Glacier National Park in 3 days

Montana's Crown of the Continent, alpine lakes, grizzly country, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Best time to visit: July to mid-September when Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open. Average daily budget: $100 to $200.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: West Glacier & Apgar, The main western gateway with Lake McDonald, visitor services, and the park's largest lodging cluster.

Morning: Catch sunrise at Lake McDonald. Colored stones glow beneath glassy water as the first light hits the Continental Divide.

Afternoon: Explore West Glacier & Apgar, The main western gateway with Lake McDonald, visitor services, and the park's largest lodging cluster.

Evening: Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road. 50 miles of alpine switchbacks, waterfalls, and glacial valleys crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass.

Eat: Park Lodge dining rooms, classic national park fare with lake views

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Logan Pass, The 6,646-foot crown of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, trailhead for Hidden Lake and Highline, and prime mountain goat territory.

Morning: Hike the Highline Trail. The park's signature hike, a ledge walk along the Garden Wall with nonstop views and frequent goat sightings.

Afternoon: Explore Logan Pass, The 6,646-foot crown of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, trailhead for Hidden Lake and Highline, and prime mountain goat territory.

Evening: Boat across Swiftcurrent Lake. Historic wooden boats in Many Glacier ferry hikers toward Grinnell Glacier.

Eat: Polebridge Mercantile, famous huckleberry pastries at the edge of the wilderness

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Many Glacier, The park's most dramatic valley on the east side, with Swiftcurrent Lake, glaciers, and the best grizzly viewing.

Morning: Walk the Trail of the Cedars. An accessible boardwalk loop through ancient red cedars to the turquoise gorge of Avalanche Lake trail.

Afternoon: Explore Many Glacier, The park's most dramatic valley on the east side, with Swiftcurrent Lake, glaciers, and the best grizzly viewing.

Evening: Stay at a historic lodge. Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge are 1910s Swiss-chalet landmarks worth at least a lobby visit.

Eat: Belton Chalet Grill, historic railroad dining in West Glacier

Hidden gems

Polebridge Mercantile's huckleberry bear claws, reached by a rough dirt road
Bowman Lake in the remote North Fork, solitude and mirror reflections
Running Eagle Falls in Two Medicine, a waterfall that flows from a cave
St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls combo hike with three waterfalls in 3 miles

Getting around

Fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, 30 minutes from West Glacier. A rental car is essential, the park's free shuttle only runs along the Sun Road. Note that vehicle reservations are required in summer for the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork corridors; book at recreation.gov or enter before 6am/after 3pm.

Safety

This is serious bear country, carry bear spray, hike in groups, make noise, and never approach wildlife (stay 100 yards from bears, 25 from other animals). Weather changes fast above treeline; pack layers even in August. Snow can close Logan Pass trails into July. Fill your gas tank before entering the park, there are no stations inside.

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