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Glacier Country Travel Articles
- Family Friendly Trip — Meet Western Montana
- Mancations
- Glacier National Park
An unforgettable family vacation—full of bonding time, fun activities, adventure and enlightenment—awaits in Western Montana’s Glacier Country.
Play and Stay in the Park: Glacier Country is home to the “Crown of the Continent,” better known as Glacier National Park. In the summer months, the Going-to-the-Sun Road—a national historic landmark—weaves the only route across the heart of the park. Stop at pullouts along the road and stand under the “weeping wall” as mountain goats and bighorn sheep masterfully navigate the cliffs. Park the car and explore the trailheads that lead hikers into the rugged Rocky Mountain wilderness.
Inside and outside the park, a number of historic lodges allow visitors to escape daily distractions. At Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, guests lounge in front of the lobby’s massive stone fireplace, children swim in the outdoor pool and couples enjoy nine holes of golf against the backdrop of Glacier’s stunning peaks.
Native American History: For a taste of Native American history, make a visit to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation—located on the eastern edge of the park. The Blackfeet continue to keep their cultural traditions alive by incorporating painted tipis, colorful feather headdresses and beaded deerskin costumes into festivities like the North American Indian Days Celebration, held annually in July. While in Browning, be sure to take the family to the Museum of the Plains Indian, a gallery that houses a permanent exhibition of the historical art of the Northern Plains Indians. For an authentic native experience, spend a night feasting on traditional cuisine and slumbering in tipis at the Lodge Pole Gallery & Tipi Village.
Walk in the Treetops: Travel west from the park to Whitefish, home of Whitefish Mountain Resort, a world-class ski area in the winter and a warm-season destination that moves and shakes in the summer. At the base of the resort you’ll find a number of family-friendly activities. Ride the gondola to the top for fantastic views of Glacier National Park. Or take a “Walk in the Treetops” along an 800-foot rope boardwalk suspended between the trees, all while learning about the interconnected ecosystems of water, wildlife and plants that make the forest thrive. In July and August, you can take free daily wildflower walks led by Forest Service guides.
Where The Rivers Meet: Highway 93 meets Interstate 90 at Missoula, the cultural and economic center of Western Montana. The town of 60,000 draws people with its laid-back culture and abundant outdoor activities. On a typical summer day in Missoula, the rivers take center stage. In downtown and situated along the Clark Fork River is Caras Park, serving as the main stage for outdoor festivals, families riding the hand-carved horses at A Carousel for Missoula and children playing in the community-built playground Dragon Hollow. Join the locals by renting inner tubes and floating down the area’s rivers.
For more information on planning your family trip to Western Montana’s Glacier Country.
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