| Bob Brown |
Jul 30th, 1999 06:11 AM |
You pose a very interesting question about Glacier. First, let me state my qualifications to answer: I have been there more than once. Second, I have stayed in hotels/motels both in and out of the park. <BR> <BR>Whitefish has a few nice places to stay. Unfortunately, the motels owners around Whitefish have become aware that they are in a popular area. As a result prices have gone way up "in season". <BR>There are several places listed in the AAA guide, including the Duck Inn and Kandahar Lodge and the Grouse Mountain Lodge. There are motels in Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse, and Bigfork that are closer to the park than Whitefish. But Whitefish has more shops, restrurants, and some interesting stores and shops. <BR>Kalispell is also nearby and is even larger than Whitefish. It also has "in season" motel prices. <BR>On the east side of the park, I would not stay anywhere in a motel except for a couple of places in East Glacier. Those cabins outside the park in St. Marys are substandard in my opinion. <BR>Or, if you want better quality, go to the Canadian side. The townsite in Waterton Park, the Canadian part of the International Peace Park, permits commercial development. Prices are even higher there, but the Kilmorey, Bayshore, Aspen-Windflower, and Crandall Mountain Lodge are nice places to stay. <BR>Concessioner accommodations inside of Glacier itself are in my estimation not very good. I have stayed at Rising Sun Lodge, a cabin at Many Glacier, and a lodge on Lake McDonald (west side). They do provide convenience. (I am not counting our hikes to the back country chalets of Granite Park and Sperry. Those are primative, with no electricity or indoor facilities.) I am staying at the Timbers Motel in Bigfork before visiting the park in 3 weeks. In previous years we stayed in Whitefish and Kalispell in addition to the aforementioned facilities. <BR>If you have 7-10 days, I agree, you don't want to spend it all in Glacier. I think an extension to Waterton, with the boat ride on Waterton Lake, is nice. You also have time to visit Cardston. <BR>The Flamingo is a decent motel there, with kitchen units. Within range of Cardston is the Head Smashed In Buffalo jump and the Carriage Museum, which is right in Cardston. We were fascinated by the museum. It is first class, no kidding. (And I have seen a few museums in my day -- Louvre, British Museum, and the Smithsonian.) The museum contains a very well done collection of horse drawn carriages. Most interesting and well presented and maintained. <BR> <BR>As for hikes in Glacier: I can recommend 3 as outstanding. From Logan Pass, take the Highline Trail along the Garden Wall at least as far as Haystack Butte. The butte will be obvious as it is a prominent rock formation to your left as you walk along the Garden Wall. We have seen sheep and goats as well as marmots along this route. You can go as far as you like before turning around. <BR>The other two are from Many Glacier. Number 1 is the Grinnell Glacier hike. <BR>It is long, however. Number 2 is the walk to Iceberg Lake. It is spectacular as the trail leads to a cirque set under 3,000 foot sheer walls. The ice melts and leaves ice cakes floating in the lake. I did not include the hike to Lincoln Lake or the Sperry Glacier because they are over 8 miles one way and involve an altitude gain of more than 4,000 feet. A strong hiker could do them, but both are quite a pull uphill. (We are staying at the Sperry Chalet, outdoor plumbing and all, so we can visit both places this summer. Hike up, sleep over night, eat, then hike some more.) <BR>On the Canadian side, the boat trip leads to a place called Goat Haunt, where there is a pause for a Ranger presentation. From the dock, there are a few short trails that can be easily taken before catching the next boat back to Waterton. I highly recommend the Canadian side, particularly the museum in Cardston. <BR>Hope this helps.
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