The ‘Crown of the Continent”, Montana’s Glacier National Park, offers you some of the most astonishingly beautiful scenery on the planet. In addition to that, you can view an abundance of wildlife and utilize some of the best opportunities for hiking on the whole continent. On top of all of that, this park is counted as the centerpiece of the biggest ecosystem that’s intact in the lower 48. This ecosystem covers more than 16,000 square miles and just happens to be one of the most perfect landscapes located anywhere in the US.
You’ll find Glacier Park in the northwest corner of the state of Montana. It spans more than a million acres and includes more than:
- 175 mountains
- 200 waterfalls
- 563 streams
- 762 lakes
- 25 glaciers
- nearly 750 miles of trails for hiking.
Most of the park is maintained as wilderness.
In the next few minutes, we’ll talk about not just the park, but also the airports near Glacier National Park, so that you’re aware of your options when it comes to flying there.
Glaciers
Glacier Park was named for all of the massive glaciers that froze during the previous ice age, about 10 or 12 thousand years ago. These giant glaciers, called valley glaciers, carved large valleys that are shaped like the letter U out of the ancient sedimentary rock. They created matterhorns, jagged peaks, and even hanging canyons.
The ice during that ice age has been estimated to be more than 6,000 feet thick. As it carved through the rocks like they were nothing but butter. some of the tallest walls to be found in this continent were created. One of them is the North Face on Mount Cleveland. Another few include the East Face on Mount Gould, as well as the North Face on Mount Siyeh at a whopping 4,200 vertical feet tall.
Species and Ecological Diversity
Glacier Park is the home of the apex of the North American continent. This is to be found right at the summit of the Triple Divide Peak, which is where two continental divides actually collide. Due to this unique situation, there is a wide variety of both ecology and species.
If you go to the west side of the park, you’ll find what is called the “Maritime Species”. These are animal and plant species found commonly in the Pacific Northwest. These include trees such as the large cedars and hemlocks that are located close to Lake McDonald.
Then there are the “Southern Rocky Mountain Species” that are in the south, the “Northern Species” that are in the North, and the “Prairie Species that are in the East. In all of the Rocky Mountains, there isn’t any other known place that offers as much ecological diversity or diversity in animal species as this park.
What Not to Miss
You can’t deny that Glacier Park may just be one of the most visually stunning sites on the planet. It offers so many amazing vistas and natural features that are simply breathtaking. In fact, it’s nigh on impossible to see everything in the park on a single visit. You might be able to spend an entire lifetime exploring the park and still locate new things each time you go out.
It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on visiting the park for an extended stay or a single day, the following places in Glacier Park will offer astonishing views like nothing you’ve ever seen.
Virginia Falls
This is a waterfall with multiple layers. The main one drops around 60 feet, then you have a secondary chute, followed by a small cascading section right at the bottom. Hikers seem to enjoy standing at the base of the falls and feeling the power of the water on warm summer days.
St. Mary
St. Mary is a lake that is nearly 10 miles across and is on the east side of the park. If you drive down the Going To The Sun, on the northern side of the lake, you’ll see some of the most astonishing vistas in the entire park. There are open meadows that are surrounded by dense forests that also give you wonderful opportunities to view some wildlife.
Hidden Lake
This lake is situated right at the end of a hike through alpine meadows that are located at the top of Logan Pass. It is just over 7,000 feet above sea level. Some of the more common wildlife in the area include mountain goats, bighorn sheep, the occasional grizzly bear, and marmots.
North Fork Road
North Fork Road is a narrow gravel road that’s 28 miles long and runs between Kintla Lake and Fish Creek. It provides access to some of the most wonderful wilderness areas in the entire park. Also, if you’re a fan of sweets, be sure to stop in at Polebridge Mercantile. They have some absolutely scrumptious huckleberry bear claws.
Two Medicine Lake
This jewel is off the beaten path on the eastern side of the park. The entire area is chock full of breathtaking mountain lakes, waterfalls, amazing views, and abundant trails. Also, during the summer months, there are casual boat tours of the lake.
Logan Pass (as seen on the Red Bus Tours)
Red busses are one of the iconic parts of the park. They provide you with a relaxing method of learning more about the area while taking in some breathtaking views. The tops of the busses roll back so that they provide full views of everything around you. These views often are not available if you drive yourself.
Closest Airports to Glacier National Park
Now let’s take a look at some of the closest airports to Glacier National Park. They’re listed by order of distance.
FCA (Glacier Park International Airport)
When you’re considering where to fly into Glacier National Park, FCA has to be an option. This airport is the closest to the park and is located in Kalispell, about 40 minutes away from the western entrance to the park. That said, if your goal is to visit St. Mary or anything else on the eastern side of the park, you might want to fly into and out of a different airport.
One of the fantastic things about this airport is that there are shuttles that run from there to the park, in addition to the ubiquitous car rental services.
YQL (Lethbridge Airport)
This is another of the best airports for Glacier National Park, and it happens to be in Canada. It’s only 100 miles away from the park and is a great option for both Canadians and Americans. However, it’s important that you not forget your passport.
MSO (Missoula Airport)
When it comes to Montana airports near Glacier National Park, Missoula is a great one. This one is a mere 130 miles away from West Glacier. The drive from the airport will carry you past Flathead Lake. This is the largest lake (freshwater) to the west of the Mississippi.
GTF (Great Falls International Airport)
This airport is about 250 miles, or 2 and a half hours from St. Mary (eastern side of the park). Additionally, this airport is located at just about halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier.
YYC (Calgary International Airport)
This is another Canadian airport, so remember to pack your passport. It’s about 190 miles from the park but also offers you access to Canadian national parks. Additionally, this is one of the larger airports, so there might be more options as far as things like prices, airlines, and times go.
Now that you know about the closest airports, let’s talk about some of the things you need to know before you go.
Entrance Fees
Glacier National Park is not free. You have to pay an entrance fee to get in. The price will depend on what times of year you go. If you’d like to save money, you might want to consider purchasing national parks pass for $80. These passes are good for a calendar year from whenever you purchase them and can be utilized at all public national parks in the US. If you plan to visit at least 3 parks, it’ll pay for itself.
Then, there’s the annual pass. Maybe you’re a local or you plan to be at the park for more than a week. If so, an annual pass might be more cost-effective. This pass costs $70 and is good for an entire year.
Pets
Yes, you can bring your furry friends to the park with you. That being said, you need to know that they’ll only be allowed in the areas that have been developed. These include places like picnic areas, campgrounds, and parking lots. Pets, even support animals, will not be allowed to be on any of the backcountry areas, lake shores, or park trails. They also will not be allowed in buildings. In addition to that, they will need to be leashed at all times and you’ll have to clean up after them.
Glacier National Park is one of the most astonishing places on the planet. It is called the Crown Jewel of the Continent for a very good reason, and it’s definitely one of the most beautiful and precious places in Montana. You’ll likely never hear anyone say that they weren’t impressed or that it’s overrated. You’ll find everything here from the most remote and rugged campgrounds in Montana to winsome wildlife, waterfalls, mountains, amazing trails for hiking, and historic hotels. This is a bucket list destination and offers all you need to satisfy your wanderlust.