Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Trip To Glacier National Park?

I'm headed west in June. Kind of a spur of the moment thing on our part due to a different trip that got cancelled.

I have a week. I'm open to any suggestions on what to see and do on the way there or back from MN. Is it too late to get hotels and such? Camping isn't out of the question, but at this point it's not preferred. Is it a bit better to stay at places off the beaten path of tourists or should I stick with the more common types of areas for lodging?

Around Glacier it's all touristy as far as hotels go. Unless you stay in Browning and you don't want to stay in Browning.

What part of June? If it's not the last week you won't see much of Glacier. Even if it is the last week you may still not see much.



Travis

It's been a long time since I've been there but I always preferred camping over staying in a lodge when I visited GNP. The Going to the Sun road was always a cool drive and we always saw critters, even did a few hikes but this time of year I'd be a bit wary of bears.

That's beautiful country, take your time and enjoy the scenery and drive.

If you do camp, I highly recommend you camp at Many Glacier. The last week of June is about the only time of the year you can access most trails, the Going to the Sun Road (potentially) and not have to fight for a camp site.



Travis

Staying in Browning would add some adventure to the trip.

First time through there I had to stop and get gas. Now I plan a bit better...

If you spray your face with gold paint you fit right in.



Travis

It will the be the second week of June.

Second week of June the pass will not be open on the east side, they are getting on the home stretch of completing the Sun Highway rebuild. June 19 is the target date.
From the West, the pass should be open in a couple of weeks, snow is pretty sparse.
I'd start looking at Kalispell and Columbia Falls (stay the eff away from the People's Republic of Whitefish) -- it's a half hour to the park gate from either, pretty much.
Daylight will be hitting around 6 AM (you know that) but most visitors are on vacation. An early start for anything has you beating the competition.
The other thing is, things are relatively quiet until the pass is open all the way through. Then, it's an effing zoo.
I would say, make a reservation in the Flathead, then plan on doing a random daily drive and "oh, this looks interesting" hike. The more athletic you are, the better off you'll be. If you can grab elevation and are good with decomposed rocks (good judgement), you should have a great time.
As for Browning, it's a rough looking rez town, but I don't hear much about visitors being ripped off. It's small town Montana more than it is an ethnic ghetto. But the natives are not real friendly, there's a definite vibe. If you must, one night will not kill you if you have a decent, lockable car.

Way to paint Brown-Town with a broad brush.

When we were there 25-30 years ago, we took the "Jammer" tour in the old White touring vehicles and it was well worth it.

My family did that last week of June last year.
(they went without me)
They liked the Cars.
Rained every day and the highway wasn't open.


P.S. I had a great week.

Is the snow as sparse as it is through the rest of the Rockies? If so, it could be open a lot earlier this year. Some passes never got closed this year.

I won't even stop in Browning to get gas anymore, it's like third world country but worse. The rewards of socialism!


Any of the hotels around downtown Kalispell should be fine, Whitefish has gone full commie and I won't even buy dinner in the city limits. Take time to stop in Polebridge and the lakes beyond it. Many glacier should be open, most of the high country trails will still be closed but the lower elevation will be open. You can stop by some the parks around Flathead lake. East side of the park to Kallispell is about 2 hours via HWY 2, west entrance is about 30 minutes.

We had a early spring, but it still takes tome to clean up all the slides across going to the sun road. Normally the pass opens around July 1st, but you can go part way up earlier.

If you do spend a night in Browning bring your own food. Good cooking is a whole jackrabbit tosses onto a campfire, guts, fur, and all...


Well, not quite that bad but not much better, either. The Casino is probably a safer bet there.

If you get up to Prince of Wales, I would not pass up a meal in the dining room, finished up with a trifle.

Bad time to go IMO.



Travis

I agree.

I have the exact same thought whenever I stop in Browning for fuel, or God help me, food.

Looking around it really reminds me of a third-world country. Trash, rundown buildings, packs of dogs, loitering people etc. Not exactly a nice experience.

When I am staying up in that area for work, I stay in Cut Bank just east of the park. Decent Super 8 and some options for food. Really nice country around there as well.

The old, inside road along the North Fork Flathead is pretty that time of year, but it's a rough, barely maintained road, one lane with narrow pullouts. There is decent wildlife viewing across McDonald Creek in the area around The Cedars to Avalanche Creek on the west part of Going-to-the-Sun, but you need binoculars. On the east side, Many Glacier, the meadows along upper St. Mary lake, and Looking Glass Pass between Kiowa Jct. and East Glacier have good scenery. The last may not be open, it takes a lot of maintenance in the spring. High country will likely be inaccessible.

I agree. Glacier's FaceBook page is still suggesting July 1. Hit Yellowstone instead. Save Glacier for when you can see it all.

Bob

Hit Custer Battlefield, right off of I-90 near Billings. Then take the Chief Joseph highway and do Lamar Valley, Old Faithful and Geyser basin in the park. That's a full trip if you get out and about. If you fly fish, it's hard to leave Lamar Valley!

Bob