Glacier National Park to Yellowstone & Bozeman Montana

Located just below the border of Canada and Montana, Glacier National Park makes an excellent weekend getaway for those using Bozeman as home base. To get from Bozeman to Glacier National Park, follow I-90 west and then turn north on either I-15 or further down on HWY. 93. From I-15, take HWY. 2 west to Glacier National Park. From HWY. 93, take HWY. 2 east into the park.

Glacier National Park is called the "Crown of the Continent." and is one of the newest World Heritage Sites. The Park's name is slightly misleading; there aren't many visible modern glaciers present. Jackson Glacier is the only glacier that can be seen from the road. However, with large carved out U-shaped valleys and glacial lakes, the park is an excellent place to see the effects of glaciers that existed long ago. The rock that make up the Glacier National Park area is sedimentary rock that is over one billion years old. These rocks record the history of the area before any plants or animal were known to walk its grounds. About 60 million years ago, those rocks got pushed up into mountains in the same movements that created the Rocky Mountains. Just 2 million years ago, several impressive ice ages brought numerous and large glaciers to the area. The glaciers carved out the valleys and created rivers and lakes, leaving behind craggy peaks and rugged ridges.

The park was created in 1910 and visitors primarily arrived on the Great Northern railroad. Today, Glacier National Park include over one million acres of wilderness that holds 200 lakes, about 30-40 living glaciers, 63 species of mammals, hundred of species of birds, and over 1,800 species of flowers and plants. Glacier is a spectacular place to take a hike with over 700 miles of maintained trails to choose from. The trails take to the tops of mountains, inside valleys, and around lakes, offering breathtaking scenery the whole way.

One highlight not to be missed is the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 52-mile drive that winds through the heart of the park and over the Continental Divide. Zigzagging up 6,646 to Logan pass and then taking sinuous turns down to St. Mary Lake, the road is boasted as one of the most scenic drives in the country. Look for waterfalls and wildlife. Built between 1916 and 1932, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is considered a huge engineering accomplishment. The road is open June through September.

Glacier National Park is open all year round although several entrances and roads are closed at certain times of the year. The Many Glacier, St. Mary, and West Glacier entrances are typically open from the end of May through October. Two Medicine is open from the end of May through early September.