Here is our trip plan from Seattle to Glacier National Park:
Late summer is best time to go as Going-to-the-sun will be blocked most of the winter.
Friday -
Saturday
Sunday -
Monday -
If you want to spend one more day - you can try some scenic float boat rides or white water rafting (recommended for more adventurous souls)
Late summer is best time to go as Going-to-the-sun will be blocked most of the winter.
Friday -
- 545 bus from 41st freeway stop(next to MSFT) takes you very close to king station
- if you want to rent lens from Glazers - its also in downtown - ~ $20 per lens for entire weekend
- Catch Empire builder train from Downtown Seattle (there are roomettes and dinner is served in train)
Saturday
- Early morning arrive at one of the Glacier NP train stations
- Rental car pick up (book it prior and make sure to confirm at which GNP train station they will be there for you to pick it up)
- Reach accommodation (recommend booking something with VRBO)... we took Tea Kettle ranch, it is a very secluded house in the woods - spooky and but beautifully close to nature (like in the movie Shining)
- Drive down to Visitors center, do the Hidden lake trail ~ 1.5 miles. you will see a lot of mountain goats here
- Return to room before sunset - curvy mountain roads are not easy to drive at night
- Enjoy dinner, bonfire and the stars - i have never seen so many at once
Sunday -
- wake up early - to reach Maney lodge, where the ranger led hikes start around 8am
- You will need to buy tickets for the boat ride unless you plan to hike about 4 miles
- you can buy lunch sandwiches here - be sure to carry lunch if you plan to do Grennel Glacier hike
- Take Bear spray - bears are really there here
- depending on your stamina choose to do shorter 3 mile hike around the lakes or the 8 mile long Glacier hike
- if you are doing Glacier hike try to do it with the ranger for safety from bears
- after a tiring hike try huckleberry shake - its yummy
Monday -
- there are early morning flights to Seattle that you can catch and you can return rental car in airport - you should reach Seattle by 7:30AM
If you want to spend one more day - you can try some scenic float boat rides or white water rafting (recommended for more adventurous souls)