Avoid The Extreme Congestion In Glacier Park - This Is The Way To Do It!
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:21 Why we Go to Glacier Park
1:10 What to consider when going to the park
2:08 How to plan for crowding
3:29 There are more options than you think
4:32 What Montanans Don't want you to know!
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QUESTION OF THE DAY - What do you think of the national parks ticketing program?
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#Glacier #goingtothesun #Logan Pass
May through September is the busiest part of the year in Glacier Park with about three million people visiting during each summer season. The parking areas at popular destinations, like Logan Pass and Avalanche Creek, begin filling before sunrise and remain congested for most of the day. Other areas often become crowded throughout the middle part of the day. Be prepared to spend time looking for an available parking spot at the trail of the cedars. You're also likely to encounter congestion and long wait times around parking lots, visitor centers, and entrance stations. During extreme congestion, access to whole areas of the park may be temporarily restricted for traffic to clear and to allow access for emergency vehicles.
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Popular things to do.
Trail of the cedars, Highline trail glacier national park, logan pass visitor, center iceberg lake
Пікірлер: 125
If you need important information about Glacier I have it all here: exploremontanaoutdoors.com/resources/
Avalanche Lake is awesome. St Mary's / Virginia Fall's hike is a little bit of a challenge but the waterfalls are beautiful. Aster Falls hike at Two Medicine Lake is a scenic hike and you might see one or more Moose feeding on the lakeshore. The boat tours on Two Medicine Lake, St Mary's Lake, Lake McDonald and Many Glacier are very scenic and relaxing. Do NOT stay at Glacier Park Lodge at East Glacier. The bathrooms are tiny, nasty dirty and no air conditioning so you will literally swelter trying to sleep at night.
My recommendation is for people to get a book that lists all of the National Parks and what to see and do at each. Avoid the Big Eight : Yosemite, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Arches, Acadia, Smokey Mountains and a few others. Look carefully at visitation. There are so many incredibly beautiful parks with few people. These parks offer everything the Big Eight does (wildlife, great scenery) and something they don't: solitude. No reservations just to get in! No standing in line to see the overlook! They are what the Big Eight were thirty, forty years ago! See them while they are still that way!
I've got my house less than a mile from the park since the 90's. Tip number 4 is a great tip if you are local or will have many opportunities to visit the park. It's not a great tip if you're only going one time. It can snow early and close the Going To The Sun Road, the stores will sometimes have reduced or even closed business, airline tickets start going up. This is the best month for solitude in the wild without the snow. My guess is that hotel, AIRBNB rates are a little less in September than July and August, though I've never checked. Columbia Falls is right between the airport and GNP and has everything you might want to buy, has restaurants, a waterslide park. If you want to see the park but don't want to camp with the bears and would rather stay with modern conveniences than Columbia Falls is perfect.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 ай бұрын
Thank you I live in Msla and I am heading to Bowman next week .
Thank you for the tips and headsup. I'll be there this next week following your advice. I'm also from Yosemite Valley so I'm really dreading the crows already, I can only imagine how bad they will be
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Crowds do suck but the park is fantastic. Take a red bus tour and enjoy the park. Have fun
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
We found Yosemite Valley to be WAY more crowded than Glacier NP this summer! There are many places to spread out around GNP and you can stay in West Glacier, East Glacier, etc. California PACKS campers into YV, Curry Village was a madhouse and the traffic pattern there is terrible!
Would you like more tips on visiting Glacier National Park or other places in Montana
@user-iy8zj7sv2p
2 ай бұрын
I'm looking to visit Montana in mid April. Is that too early to enjoy Glacier National Park?
@TheMontanaStyle
2 ай бұрын
@@user-iy8zj7sv2p in mid April not much of the park is open due to snow. I would be happy help you find more info on that if you wanted it
I was there middle of June and the "crowds" were no problem at all.
There are just not many places you can visit in the continental USA and experience backcountry serenity i.e. nobody around while you take in the splendour. As I am not from the USA and have zero qualms about revealing my favourite places, they're already useless for my tastes, so here they are: 1) Canyonlands, Utah - hike down into the bottom from the top, into the Maze. You will likely not see anyone. It is hard work, relatively, though as you'll need to pack the usual plus water. But no-one in a car can get close to you. Pretty astounding. 2) Everglades, Florida - the canoe trails might not be isolated any more, but Flamingo trips of a week should get you some pretty unique and isolated time. 3) Hmmm. Not sure there are any many more isolated places that I can recommend. Canada still has tons of them though, many where you might think no-one has ever trod the same ground you are trodding, and it's not so far away. Some of the very last, first-world, backcountry isolation to be had...plenty of icebergs and glaciers too to be had for yourself. Lets hope that the absolute spike in interest in outdoor adventure destinations leads to something good.
Just got back from Glacier last week (we're from Canada and had to reschedule our 2020 trip twice)... It was NUTS. I've never seen it that busy after Labour Day before. Because the shuttles went to reduced schedule, we had to drive to Logan Pass to get an early start on our Highline Trail hike. Ended up getting one of the last two or three spots at 7am. We never did get to Trail of the Cedars because there was just never any parking. We were actually turned away from Many Glacier at the entrance. I actually shot an e-mail to the NPS suggesting they keep shuttles at full service until the hotels close and have better signage for when they're literally turning people away.
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
Interesting! We were there at the end of July and did not have that experience but we did have that experience at Yosemite. I recently found out that Europeans vacation in our national parks in August (maybe September too?).
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
@@MNP208 maybe July is better than after Labour Day now? XD
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
That os usually not the norm I am going next week. If it's really busy I will head to Bowman lake.
I have never been to Montana, however I enjoy your content. You give practical information and tips.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much, we have a lot more coming in the future.
Yes, anything helpful. I’m a Kalispell resident. Getting in to see GNP is getting impossible.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
I know... I am planning on going in the middle to late September and taking my side by side so it is easier to pull off of the road.
@SC__90
Жыл бұрын
I'm a kalispell resident and got 10 tickets. It's not hard
Just got back, I went over this Memorial Day weekend and it was almost empty we loved it. Granted, the going to the Sun Road was closed halfway but it was still amazing
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
The park is truly amazing...I am glad you a fantastic time.
@chadthiem8371
2 жыл бұрын
ummm that’s why it was empty because the best 3/4 of it was closed 😂😂😂
@nomaderic
2 жыл бұрын
@@chadthiem8371 its better than seeing nature with hundreds of people. If I wanted to see that I would just go to the city
Thanks man!
I would think perhaps I could see the entire park by hiking. Of course as a volunteer working to do a citizen science project.
Glacier was AMAZING! They opened the Highline Trail the day before we arrived and we hiked the full 14 miles to Grinnell Glacier, the Granite Park Chalet and then down to The Loop parking where we caught the shuttle back up to Logan's Pass (where we parked). Do you know anything about working in the park over the summer? Where do employees stay?
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
I love the park, Even living in Montana with awesomeness everywhere, Nothing Compares to the Glacier. I am galed you had a great time
Prettiest national park I've been to but the worst due to the lack of infrastructure
We travel from germany next weeks to Canada and also planned a drive trough the going to sun road on 26. Sep. hopefully its open, as far i know and read, its closing on 1. Oct. this year.
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
I think you will be ok. Just check before you go. We never know when it will snow ❄️
Hello, love your content! We are leaving Bozeman the afternoon on June 1st hesding to Glacier, and would like to drive a few hours and stay some where for that night, where would you suggest? We will be staying at St. Mary's Village, I'm sure the GTTS road might not be open but can you give suggestions on top things to do in the park? We will have 3 days there. We are so excited! Also a recommendation for an overnight stop back to Bozeman? Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you!!
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
I have to assume you are not from Bozeman, so this is what I would do. Drive to St Mary's it's beautiful. The going to the sun will not be open unless we have areally arm next few months. It's usually open the last week of June or the first week of Then I would drive around to west glacier. That takes about an hour and a half. We drive fast in Montana. Spend the day at Lake McDonald and the trail of the cedars to avalanche lake. That is an awesome and easy hike. You could stay overnight in Kalispell or Drive to Missoula it is just a couple of hours. If you leave Glacier early you could stop at The National Bison Range, You will see more wildlife there than you will in the park, and it's an easy drive around the long loop. Missoula has nice hotels and good places to eat. Have fun and enjoy the park!!!
@beachmom19
2 жыл бұрын
HI Kelly we thought about doing the same thing after we arrive in Bozeman, but then I was thinking just in case our flight was delayed, I wouldn't have to worry about getting anywhere that day. So we decided to book a night in Bozeman and then head up early the next day. We are also going to stock up at the Walmart or Target in Bozeman . Let me know if you are happy that you drove a few hours after you arrived as we can still change our plans. Thanks.
Well. So much for that trip. Been wanting to go for years but it sounds miserable.
@TheMontanaStyle
5 ай бұрын
Just go at the end of September. Not as many people the park is incredible in the fall.
@robertf3340
5 ай бұрын
Appreciate the info. Unfortunately wife can’t get time off then
Hate it when a placed is over crowed. I think more owls are the only solution.
Thanks for the tips, they are well appreciated
@strangedays8170
Жыл бұрын
We’ll, don’t come.
@lupodlupi
Жыл бұрын
@@strangedays8170 huh?
Most importantly; don't take candy from strange grizzly bears. Stranger Ranger.
Thanks for your info. We are going for the first time at the end of August as we added Glacier after booking our Yellowstone and Grand Teton trip. We decided to take the Red Bus tour in Glacier since I had read about all the traffic on the Going to The Sun Road. The next day I thought about driving to the Two Medicine area. I was thinking of taking the southern route to avoid the traffic on the Sun Road. Would that make the most sense to you? Thanks.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
That's what I would do, go into west glacier and get on the tour to the top of Logan pass. You won't regret on second of it. A easy and fun hike is the trail of the cedars to avalanche lake. Give it a try if you have time. Enjoy Montana
@beachmom19
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle Thanks. Yes we are staying at The Apgar Village Lodge in West Glacier.
@robertleven4449
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Cathy, I'm from Sacramento. Me and my kids took the train every year to glacier. We always got off at east glacier. Way less crowded. Take hwy 2 to east glacier, the road to two medicine is spectacular as is the road into many glacier. 2 of the prettiest parts of the park. East side is less congested. We have been there atleast a dozen times. Enjoy your trip
Are you able to hike to Cerulean Lake? Are there any trails? I'm having a hard time finding information on it and would love to go see this area of the park.
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
Honestly I have not been there for years so I really don't know. I will look into finding the answers for you
@Fishthe406
Жыл бұрын
Yes, but there are no trails. The trail ends at quartz lake.
We have our senior pass and GTSR pass . Does everyone in our car need to pay an entrance fee. There are 4 in our car. Coming Sept 5th.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
No problems, Your all set. The pass is for the vehicle. Have fun, I am going on the 16th. September is the best.
We’re staying at Polebridge in mid July, do you have video dedicated to places to explore outside of the park in that area that has great hiking?
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
I really love bowman lake. I have been planning on doing some videos this summer.
@user-qc7hr4my7r
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle the cabin owner we’re renting from for the week is taking us up to Kintla to canoe but I’ll definitely check out Bowman since it’s in the area.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
@@user-qc7hr4my7r Kintla is beautiful you will be impressed
Hey I know this video is old, but my friends and I are going to Glacier in late august of this year, we have planned out everything to a T and have all the permits and things we could need. We are also early risers and plan on getting up at 5am about every morning to get to the trails, how likely is it that we will have parking problems that early in the morning?
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
If your up early you should be ok, depending on the hike your going on. If your going to Avalanche lake it gets hard to park early. Enjoy the park 🏞️
love your information Did I hear you correctly so you don't need a permit registration or park pass to travel going to the Sun road after Labor day??
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
You need a park pass but the going to the sun is open. No need for a ticket
@christianclassen8163
2 жыл бұрын
You need a ticket util September 11th
@paulholland1641
2 жыл бұрын
@@christianclassen8163 okay thank you
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, that is correct.
@strangedays8170
Жыл бұрын
Stay away
We want a challenging hike! What time should we arrive at a parking area in the morning?
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
If you want to do the Highline Trail and want to park at Logan Pass, you need to get there before 7am. That's probably true of Grinnell Glacier hike as well.
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
@@CoryTheRaven We were there since I last posted! We entered the park around 6:30 and arrive about 7:45. The parking lot was almost full.
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
@@MNP208 You lucked out for it being only almost full by 7:45! We got there at 7am on Sept. 6 and got one of the last 2 or 3 spots!
@strangedays8170
Жыл бұрын
Never bitch. Stay away.
How about North Fork and Goat Haunt? Busy?
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
I like it. There are fewer people there.
Hey I’m visiting glacier and need a vehicle registration aug5-8 tell me I can get on they are sold out nooooooo!!
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
You will need to get online and check you availability right now. I think I put a link in the description. The going to the sun is going to open late this year.
I was going to stay at the casino in Browning at the Glacier peaks hotel and then snoop around the east side. The rooms there are $300 and Browning is a little shady. I know, I worked at East Glacier in the summer of 85. The casino was not there at that time. What is the reputation of this hotel and area. You talk about driving to Missoula. Our backup plan was drive to Great Falls which is 2:30 to East Glacier? Thoughts.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Browning is not a real nice place and I have never stayed there. Greatfalls is a pretty nice town. You might check the small towns that are not on the reservation.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Doug you might try and see what's available in Shelby. It's a nice rural montana town
@mtlizard3695
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle, why is Browning not a nice place? It's so close to Glacier...
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
@@mtlizard3695 I just personally prefer to stay on the bigger city's. They have more to offer
@CarlaAnn95035
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle My goodness! Why would anyone stay in Shelby if they wanted to go to Glacier?
Correction: Only parts of the park stay open year round. Higher up you go, the less access you will find once the snows come.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Thats is true. Glacier gets a lot of snow every year.
When does the park open and close each day? Will I be able to get in free before and after the park opens on a motorcycle? I am willing to stay up all night or stick around for the park gates to close. I come from Illinois.
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
The gates open at 8 am but if you want to ride the Going to the sun you need a pass. They have a few extra every day but people get in line as early as 4am. The good news is that tickets go on sale tomorrow. We have had quite a bit of snow this year so I don't expect the road to be open until July. Let me know if you need anything else. I am happy to help.
@megaphonejeff
Жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle Thank you for the fast reply. Looks like mid to late July for my motorcycle trip. I'll be in line then at 4 A.M.
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
unless something has change this year you can buy your tickets 60 days prior to the day you want to get in the park, and that is a rolling 60 days so get on the computer at 12:01 am and get set up for your trip. The park is packed in July.
We are planning a 2022 trip from September 13th to the 17th. Are all camp grounds first come first serve at this time? We are driving 1000 miles with a truck camper and want to stay in the park. Should we be concerned about not having a reservation?
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Yes you need to get a few things maped out. But after labor day it will be much easier.
@chadthiem8371
2 жыл бұрын
yeah don’t come
I wouldn't dare come here in the summer as I don't do nature with hundreds of other ppl, it defeats the purpose. Is most of the park open in in mid to late September or would most things be closed already? I'm planning on going maybe the last week of September or the week before
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
That's when I am going...it's beautiful and way less people. Try Bowman lake no one will be there.
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
Interesting... I found the remote hikes to be way less populated in July. Also, the Many Glacier side wasn't bad at all.
great this is what we really needed all the info for when the park isn’t busy so now it will be busy all the time. sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut on some things. might as well give me your favorite fishing spot and your personal address so i can camp in your front yard for when the park is filled
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
Lol. I love to fish by Alberton on the Clark fork River and I live in Missoula. Hit me up and we can go camping and fishing. I know a good spot to hunt Pheasants also.
@chadthiem8371
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle lol that was probably the best reply 😂
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
That's why I'm not telling you when the REAL golden time is for visiting National Parks. Hint: it's NOT after Labour Day.
Funny title “over-crowed” is that a bird thing lmao
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
That's funny my proof reading 😞
Doesn't Glacier belong to the Crow? The 100-year lease is up. That should be Crow land, right now, afaic.
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
I don't know anything about that.
SHUT THE ROAD DOWN TO THE PUBLIC AND MAKE PEOPLE USE THE RED BUSES ONLY.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
I have been over that pass more times than I can count and in my opinion the Red Bus is the best way to enjoy it.
@chadthiem8371
2 жыл бұрын
or we can stop all the idiot people that come to pet the bears.
@CoryTheRaven
Жыл бұрын
So you want to pack about 3 million people in 3 months on 33 busses? Good luck with that.
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
Zion NP seems to run their buses very well. No cars allowed in a certain area.
Get out of your car and walk there's not as many people on the trail
How do you think the Native Americans feel? 🤷🏻♂️
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
How do they feel about what exactly.
Like your video! This channel needs to look into P r o m o s m!
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
What's that?
Leave the car at home.
Garbage advices!!!! The ONLY way to beat the crowd is to get up at 4am in the morning to drive to Logan Pass, it will take at least an hour of driving from the park entrance anyway. All parking lots are FULL by 6:30am. Rangers are out in force enforcing parking rules and issuing parking tickets by 7am. BTW, don't worry about driving the Going to the Sun Road at night by yourself, there will be caravan of vehicles heading to the same parking lots.
@TheMontanaStyle
2 жыл бұрын
That is true, but who wants to see the pass in the dark. Unless your into astronomy then it's the best place in North America.
@MNP208
Жыл бұрын
Hmmm, we arrived at 7:45 and got a parking spot in July. Maybe just lucky. Also, we were just there to park! Once we started hiking... no crowds!
Typical dramatic youtuber/thumbnail. It's not overcrowded. Things are just right now with reservations. It's full for sure, but not overcrowded
@TheMontanaStyle
11 ай бұрын
I don't know about that. I live about 100 miles from Apgar
@SC__90
11 ай бұрын
@@TheMontanaStyle of what relevance is your distance to Apgar? I live 20 miles from it 🤷♂️
I'm sorry, but it sounds like you have really bad indigestion when you recorded this
Imo, these road passes are the cause of this. Rocky mountain and Yellowstone are doing the same thing
@TheMontanaStyle
Жыл бұрын
Your right and I hate it. As a local it's always been my back yard,but I understand that they need to keep some kind of order. I am heading up in a few weeks. No people in December 👍