Glacier National Park 10 Days
 

My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Glacier National Park the 2nd or 3rd week of July. Looking for any suggestions on lodging or activities. Interested in some easy day hikes and lodging that is close to the park. Any suggestions on an itinerary? We plan to fly into Kalispell.

The best trip reports for Glacier that I've read have been by monpetit. Here's one to get started -
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...n-paradise.cfm

Since you will be coming in from West Glacier, try for at least 1 night at the Lake McDonald Lodge. http://www.usparklodging.com/glacier...FciBfgodhxwAmQ
If you don't want to drive up the Going to the Sun Road, you can ride on a Red Jammer.
If you can't get lodging within the park, I like the Meadow Lake Resort near Columbia Falls.

We did an 7-day trip to GNP a few years ago.

Since we were traveling with a family of 4, we stayed in VRBO vacation homes except for the one night we spent at the Many Glacier Lodge. I had read and heard plenty about it being an expensive place to stay and not all that great, but my spouse really wanted to stay in an historic lodge. It did turn out to be an expensive choice (even booking the least expensive option) and the soundproofing was non-existant. I even heard a park ranger tell another couple they should stay at the Swiftcurrent Motel and just go to Many Glacier for the lobby and outside deck.

As far as hiking goes, we did hikes in every area of the park. I think you would find Erik Molvar's "Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks" to be a great help in planning your hikes. (His book about all of the hikes in GNP was very useful to us.) The rangers at the various visitors centers were also helpful in assisting us to choose good trails based on the current day's conditions. (We were there in late June and not every trail was open.) Also, if you go to the NPS website, if you scroll over the trails on the trailmaps, you can find out their length and elevation which should help you decide if they are the kind of hike you are looking for. http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisi...gthetrails.htm

Finally, with 10 days for this trip, you'll have time for some activities outside the park. We did a day trip (with a picnic lunch, which you'll need) to the National Bison Range. There are a couple of very good driving routes where you can see the bison and maybe even see them very close up. (We had to stop to let some bison walk around our car.) The drive down there goes along Flathead Lake and is quite scenic.

Our best experience for finding wildlife was at Many Glaciers. Black bears, grizzly bear and moose all in one day, it was wonderful! We camp so can't help with lodging but the next time we go, that's where we're camping.

Take your passports and make a day trip up to Waterton in Canada.

Utahtea

Thank you all for the recommendations. These are very helpful.

Many Glacier!!!! NOT Many Glaciers with an s!!!!!

John,

SORRY! :P

Utahtea

For some good easy day hikes I would recommend Hidden Lake Overlook which begins at Logan Visitor Center. Arrive early as parking can be an issue past 10AM, especially on weekends. You are usually guaranteed to see mountain goats around the overlook.

Redrock Falls in the Many Glacier area is a nice easy hike. Be sure to stop at Fishercap on the way. It's a short side trail that too many people miss. The lake itself is spectacular and you can usually spot a moose in the early mornings.

St. John's Falls and Virginia Falls can be hiked in the same day. Both are quite unique from each other.

Here's a good reference for trails in Glacier:

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glaci...easy-hikes.htm

As far as the Many Glacier Hotel. We heard from guests there that the walls were paper thin. We stayed at Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge and hung out at Many Glacier at night in the lobby or on the deck.

WAVE725: I take it you mean St. Mary Falls as oppose to St. John's fall:)