Moon Glacier National Park: Hiking, Camping, Lakes & Peaks

by Becky Lomax

Overview

Through lush green parkland and up to the top of jagged summits, forge your own path with Moon Glacier National Park.

• Flexible Itineraries: Unique and adventure-packed ideas for day trips, a week on the road, families with kids, wildlife enthusiasts, and more
• The Best Hikes in Glacier: Individual trail maps, mileage and elevation gains, and backpacking options
• Experience the Outdoors: Trek through fields of alpine wildflowers and walk beneath waterfalls. Go whitewater rafting, cast a line into the Flathead River for wild trout, or hop on a guided horseback ride. Drive or bike the Going-to-Sun Road, take in views of snowy peaks and glaciers, and spot wild moose or grizzlies roaming the mountainside
• How to Get There: Up-to-date information on gateway towns, park entrances, park fees, and tours
• Where to Stay: Spend a night in a historic lakeside lodge, or sleep under the stars with campgrounds, resorts, and more both inside and outside the park
• Planning Tips: When to go, what to pack, safety information, and how to avoid the crowds, with full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
• Expertise and Know-How: Explore Glacier with former park guide and Whitefish local Becky Lomax

Experience the best of Glacier National Park with Moon.

Visiting more of North America's national parks? Try Moon Yellowstone & Grand Teton. Trying to hit them all? Check out Moon USA National Parks.
 

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. 

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798886470086
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	10/31/2023
Series:	Travel Guide
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	392
Sales rank:	175,150
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Becky Lomax was three years old when her parents first took her to stay with friends who worked as rangers at Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park. During college, Becky worked two summers in the historic Glacier Park Lodge, an easy hop to Two Medicine. She spent her days off hiking, backpacking, and climbing throughout the park.

After teaching high school writing and speech outside Seattle, she and her husband moved to Whitefish for quick access to Glacier. She worked in the park for a decade as a hiking and backpacking guide, leading many first-time visitors to Gunsight Pass, Fifty Mountain, and Iceberg Lake. She also served on staff at Granite Park Chalet, spotting wolverines and bagging nearby peaks in her off time.

Today, Becky maintains her strong link with Glacier by using her full-time writing career as an excuse to keep hiking in the park. In magazine stories, she lauds the park's trails, historic lodges, scenic drives, wildlife, and wildflowers. She tags along with biologists in the field to radio-collar bighorn sheep and grizzly bears. She also treks annually to Grinnell Glacier to write about how climate change is melting the park's ice fields.

Becky serves as the western writer for On the Snow, a website that provides snow reports for ski resorts. She also writes stories for regional newspapers and national magazines such as Smithsonian and Backpacker, and is the author of the bestselling Moon USA National Parks.

Table of Contents

Discover Glacier National Park 6

10 Top Experience 10

Planning Your Trip 16

If You're Looking for 19

Tips for Dodging Crowds 21

Be a Responsible Traveler 22

In-Park Lodging 24

Best of Glacier National Park 25

Best in One Day 26

Best Hikes 28

Fun for Kids 29

Glacier Road Trip 31

Native American Traditions 32

Geologic Wonders 33

Wildlife-Watching Hot Spots 34

West Glacier and Apgar 36

Exploring West Glacier and Apgar 40

Sights 44

Recreation 46

Entertainment and Shopping 60

Food 61

Accommodations 63

Camping 66

Transportation and Services 69

North Fork 71

Exploring the North Fork 77

Sights 79

Recreation 81

Food 94

Accommodations 94

Camping 97

Transportation and Services 98

Going-to-the-Sun Road 99

Exploring Going-to-the-Sun Road 104

Sights 111

Recreation 119

Entertainment and Shopping 137

Food 137

Accommodations 139

Camping 141

Transportation and Services 142

St. Mary and Many Glacier 144

Exploring St. Mary and Many Glacier 148

Sights 155

Recreation 157

Entertainment and Shopping 169

Food 171

Accommodations 174

Camping 178

Transportation and Services 180

Two Medicine and East Glacier 182

Exploring Two Medicine and East Glacier 187

Sights 190

Recreation 193

Entertainment and Shopping 203

Food 204

Accommodations 207

Camping 210

Transportation and Services 211

Marias Pass and Essex 212

Exploring Marias Pass and Essex 216

Sights 217

Recreation 221

Food 232

Accommodations 233

Camping 235

Transportation and Services 236

Waterton 237

Exploring Waterton 242

Sights 247

Recreation 251

Entertainment and Shopping 260

Food 267

Accommodations 270

Camping 272

Transportation and Services 274

Flathead Valley 276

Exploring Flathead Valley 280

Sights 280

Recreation 283

Entertainment and Shopping 293

Whitefish Food, Lodging, and Camping 297

Columbia Falls Food, Lodging, and Camping 302

Kalispeli Food, Lodging, and Camping 304

Bigfork Food, Lodging, and Camping 306

Transportation and Services 307

Background 310

The Landscape 310

Plants and Animals 315

History 324

Essentials 328

Getting There 328

Getting Around 336

Recreation 342

Travel Tips 345

Health and Safety 352

Resources 355

Suggested Reading 355

Internet Resources 358

Index 360

List of Maps 368

Editorial Reviews

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From the Publisher