One man’s motorbike adventure through Glacier National Park.
With stunning views of jagged mountains, glacial lakes, in addition to frozen waterfalls, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is 1 of the most impressive drives inwards the the U.S. of A. For lxxx kilometers through Glacier National Park, the route cuts into the side of the mountain, eventually rise to an elevation of over 2,000 meters. Along the way, it’s interrupted yesteryear tunnels, waterfalls, in addition to the occasional acquit that’s only trying to cross the road.
Unlike many other national parks inwards America, Glacier is nearly roadless. Going-to-the-Sun is the alone route that runs through the entirety of this pristine wilderness. Most people see the common in addition to drive the route inwards a car, but there’s zilch quite similar making the trip on a motorcycle. This is the storey of our motorbike ride through Glacier, addition everything you lot ask to know to practice it yourself (you tin fifty-fifty rent a wheel close the common if you lot don’t direct maintain your own!).
Our Motorcycle Ride Through Glacier National Park
In the 3 years we’d been dating at the time, my now-wife Jen had never been habitation to taste a Montana summer. Her summers were spent inwards Rwanda, where she was serving equally a Peace Corps volunteer – in addition to surprisingly, riding equally a rider on a lot of motorcycles (though for shipping purposes rather than leisure). Maybe that’s why she was thus comfortable getting on the dorsum of mine.
Despite having grown upward inwards Montana, we’d both spent real fiddling fourth dimension exploring Glacier Park, which is pretty sad. Living only a twosome hours from the common left us feeling similar it would ever hold upward at that spot in addition to made it seem similar only 1 of many amazing wildernesses available to us. It wasn’t until nosotros moved to Boston that nosotros started to empathize only how especial national parks similar Glacier genuinely are.
We were familiar with the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road, but you lot tin experience detached from its beauty when it’s viewed from the confines of a car. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 motorbike trip seemed similar the perfect way to run into the park; nosotros could easily halt wherever nosotros liked, experience the air current blowing through our hair, in addition to odor the wonderfully construct clean mount air. Riding a motorbike genuinely lets you lot experience the wilderness, fifty-fifty on a route that carries hundreds of cars in addition to RVs every day.
The Route
This route, which connects the towns of West Glacier in addition to Saint Mary on either border of the park, is incredibly straightforward; for the most part, at that spot is alone 1 route to take. Going-to-the-Sun is only lxxx kilometers long, thus fifty-fifty with bumper-to-bumper traffic, it won’t direct maintain to a greater extent than than 3 hours to complete. That agency there’s enough of fourth dimension to linger, halt for photographs, in addition to acquire off the wheel in addition to explore nature.
With the exception of the eating theater at Lake MacDonald Lodge in addition to some snacks available at Logan Pass Visitor’s Center, at that spot are no services along the route. So hold upward sure to top upward the gas tank in addition to pick upward whatever you’ll ask earlier leaving West Glacier.
Lake MacDonald
For the showtime 3rd of the ride, the route skirts the shores of Lake MacDonald. The lake’s azure waters aren’t ever visible, though, equally the route makes its way through a canyon of cedar in addition to hemlock trees. Lake MacDonald Lodge is located towards the northeast corner of the lake, in addition to spell you lot powerfulness non ask a remainder yet, it’s definitely worth a stop.
Its exterior was designed to await similar a Swiss chalet, but the entrance hall leaves no uncertainty that you’re inwards the pump of Montana, with massive timber pillars, a stone fireplace, in addition to multiple taxidermy mounts on the walls. It’s a slap-up house to relax for a fiddling spell or direct maintain a repast inwards 1 of the adjoining restaurants. The rooms are a flake less impressive in addition to toll over $200/night, thus slumber elsewhere in addition to only come upward inwards to taste the lobby.
While you’re here, brand sure you lot wander downward to the lake to await approximately – the shoreline is covered inwards colorful pebbles. Lake MacDonald is likewise a slap-up house to start a hike, with pop trails similar Arrow Lake in addition to the Johns Lake Loop departing from close its shores.
Logan Pass
Past Lake MacDonald, Going-to-the-Sun Road climbs upward to the top of the pass. Stop at the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center to direct maintain inwards some exhibits in addition to larn nigh the park’s history in addition to empathize its delicate ecosystem; you lot powerfulness likewise hold upward able to bring together a ranger-led educational hike or grab 1 of their lectures.
There’s a lot to larn nigh here: climate alter has been wreaking havoc on Glacier Park, equally evidenced yesteryear the shrinking glaciers in addition to the early on snowfall melts that movement droughts afterwards inwards the year. This puts the plants in addition to animals living close the piece of employment yesteryear at risk, in addition to forces some of the wild fauna to displace to unnatural habitats at lower elevations.
In the Visitor’s Center parking lot, you lot tin likewise belike grab a glimpse of a mount goat, the park’s official mascot. For decades, they congregated hither in addition to had leave of absence habituated to humans, which was slap-up for tourists wanting an Instagram-worthy shot – but non thus slap-up for the goats that were eating unhealthy garbage left inwards the parking lot. Rangers at nowadays employ canine safety guards to proceed some distance betwixt the tourists in addition to wildlife.
When you’re done hither in addition to start descending the eastern gradient of Logan Pass, the flora changes completely, due to the pelting shadow number of the mountains. Sadly, inwards recent years, large swaths of wood inwards this expanse direct maintain been decimated yesteryear an infestation of pine-bark beetles. Left behind are the dry, skeletal remains of once-beautiful trees, which are at nowadays at an increased adventure of igniting a wood fire.
Saint Mary Lake
Because it’s smaller, Saint Mary Lake doesn’t acquire the same attending equally Lake MacDonald, though the expanse is no less impressive. The mountains on this side of the common direct maintain a much to a greater extent than aggressive experience to them, with razor sudden peaks bursting from the ground.
The route skirts the border of the lake for sixteen kilometers, with magnificent views of the H2O throughout most of it. The lake’s most notable characteristic is Wild Goose Island, a tiny patch of Earth inwards the middle that’s occupied yesteryear a unmarried stand upward of trees. The opening scene of The Shining was shot at Saint Mary Lake, in addition to the isle is a dead giveaway to anyone who’s visited the common (even though the storey is laid upward inwards Colorado).
If you lot desire to acquire out on the water, Glacier Park Boat Company runs two-hour tours on the lake, which include a guided walk to Saint Mary Falls in addition to Baring Falls. The tour gives a totally dissimilar perspective of the mountains than you’ll acquire riding along the road.
Return Trip
The Going-to-the-Sun Road ends at the eastern tip of Saint Mary Lake, where you’ll direct maintain create upward one's withdraw heed where to leave of absence next. It’s definitely worth riding the route inwards reverse, equally the landscapes await completely dissimilar traveling E to west.
However, if your backside is create to hold upward done, caput S to the town of East Glacier in addition to thus westward via Highway 2. You’ll hold upward dorsum inwards West Glacier inwards less than ii hours, in addition to you’ll acquire to run into the stunning Rocky Mountain Front along the way.
Or if you’re create for an fifty-fifty longer adventure, ride one-half an sixty minutes due north to Many Glacier, habitation of 1 of the park’s 3 Swiss-style lodges. The trailhead for the famed Ptarmigan Tunnel hike is likewise here. The hike is xviii kilometers long in addition to involves a jaw-drooping cliffside traverse earlier entering the 75-meter-long pedestrian tunnel that connects the Many Glacier in addition to Belly River valleys.
More Than Just The Road
While riding the Going-to-the-Sun Road is for sure the focal betoken of this trip, an adventure inwards Glacier Park wouldn’t hold upward consummate if you lot didn’t pass some fourth dimension on your ain ii feet, hiking some of the most spectacular trails the National Parks System has to offer.
Hidden Lake Overlook
If you lot only ask to stretch your legs, this hike approximately the halfway betoken of the Going-to-the-Sun Road is perfect. It’s alone a few kilometers long in addition to gains only over 150 meters inwards elevation. Its location higher upward treeline at the top of Logan Pass makes for some awesome vistas.
The trail begins behind the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center, with a brusque climb upward a staircase earlier heading off on the Hidden Lake Nature Trail. The showtime kilometer of the hike is along a wooden boardwalk, which prevents erosion inwards this sensitive area.
After ii in addition to a one-half kilometers, you’ll come upward upon the glorious sentiment of Hidden Lake, with the massive Bearhat Mountain behind it. This is 1 of the best views inwards the park, in addition to it comes with relatively minimal fourth dimension in addition to endeavor – a must for anyone riding the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Highline Trail
Want something to a greater extent than challenging? The Highline Trail snakes its way through the jagged peaks following to Logan Pass. The hike makes a nearly 19-kilometer tour from the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center through a share known equally the Garden Wall, getting its elevate from the rug of wildflowers that grows amongst its cliff human face upward inwards the summer.
This is an incredibly strenuous hike, with over 600 meters of elevation gain along some real narrow paths. At 1 point, you’ll hold upward faced with a stone wall on your correct in addition to a 30-meter drib on your left, with alone ii meters of trail inwards between. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 cable has been strung upward to deed equally a handhold if you lot acquire scared. Adventure favors the bold, though, right? The views from the trail are breathtaking, in addition to you’ll acquire to taste them for several kilometers equally you lot hike.
The hike ends at 1 of the tightest turns inwards the Going-to-the-Sun Road, known equally The Loop. Since the trail goes correct to the road, you lot tin avoid having to hike dorsum out inwards the other direction. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gratuitous shuttle plies the route to pick upward passengers at to the lowest degree 1 time an sixty minutes hour, in addition to volition direct maintain you lot dorsum to your motorcycle.
Renting Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Motorcycle For Glacier National Park
Renting a motorbike inwards the the U.S. of A. is a much to a greater extent than complicated thing than inwards many parts of the world, in addition to motorbike rental companies tin hold upward difficult to come upward by. Maybe it’s the insurance adventure or the fact that riders genuinely ask a motorbike endorsement, but rental options are few in addition to far between.
Fortunately, for skilled motorbike riders who only don’t direct maintain their wheel with them (damn checked handbag limits!), at that spot are a twosome rental shops relatively unopen to the park.
Crown of the Continent Discovery Center inwards West Glacier, instantly exterior the park, rents mopeds for $225/day addition insurance. About ii hours away inwards Missoula, a multifariousness of dual-sport bikes betwixt 650 in addition to 1200cc are available from Maverick Motorsports for approximately $150/day addition insurance.
There’s likewise Grizzly Harley-Davidson inwards Missoula, which has rentals for $150/day addition insurance, but a Harley belike isn’t the best for touring the park.
Where To Stay In Glacier National park
If you lot desire to remain overnight inwards the common earlier in addition to after your ride, options gain from campsites to luxury lodges, or you lot tin caput out to a nearby town. While Kalispell is the largest town close the park, Whitefish, only xl minutes away, is the most interesting, in addition to worth a halt fifty-fifty if you lot don’t remain overnight.
During the winter, it’s a mecca for skiers visiting Whitefish Mountain Resort, 1 of the premier skiing destinations inwards the country. In the summer, it remains an outdoor recreation hotspot with dozens of mount wheel trails in addition to a zipline course.
Whitefish is genuinely compact in addition to walkable, with tons of boutique shopping in addition to gourmet restaurants concentrated inwards the half-dozen blocks approximately Baker Street. You’ll definitely desire to halt at the Great Northern Brewery (you can’t missy it, it’s the tallest edifice inwards town) in addition to direct maintain some of the tastiest brews inwards the state.
There are a multifariousness of places inwards town to pass the night, from budget chain hotels to luxury ski lodges in addition to all sorts of unique Airbnbs. Whitefish makes the perfect house to relax a fiddling flake in addition to acquire a gustation of the local flavor earlier or after your ride through Glacier.
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