Three Days in Glacier National Park
Located in Montana, Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the United States. With over 700 miles of hiking trails to explore, this national park brings adventurers from all over the world. We’ve created the perfect three-day itinerary to help you maximize your visit to Glacier National Park.
Glacier National Park left us in awe with its beautiful alpine lakes, mountain views, and scenic hiking trails. It is our favorite national park we have visited so far. While it is open year round, you’ll find that portions of Going-to-the-Sun Road are closed for most of the year. Due to snowy weather, Going-to-the-Sun Road is typically fully open from July to mid-October. We visited in late June of 2021, and the road fully opened on our last day there.
While there is a small airport located near Glacier National Park, we chose to fly into Spokane, Washington and drive to Montana. It ended up being cheaper, and it was the only way to get a rental car. All cars in Montana were already booked. The drive was about 5 hours, but it was very scenic.
When planning our trip to Montana, we were looking for a unique accommodation. We found Roam Beyond on Instagram, and it was the exact type of stay we were wanting. We booked their single roaming cabin and had the perfect glamping experience. We had everything we needed including our own firepit, outdoor space, indoor shower, and kitchenette. While they aren’t located inside the park, it was a quick drive.
To get into the park, you will need a park pass. Since we visit quite a few national parks a year, we love the America the Beautiful Pass as a cost-effective option. In addition to a park pass, you will also need a vehicle reservation if you plan to visit between May 27th and September 11th of 2022. These reservations can be purchased online prior to your visit here. They are required for entrance between 6 am-4pm. They had a similar system in place when we visited, and you are able to get in without a pass outside of those hours.
Day 1-Lake McDonald, Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake, Kootenai Falls
We recommend starting your day early. Parking lots at major trailheads are often full before 7:30 am. We chose Avalanche Lake as our first hike. The Trail of the Cedars Trailhead begins the stunning hike past waterfalls and towering cedar trees. It is a moderate 6.5 mile roundtrip hike. When you get to Avalanche Lake, keep going to the back side of the lake. It’s usually less crowded over there and offers a different perspective.
After our long hike, we stopped by Lake McDonald. This is the largest lake in the park, and it is filled with the photo worthy rainbow rocks.
Later that evening, we made the drive to Kootenai Falls. This waterfall is not part of Glacier National Park; it is located in Libby, Montana, about an hour and a half away. It is one of the largest free flowing falls in the northwest and can be viewed from a swinging bridge. The trail to reach the falls is just under a mile.
Day 2-Jackson Glacier, St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls, Grinnell Glacier
On our second day, we headed to Jackson Glacier Overlook. It was a pretty spot for a picture before our hike to St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls. This is a 3.1 mile out and back easy trail with two waterfalls to see. The trail itself is lined with wildflowers in some areas. While St. Mary Falls is stunning, don’t stop there. Virginia Falls is a 50-foot waterfall that you can walk right up to. Pictures don’t do it justice.
We decided to head to the Grinnell Glacier Trailhead in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it started storming, so we hiked to Lake Josephine in the rain and mud before heading back to the car.
Day 3-Logan Pass-Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Trail
This was our last day in the park, but it ended up being our favorite. Up until this point, Going-to-the-Sun Road had been closed before Logan Pass. Our plans to hike the famous Highline Trail didn’t happen, so we decided to just relax and take in the views at Lake McDonald for most of the day. I just so happened to check the website around 3pm and saw that the road had fully opened earlier in the day. We rushed back to our cabin to change and started to make our way to the Hidden Lake Trailhead. This is about a 3 mile roundtrip hike and an easy trail, except at the time it was covered in snow. When we arrived, it looked like a ski slope. There were kids sledding down the trail, and some people were just playing in the snow foregoing the hike altogether. We were up for the adventure though, and it was so worth it. Most of the hike was spent laughing and trying not to fall, but the view at the end of the trail left us speechless. We went past the overlook viewing area and saw some mountain goats and watched the sun set. We were on cloud 9. It was such a memorable way to end our trip.
If you are able to hike the Highline Trail, we may be a little jealous. This is an 11.6 mile one way moderate hike with amazing views. It shares a parking lot with the Hidden Lake Trail, so definitely get there early to snag a spot.
Glacier National Park will always be one of our favorite places, and we can’t wait to visit again sometime. We hope this guide was helpful in planning your trip to this national park.
