Intro

I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but Glacier National Park MIGHT be my favorite national park… Don’t tell Zion or Arches. I put a National Geographic magazine clipping of Grinnell Lake in Glacier on my New Year’s vision board and said, “This is the year!” and it could not have been a better choice. We had an amazing time exploring Glacier National Park in July. I don’t think anyone could leave Glacier without even a slight feeling of awe and wonder at the beauty of nature.

Are you headed to Glacier National Park and need some help figuring out what to do? Keep reading!

Before You Go

Weather & Packing

Glacier National Park bumps up right to the Canadian border which means you shouldn’t expect typical summer temperatures. When we went in July, the highs were in the ’70s and the lows were in the 40s. It was very cloudy and foggy on some of our hikes and it rained on one of our days there. Some of the trails were still closed due to snow and we saw snow on multiple hikes. Bring layers to wear in the morning that you can take off as it warms up throughout the day. Make sure to bring a rain jacket just in case. We brought our hiking backpacks with water reservoirs for our hikes to carry water, snacks, and our bear spray. If you need help packing for a national park camping trip, check out the packing list from our national park road trip for some ideas.

Reservations

If you plan to camp, there are campsites you can reserve, but most are on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can check the status of campgrounds, whether they are open or full, on the park’s campground status page.

Real talk: We had planned to camp on this trip until a close friend told us she had family in Kalispell with a guest house. Wow! Their family opened their home to us and we were very grateful.

Because we didn’t need to make reservations for a campsite, we only had to make reservations for a rental car. We had to do quite a bit of driving since we were staying in Kalispell and driving into Glacier every day, so a rental car was vital to our trip.

Our 4-Day Glacier National Park Itinerary

Day 1: Fly into Kalispell

Arrive and pick up the rental car
Stop at Walmart for groceries and bear spray
Check-in at your accommodation or drive to the park to find a campsite

Day 2: Grinnell Glacier Trail and Going-to-the-Sun Road

Drive to the Grinnell Glacier trailhead
- This trail starts on the northeast side of the park, so depending on where you are, it may be a long drive. It took us 3 hours to get there.
Hike the Grinnell Glacier Trail (9.7 miles/4 hours)
- This is one of my favorite hikes I have ever done. It brought together my love of green valleys, tall mountains, and blue water. We went about 3.5 miles in until the trail was closed due to snow, but the views before then were completely worth it. Bear activity is high on this trail, so bring your bear spray.
Drive down Going-to-the-Sun Road
- We went down US-2 to get to the Grinnell Glacier Trailhead, so we went back towards Kalispell via Going-to-the-Sun road. Talk about the road with the most beautiful views in the country! This road is great for stopping and taking in amazing views. Summer is the peak season, so be prepared for slow-moving cars and full parking lots.
Head back to Kalispell and eat dinner at Moose’s Saloon
- With sawdust floors, you do not have to dress up to eat at this “rustic” restaurant. The pizza was very good.
Enjoy dessert at Speak Peaks Ice Cream
- We found this place as we were exploring the area and it did not disappoint as a satisfying treat.

Day 3: Lake Day

Eat breakfast at Carolyn’s Cafe in Hungry Horse
- Their home-style breakfast hit the spot before a day of exploring.
Hike the Avalanche Lake Trail (4.5 miles/2 hours)
- This is an easy hike that ends with a beautiful view of Avalanche Lake surrounded by mountains. Because of its popularity, the parking lot can fill up quickly so you may have to wait for a parking spot.
Canoe on Lake McDonald
- Don’t leave Glacier without seeing Lake McDonald and get on the water if you can. We had a great time canoeing on the lake from Apgar Rentals. We also had fun browsing the shops nearby.
Stop to try some huckleberries
- You can’t leave the area without stopping by a roadside stand to try some huckleberries. You may even want to bring home some huckleberry jam or syrup.
Head back to Kalispell and eat dinner at Skyes Diner

Day 4: Last hike and fly home

Hike the Highline Trail to Haystack Pass (7.2 miles/3.5 hours)
This is another can’t-miss hiking trail in Glacier with some of the most amazing views in the park. (Real Talk: It was cloudy the day we hiked it, so we missed most of the amazing views.) We were lucky because the trail had opened up for hiking the day before. Because of the amount of heavy snowfall, it usually takes a lot of labor and warm weather for the path to be cleared to safely pass. We were still walking past walls of snow and ice which seemed crazy in the middle of July! The trail is very long, so go as far as you would like and turn around.
Head back to your accommodation to pack
Go to the airport and head home!

That’s it!

I’m not convinced 4 days was enough time to explore Glacier National Park because of the long list of beautiful hikes we didn’t get to do, but we still had an amazing time! The amount of snowfall will affect road and trail openings from year to year, so make sure you check current conditions and openings when you’re planning your trip. Sometimes trails also close for increased bear activity, so be flexible with your plans. If you’re looking for beautiful views and cool temperatures this summer, Glacier National Park is waiting for you!

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Travel Guide: 4 Days in Glacier National Park