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Fun and Facts for Glacier National Park, Montana

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Know Before You Go

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  1. At a Glance

    If this isn't the most beautiful national park in the country, it is certainly a contender. Here you'll discover jagged peaks, deep-blue glacier lakes, evergreen forests, knife-edged ridges, and one of the most outstanding populations of wildlife in the U.S. -- grizzly and black bear, mountain lions, wolves, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, deer, and moose all roam this park. If you want your kids to share your love of the outdoors, share this national treasure with them.

  2. When to Go

    Glacier is glorious in every season, but getting around it without snowshoes can be very difficult in the winter. The single road spanning the park, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, is open only from late May or early June until mid-October, depending upon the weather. Going-to-the-Sun Road is crowded in the summer -- especially in July and August -- but if you want to avoid the crowds in Glacier you can head to areas like Many Glacier.

  3. Weather

    The weather can be unpredictable even in summer's moderate 78-degree averages. Pack accordingly, dress in layers, and bring raingear. Get more weather info.

  4. Getting There

    The nearest airports are Glacier Park International Airport (FCA),29 miles southwest of the park, and Great Falls International Airport (GTF), 143 miles southeast of the park. Rental cars are available at both airports. If you're driving, you can reach the park from U.S. Highways 2 and 89. Amtrak serves West Glacier and Essex are also served year-round and East Glacier in the summer.

  5. Getting Around

    Car travel is the most common way to get around Glacier in summer, but in 2007 the park launched a free shuttle service between many of the campgrounds, trailheads, attractions, and visitors center.

  6. Festivals & Events

    • North American Indian Days (July)

  7. Helpful Info

    Learn just about everything you want to know from the park's official website. Get information for all of Glacier County on GlacierMt.com.

  8. Deals & Discounts

    National Parks Passes are valid at Glacier National Park. Find out more on NPS.gov.

  9. Fun Facts

    • Glacier National Park adjoins Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. Together they create Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site.
    • When the park was founded in 1910, it had 150 glaciers. Today, it has 27, and those are shrinking fast. When the ice melts, new rocks are exposed which hold the sun's heat and help melt the glaciers faster. It has been estimated that in less than 25 years, there will be no glaciers left in Glacier National Park.
    • 170 million years ago, the Lewis Overthrust fault began forming the Rocky Mountains, thrusting old rock on top of new ones, and exposing some of the oldest rocks found on earth. As a result, rocks 3 to 4 billion years old are found in the park.
    • There are more than 700 miles of hiking trails in Glacier, but less than 100 miles of paved roads.

Pre-Trip Fun

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    Watch

    "Beethoven's 2nd" -- This sequel to the original Saint Bernard movie has a dog love story with Glacier National Park scenery. (School Age and Up)

    "The Horse Whisperer" -- A traumatized girl and her horse are taken to a Montana ranch to be healed by a man who can talk to horses. (Pre-Teens and Up)

    "Little Big Man" -- A 100-year-old man describes his life, claiming to be the only white survivor of Little Big Horn. (Teens)

    "Montana Sky" -- Offering great Montana panoramas, this is a story of three sisters who've never met must live together for a year on a ranch to meet the terms of their father's will. (Teens)

    Eat

    Trail Mix -- This high-energy snack was used by tribespeople and hunters on the range and is still used to keep mountain climbers well-nourished.

    Read

    "B Is for Big Sky Country" by Sneed Collard and Joanna Yardley -- A creative way for kids to learn what Montana landmarks mean. (Ages 4 to 8)

    "Chip the Buffalo" by Cheri Lawson -- See pictures and get the scoop on what it means to be Montana's woolly roaming mammals. (Ages 4 to 8)

    "Who Pooped in the Park? Glacier National Park" by Gary Robinson -- A fun, silly way for kids to learn about the animals they should expect to see on vacation. (Ages 4 to 8)

    "Sky Dogs" by Jane Tolen -- Get the history of the Blackfoot Indian tribe and the handled the horses, (or "sky dogs") that came across the plains. (Ages 4 to 8)

    "The Story of Stagecoach Mary Fields" by Robert H. Miller -- The first African-American woman to carry the U.S. mail, Mary Fields drove a stagecoach across Montana. (Ages 5 to 9)

    "Om-kas-toe" by Kenneth Thomasma -- Originally considered a bad omen, these Blackfoot Indian twins grow up to bring good luck to the tribe. (Ages 5 to 9)

    "Dog Sense" by Sneed B. Collard -- When 13-year-old Guy leaves surfing and skateboarding behind in California, he has to make new friends and learn about the different trends in Montana. (Ages 9 to 12)

    "Blind Mountain" by Jane Resh Thomas -- Sam Flynn hates outdoorsy stuff, but learns to mountain climb -- and bond -- with his dad. (Ages 9 to 12)

    "The Hunted" by Gloria Skurzynski -- Journey with the Landon family to Glacier National Park to see why all the grizzlies are disappearing. (Ages 8 to 12)

    "Stolen Bones" by Joan Carris -- Alec comes to spend the summer digging up dinosaur bones with his paleontologist grandfather, but he has to become a detective when the bones go missing. (Ages 8 to 12)

    "Recuse Josh McGuire" by Ben Mikaelsen -- When Josh sees his dad shoot a grizzly and orphan her cub, he takes matters into his own hand by heading into the woods with the bear and dog. (Ages 9 to 14)

    "Amazing Animals of Montana: Incredible True Stories" by Gayle C. Shirley -- Learn about the famous creatures of Montana, from Shep the Fort Benson sheep dog to Giefer the smarter-than-the-average-grizzly. (Ages 9 to 12)

    "Billy Blackfeet in the Rockies: A Story from History" by Marc Simmons -- A half-American Indian teen must defend his family from bears to warring tribes in 1864 Montana. (Ages 9 to 12)

    "Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief on the Reservation and Beyond" by Joseph Medicine Crow -- A Crow warrior and chief tells about growing up on his tribe's Montana reservation in the early 1900s. (Ages 9 to 13)

    "Crossing Montana" by Laura Torres -- Teen-age Callie is uprooted from her Washington state home when her mother believes her grandfather in Idaho has gone missing. Callie follows the clues to find him in Montana. (Ages 13 to 17)

    "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larsen -- An orphaned teen must travel from Iowa to Montana and brave the harsh 1918 surroundings. (Ages 13 to 17)

    "Mountain Solo" by Jeanette Ingold -- After a disastrous recital, violin prodigy Tess decides to cool off helping her dad and step-mom uncover clues about pioneer life in Montana. (Ages 13 to 17)