Though the United States National Park System remains partly closed during the shutdown, I want to share some photos and commentary of my favorite National Park* to help reinforce the importance of such places and the good that they do for those who visit. Lace up yours boots, because you’ll need them if you ever find yourself in Glacier National Park.
Located in the northwest part of the State of Montana, Glacier is often referred to as the Crown of the Continent for it’s rugged mountain peaks, pristine forests, and the wildlife that call the park and it’s surrounding terrain home. If you like mountain vistas, beautifully clear alpine lakes, and the chance to see megafauna such as moose and bear, this is a great place to visit.
I’ve not had the fortune to call the park home, but have visited several times, and every trail I’ve taken has provided serenity and awe-inspiring views. The park is in the same moment breathtaking and meditative, and pictures only provide a hint of what this special place has to offer.
The park is open year round, though sections may be closed due to the annual torrential snowfall and any wildfires that happen to be burning of a given year. However, visiting in the off-season in the snow does have its perks. The following few photos were taken in lake September, after the lodges, restaurants, and other ‘tourist’ attractions were closed for the year.
A few more words to those planning to head for the park. It does get busy in the late spring and summertime. If you must visit during that period, get up early in the morning (5am or earlier) and catch the sunrise over Lake McDonald or a mountain valley somewhere. The park will be much quieter and devoid of other, later waking, tourists. Unless you’re doing a long hike, you’ll have the more distant reaches of the park to yourself til about noon, when it might be a good ideal to check out other spots nearby the park, like the Izaak Walkton Inn in Essex, MT or the downtown scene in Kalispell, MT.
Lastly, make sure you get off the road! Park the car and hit a trail, boardwalk, or overlook. If you stay by the car all day you won’t get nearly the same satisfaction as if you brave the dizzying heights of the Highline Trail, which requires a safety line to be used for the first quarter mile, but offers amazing views for those who are willing to step outside their comfort zone.
Thanks for reading and looking. If you’d like, leave a memory of a favorite park visit or photo in the comments.
I haven’t seen a moose in real life, only on TV.
