Glacier National Park (Kalispell, Hungry Horse: hotels, trip , move)

[gdude]

Hello i am possibly visiting Glacier NP in June 2008 and i was wondering what stuff is there to do there that isnt stuff that a normal tourist of the park would do( doing normal tourist stuff is okay with me) and also what accomadations and ammenities does the park have to offer any help is greatly appreciated

[rickers]

A whitewater rafting day trip is what I would recommend. Also drive the Going To The Sun Road. Drive up the North Fork Road or the inside North Fork Road to Polebridge and on to Bowman or Kintla Lakes, take lots of bug spray ! Drive up to a fire look-out tower and pay the lonely attendant a visit, they always want to show a curious visitor the inside of the look-out tower !
While in the area it's worth the drive over to Kootenai Falls, and Hungry Horse Reservoir is a great place to boat and camp. I would recommend driving a nice 4x4, get a Flathead National Forest Map and just go exploring.

[A Neighbor]

Better go in late June if you want to go over the Going To The Sun Road. When we were up there the first two weeks in June a couple years ago it was still closed due to snow and they had a late snow storm that dumped several inches on the area.

[jimj]

We tend to get a last shot of winter the first week or so of June so I'd suggest the latter part as well. If you go the latter part the river will still be runing pretty good so I'd suggest an all day raft trip (includes a great lunch) and is a real hoot! We've done it, and ended up buying our own so we can go when we want now. Bring some waterproof disposable camera's, you never know when that shot of a bear or bald eagle will pop up.
They also have multiple day fishing trips so you may want to think of that. As for where to stay, if you want to do something that most don't look into the hike in chalets in the park for a couple of nights. There are several nice hotels in Kalispell now which is only about 20 minutes from the gates of the park or if you really want to have some fun try Issac Walton Inn and stay either in the hotel or one of their "cabooses". Yes, they're a real train caboose outfitted to be seperate hotel rooms.
Take a trip up the north fork road to polebridge and go to the Polebridge Mercentile, they have some of the best baked goods around....

[rickers]

I would think twice about staying at the Issac Walton Inn, The last time I stayed there I stepped on someones t*rd in the shower that the maid didn't see ! Why one was in the shower I dont know and don't want to know. It was really gross.

[michael11747]

yes the going-to-the-sun road won't be open until mid june. plus it might also close because of fire at any time during the season, like it did last season. i have been to glacier three times, and every time i had been smoked out by wildfire. shame. what we plan on doing is hiking the highline trail. if you start in the right spot it can be all downhill. make sure you have a ride back up to your car or just hitchhike. i cannot wait for june. i have a to do list that is going on 3 pages now, and i have been here for 5 years so far.

[rickers]

Is that trail open to mountain bikes ? Yee haa !
I doubt it !
Hike it with friends and do a shuttle.

[michael11747]

nope not open to mountain bikes! it is good for moderate to experienced hikers! summertime woowoo!

[rickers]

The first time I took my wife over the going to the sun road we stopped at the top to rest a bit and there was this mountain goat standing real still near a bunch of tourists.
It was so still my wife thought it was a goat statue or something. She walked close to it and when it moved a few steps you should have seen her jump. I wish I had a camcorder for moments like that !

[michael11747]

rickers, might this be the same mountain goat?:



this guy was off of a trail on going to the sun road near the visitor center at the top. i was taking a break from driving, and hiked out about a mile, and sat around, choked on some forest fire smoke, and a herd of these guys walked right up to me and ate grass. pretty amazing creatures. more closely related to an antelope than a goat, go figure.