THE BACKBONE OF THE WORLD A place you have to see to believe.
G LAC I E R N ATI O N A L PA R K Known as the Crown of the Continent and described by American Indians as the Backbone of the World, Glacier National Park is altogether stunning. Massive prehistoric glaciers cut through the landscape, leaving 1 million acres of awe-inspiring terrain carved into jagged mountain peaks, hanging valleys and high alpine meadows. Today, the park is home to hundreds of lakes, 734 miles of maintained trails, rolling foothills, striking rock faces, cascading waterfalls, 25 glaciers and some of the most jaw-dropping views in the world. If it’s your first visit to the park, you’re well-advised to set out on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. This 50-mile drive is both an engineering marvel and National Historic Landmark, and it’s pretty easy on the eyes. The road connects West Glacier and St. Mary—winding through some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and cresting the Continental Divide at 6,646 feet at Logan Pass. You can drive private vehicles on park roads, but plan to soak up the sights and leave the driving to someone else by booking an interpretive red bus tour with Glacier National Park Lodges or a Blackfeet interpretive tour with Sun Tours. Both tours operate May to October and are an insightful and educational way to learn about the park, its history and its terrain. Sun Tours offers the chance to see the park from a viewpoint not many get to see—the perspective of the Blackfeet Tribe. The National Park Service also operates a free shuttle system from July to Labor Day. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the most visited place in Glacier National Park, but the park is also home to other exceptionally beautiful and less-explored areas. Visit the North Fork—home to Kintla and Bowman lakes—Two Medicine, Many Glacier and Goat Haunt.
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Hidden Lake. © 2019 MIKEY GRIBBON
