West Glacier, Montana
As the western gateway to Glacier National Park, West Glacier has been dubbed "guide central," and adventures in and around Glacier National Park often begin and end in West Glacier.
Top Spots in and near West Glacier
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Glacier County, Montana
Photograph Wild Goose Island
5.0Wild Goose Island in Glacier National Park is one of the most iconic photography locations in the park. As a subject it differs wildly from time of year and time of day; a gorgeous 14' tall element surrounded by a vast alpine lake in the heart of a glaciated valley set against glacier-carved peak...Read more -
Bigfork, Montana
Aneas Loop
3.02.77 mi / 207 ft gainAneas Loop is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Bigfork, Montana.Read more -
Browning, Montana
Capture Sunrise at St. Mary Lake
5.0One of the more popular spots to photograph this lake is from the Wild Goose Island pullout. However, I prefer to get off the beaten path a little bit and avoid the crowds. The pin on the map will take you to the next pullout just east of Wild Goose Island, but before you get to Rising Sun campgr...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Kayak Saint Mary Lake, Glacier National Park
5.0Glacier National Park, one of the United States' finest national parks, is home to some of the most spectacular glacially carved lakes in the country. Situated along the famous Going-to-the-Sun (GTTS) road, Saint Mary Lake, the park's second largest lake, offers some of the finest views in the pa...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Camp at Many Glacier Campground in Glacier National Park
5.0Enjoy one of Glacier National Park's best campgrounds, Many Glacier Campground, which you can reach on the east side of the Continental Divide. Directions: Travel to the east side of the park, and take highway 89 to the town of Babb. From Babb, drive west, reenter the park, and arrive at the Many...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Swiftcurrent Lookout
16.68 mi / 4491 ft gainTake this beautiful hike up Swiftcurrent Mountain to the Fire Lookout (8436 ft). The hike is 7.1 miles one-way from from the Swiftcurrent Inn parking lot trailhead. The elevation gain is 2,307 feet. The First 3 miles or so are a flat hike where you'll pass by several famous lakes and gain only ...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Redrock Falls
4.53.73 mi / 308 ft gainThe hike to Redrock Falls begins at the Swiftcurrent Pass Trailhead in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. The trailhead is located at the western end of the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot. From the trailhead, head straight toward Swiftcurrent Pass and Redrock Falls. At approxi...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Iceberg Lake
4.99.7 mi / 1660 ft gainThe 9.7-mile out-and-back trail starts in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park, near the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. The trailhead is easy to find at the northwest corner of the Inn area and the trail is well marked the whole way. The trail heads northwest almost the entire time except for ...Read more -
Glacier County, Montana
Ptarmigan Falls
5.05.11 mi / 1020 ft gain...The hike to Ptarmigan Falls begins next to the cabins near the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. There’s enough parking for about 10-16 vehicles in the lot next to the trailhead. This is a heavily trafficked area, so extra parking is available in front of the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. This is where I park...Read more -
Swiftcurrent, Montana
Glacier's North Circle Route (North East Section)
9.7 mi / 1660 ft gainPlanning & Preparations As amazing as this trek is, it's certainly not without its challenges, and the first one you will run into is obtaining a backcountry permit for camping. As it absolutely should, backcountry camping is very regulated. Essentially, you request permits and multiple da...Read more -
Browning, Montana
Ptarmigan Tunnel
5.010.68 mi / 2713 ft gainThis amazing 11 mile hike with 2,300 feet of vertial gain begins behind the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn cabins. If you start early enough you can park by the trailhead, but if you get a little later start you may need to park in the main lot of the Motor Inn. As you begin your hike, you will pass the...Read more -
Flathead County, Montana
Bowman Lake
5.013.83 mi / 361.77 ft gainBowman lake is the 3rd largest lake in Glacier National Park and one of the most remote areas accessible by car. The drive out on a dirt road is slow and bumpy but the reward is an area without crowds and lots of adventure potential. The first-come-first-served campground offers 48 sites near t...Read more -
West Glacier, Montana
Kayak Bowman Lake, Glacier NP
5.0The lake is located in the northwestern portion of Glacier National Park, about 32.5 miles from the west entrance and 30 miles from the Canadian Border. From the little town of Polebridge, it is 6 miles north along an unpaved road. The lake is 7 miles long and approx .5 miles wide. Access to the ...Read more -
West Glacier, Montana
Waterton Lake via Bowman Lake
49.5 mi / 6365 ft gainOur trip started on Thursday evening, spending the night at the Bowman Lake campground. You can park your car here and it's where the hike will start and end. I recommend staying here the night before because day 1 is a doozy, so you'll want an early start. Day 1 is the hardest day of the hike, ...Read more -
West Glacier, Montana
Bowman Lake to Quartz Lake Loop
5.013.3 mi / 2618 ft gainThe trail to Quartz lake begins on southend of the Bowman Lake beach. I recommend going in a clockwise direction and getting the steep bit out of the way, but the ~13 mile loop can be done either way. Follow the Bowman Lake shore on the West Lakes Trail for about half a mile and then you will fi...Read more -
Glacier County, Montana
Ptarmigan Lake Trail
8.78 mi / 1978 ft gainPtarmigan Lake Trail is an 8.6 mile out and back hike that takes you by a waterfall located near Babb, Montana in Glacier National Park.Read more