacier several times.

East side - which we prefer. We like FHU and stay at the KOA. We looked at Johnson's twice and the only thing it has going for it are views. The roads and sites are tight and the sites are uneven. Others have said the same on here in the past.

Red bus. We are used to mountain driving so have driven the GTTSR side to side many times. The road is good and is safe except for those coming against you who take their half out of the middle.

Here is why we do not take the Red Bus - you are on THEIR time frame and THEIR stopping points. We like to set our own pace and places to stop other than what they do. It is a nice service to be sure; just not for us.

We have been fortunate to have seen many National and other parks - Glacier and
Rocky Mtn are our top two. We prefer the east side as we are hikers and like the low key as compared to the commercial west side.

Enjoy.

[sweetnoni]

We spent a week there last September, our 2nd trip. It has gotten very people friendly with the bus transports. We stayed in outside the park, in a campground in Columbia Falls. Not much of a drive to the park and we also enjoyed Hungry Horse dam and reservoir. A must see in our opinion. We also went outside of the western boundaries, where there is some campgrounds, albeit on gravel roads. Beautiful park, and certainly enough to keep you busy for at least a week. First time we went in early June, just opened GTTSR , lots of snow still. But did hike to the chalets. Second time, much older, but still enjoyed some hiking and the grizzlies we saw near Logan Point, and down by McDonald Lake. Always wanted to stay late in the season to see the eagles on McDonald Creek, just didn't make it!

[kknowlton]

I also definitely recommend taking the Red Bus tour - well worth the money, IMO. We took the all-day roundtrip one that covers much of both east and west sides of the park. I second (third?) the opinion that going to southern Utah first and Glacier afterwards is a good one. Some years, Going to the Sun Road isn't even open until mid-July, depending on the snowpack and how cool the early summer is.

There are a lot of decent CGs just outside the park on both east and west sides; check for CG reviews to see what you would like. If you want wooded sites, Mountain Meadows is good for the west side; if you want more space for a large RV and satellite TV at night, the West Glacier KOA is very nice. All the CGs inside the park are no-hookups, and IMO weren't heavily forested. Lots of pull-throughs and we did see some bigger rigs in there.

[time2roll]

Most campgrounds have few spots for 35+ foot RVs... What does this mean for trailers that are 26' and truck that is 18'? Can it squeeze into a smaller spot?

Checked Google maps and the spots actually look fairly large. More than the description anyway.

See you all there next Summer 😉

[loggenrock]

jeff14 - as others said, swap your route. We've been to Arches in July...only because of no other choice. H O T!!! They call it "Fiery Furnace" for a reason! Glacier was beautiful in mid/late August - already showing signs of fall. We stayed at Two Medicine and Many Glacier. Both very nice - I think there was more dayhike possibilities direct from Many Glacier. On the west side we stayed at Rocky Mtn Hi in Kalispell - just outside the park - also very nice. Have a great trip! ST

[jkmac408]

We spent 10 days at St. Mary campground in the park, great camp with no hookups but a bathhouse with showers. We did alot of hiking and drove up to Waterton Lakes one day. This was our third trip to Glacier and there is still things we have not gotten to yet.