Forest Bathing in Glacier National Park

For our honeymoon we traveled across the US with the intention of visiting as many National Parks as possible along the way. The first park along our journey was Glacier National Park. Learn about places to stay, things to do, and a bit about eco-therapy.

Glacier Day .5

Our home in Montana for the first night was the incredible Glacier Under Canvas. The showers are nice. The tents are obviously amazing. The welcome area has warm beverages equally warm & informative staff. You can play horseshoe or volleyball. They’ve got simply fantastic and unique amenities at a relatively decent price. When we arrived, there was a determined dog who chased a very spunky and squeaky squirrel up a tree. It was hilarious.

I made a little video of the complementary ride to our tent. The worker informed us that we were in bear country and offered up some sage advice. The property has precautions around the perimeter to keep them out, but you have to make sure in all the bear-ridden NPs that you keep your food locked away securely! We also equipped our bags with bells, carried bear spray (for any worst case scenarios), and sang songs & clapped randomly throughout our hikes. Bears don’t like to be startled. Proper bear respect is safer for you and the bear!

For dinner we went to Glacier Grill & Pizza. We had a fresh salad and a classic pizza with pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions & olives. They were yummy and the servers were friendly. There's not a whole lot going on food-wise in the immediate area around the park, so this is a solid choice. OH and they have good beers on tap I am told by Louis. They’ve also got fried pickles & delicious looking pies on the menu. Might be fun to bring some provisions to cook a meal at Glacier Under Canvas, since it's so lovely. Nice to support local places though, too!

After a shower, we turned in early to get a jump start on our morning hike!

Before each hike, we stopped by the Visitor's Center and consulted a ranger for recommendations (and to get our National Park Passport Book stamped). They are such incredible resources. We've found this is the very best way to ensure we experience everything on our wish list. Just give your desired duration and some trail features you're looking for and they recommend the perfect route. We always asked for about 6 - 8 miles, loop preferred with animal watching and vistas. Not a single stinker of a hike the whole trip!!! They were all so so so magical. 

Since our trip, we’ve also signed up for All Trails. It’s ideal for places without a visitor center or if you know it’ll be too busy to get specific attention from a Ranger. It’s also nice because you won’t get lost and you can keep track of what you’ve done.

Glacier Day 1

Our first hike was Apgar Lookout. It was stunning - with ample wildflowers & animals! The photo above features the view at its apex. I was horrified of encountering bears the entire time, but didn't come across one. At the trailhead, in preparation for a wild bear attach, I accidentally maced us with bear spray. I just wanted to test it, but didn't consider the direction of the wind’s blow back. We spent the start of the trail coughing and spitting for a while.

The moment we reached the top of the trail it started pouring! We loved it. It felt so cleansing after an arduous climb and luckily we had invested in some ponchos - thanks to Louis. Every single moment felt incredibly special - including the accidental macing.

After our hike, we set up camp within the National Park proper and took a quick drive on Going-To-The-Sun Road. There are a few points-of-interest I highly recommend stopping for along the drive or simply pull off if when you see something gorgeous. Don’t feel shy - that’s why they create those turnouts. They also offer an audio tour that I wish we had done now that I’m learning about it.

Before you go, please be sure to check the NPS website for information. There are certain vehicle restrictions, road closures, and other limitations with which you should familiarize yourself.

I can’t remember the name of our camping site, but as you can see in the photo featuring our cat Gracie, they are pretty standard. It’s a well-outfitted park so you shouldn’t have any trouble with finding your desired amenities.

For dinner, we grabbed a bite of DELICIOUS elk chili, french dip & a couple mules at Casey's in Whitefish. They do their best to use all Montana-first ingredients and it shows. Everything was fresh and some regional preparations seemed very unique to me. Highly recommend!

We enjoyed a sunset by a lake on the way to our campsite and called it a night!

Glacier Day 2

For fuel we stopped for breakfast at Loula's Cafe in Whitefish. We had the lemon stuffed french toast and the bighorn. Both were AMAZING! Oh, and the huckleberry iced tea was wonderful - another regional treasure! We walked around the town a bit for some souvenir shopping at many of their local boutiques offering local wares.

After the little morning intermission, we took our drive on Going-To-The-Sun Road a little further & did the Avalanche Lake trail. That's where we saw our first bear!!!!!

Then we made a gourmet meal of bacon wrapped hot dogs with whiz + canned beans at our campsite! It was the best.
P.S. Check out my sweet bug suit. I didn't get bitten til way later in the trip! Very grateful. If mosquitoes are your biggest fans, I cannot recommend this bug suit enough. It even has a zipper at the mouth for eating and drinking. Genius!

Glacier Day 3

This was by far the most spectacular day for animal watching. It was pure perfection!!! We saw pikas, marmots (hilarious little hams), a grizzly bear mom and baby, mountain goats and big horn sheep. One marmot was sitting on a rock yell/squeaking like a little banshee. Another guy was cleaning itself and toppled right over. The third, and greatest, little one hopped out of the bushes and scared me to death. I thought it was a bear. We loved watching it mosey all chill across the trail right in front of us. We took a little dip in the gorgeous lake and truly soaked in all the magic around us.

The trailhead for Hidden Lake starts just outside the Logan Pass Visitor Center. You MUST do this hike if you find yourself in Glacier NP. 

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🌞 Niki

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