Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Known as the “Crown of the Continent,” Glacier National Park is one of the largest intact
ecosystems in the Lower 48 and an amalgam of stunning landscapes that, for many visitors,
defines the entire state. Think of Montana; picture Glacier.
The beauty of Glacier is rugged, raw, and dynamic. The mountains thrust skyward, and
the gravity-defying roads are ribbons that snake toward the summits. The legendary Going-
to-the-Sun Road is one of the West's most impressive engineering feats and one of the
best scenic drives in the country. There are still 25 functional glaciers (at least 25 acres in
area) to be found within the park, along with countless waterfalls and hundreds of crystal-
line lakes. In summer the landscape is heavy with huckleberries and dotted with beargrass.
While wildlife viewing from the road can be challenging in this mountainous terrain, the
animals—grizzly and black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, wolves, and more—are
here in abundance. With more than 1,600 square miles of alpine majesty, the scenery, if not
the altitude, will leave you breathless.
