Grand Teton, Yellowstone & Glacier National Park Road Trip

Glacier National Park continued…

It was pitch black out, as the morning chill took my breathe away. The coldest day yet and we decided that if we were going to hit Hidden Lake Overview, we needed to get there well before 8am. Everybody else was still sleeping at the camp as we left West Glacier KOA in the rearview mirror. Hot cocoa in our to-go cups and the entrance of West Glacier Park only a few miles away, we proceeded on our route.

We had beat the line at the front entrance, but as we drove further and further into the park, we realized we weren’t alone. Inside the park was already bustling with activity and a flurry of traffic. At this pace, we weren’t going to make it to Logan Pass in time. We drove carefully, but swiftly, navigating Going to The Sun Road once more.

Seemingly, we were only about 5-10 minutes to late to the parking lot. Like sharks, circling their next victim, the parking lot was packed and any open spot was immediately swooped up by other travelers. After 20 minutes or so of no luck, it was only getting more crowded. We left the parking lot defeated to try and find something on the side of the road… but there was nothing left.

Disappointed, we were going to leave Glacier Park without hiking Highline Trail or Hidden Lake Overlook. It was very dissatisfying to wake up so early, make the hour drive, only to be let down. Next time, next time, we were going to hike Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Overlook.

Ultimately, we made the best of it by circling back to a hike we had been eyeing the previous day, Granite Park Chalet. A much less popular hike and one where we could stop at any time and turn back if we needed.

That One Time We Ran Into a Bear

When one door closes, another door opens. And, while we didn’t get to hike one of the most popular hikes in Glacier, we did see a bear! Seeing a bear was probably the pinnacle of our trip. The sights and sounds of Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park were amazing. But, seeing a bear less than 20 yards away was breathtaking and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

We were actually on our way back from the 3 mile hike when we spotted two hikers frozen in our path and pointing to the brush nearby. We creeped up closer to them and just as I was about to say “what do you see”…. I saw the bear! We had just passed by this exact spot about an hour earlier. The bear, not even 10 feet from the main trail now, was slipping in and out of the brush, picking berries off the bushes. The silent assassin was so quiet and so smooth, that you would never ever hear it coming before it was too late. Such a scary thought to be honest…

The bear had to be around 350 lbs or so and sounded no bigger than a squirrel, making its way around the evergreens and vegetation. It was quite astonishing that an animal so big could be so quiet. A lot of it has to do with its paw pads. The soft heel pad of the bear lets them move discretely around brush, over twigs and branches without making much of a sound.

By now, two more hikers approached and now there was six of us. We felt much safer as two of them had bear spray, just in case the bear felt threatened or started to charge. We all stood there in disbelief as we watched the bear scavenge the hillside. Most of us had never seen a bear before but one of the hikers had a few wild stories to tell, with a couple of scars and broken fingers of previous bear encounters in his past to show for it.

After twenty minutes or so, we decided it was best not to test our luck and proceeded on the rest of our hike. We promptly let other hikers know there was a bear in the area as they past by us on the trail. Most of them were absolutely thrilled, while others looked nervous. The trail itself was OK, I would rate it 5/10. We didn’t hike the entire trail that went 7.6 miles one way, but we did make it half-way and turned back around. We were thrilled we saw the bear but I wouldn’t recommend doing this trail and saving your energy for something else.

Lake McDonald

Maybe my favorite time of day, lunch. Every day lunch was seemingly blissful as we were always accompanied by a gorgeous view. Today was no different as we sat behind the Lake McDonald lodge, next to the water.

The Rocky Point trail led to a secluded part of the lake where sand, rocks and pebbles lined the lakeshore. I took off my shoes, socks and pants but couldn’t get the nerve to go all the way in. It was just too darn cold!

Lake McDonald is the largest of the lakes of Glacier National Park with a surface area of 6,823 acres. It is also the longest, at over 15 km, as well as the deepest lake at 141 meters. It’s known for its amazing views and unique array of colorful rocks that line the bottom of the lake.

The color of the rocks is determined by the presence or absence of iron. The bright red rocks found along the Grinnel Glacier trail were deposited in a shallow ocean environment where the iron was oxidized by the tidal exposure to the air. Rocks with this coloration often have old ripple marks or ancient mud crack lines.

The rich green-colored rocks were formed in deeper water than the red rocks. Although these rocks contain the same quantities of iron-bearing minerals, they did not have the same exposure to oxygen and the amount of oxidization was limited.

After a quick sandwich while enjoying the views of Lake McDonald, we drove around the southern top to the Fish Creek Campground where we found the Rocky Point trail.

We walked our feet to the bone, or so it felt, but our time at Glacier National Park was over. Leaving the entrance gate for the last time was bittersweet and we decided to celebrate with beer and tacos before heading back to relax at the cabin.

SAMPLE 9 DAY ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Jackson Hole/Explore the town or take your first hike

Day 2: Grand Teton 42-mile Loop

Day 3: Grand Teton Hike/Jackson Lake. Drive to Yellowstone

Day 4: South Yellowstone Loop -West Thumb Geyser

Day 5: North Yellowstone Loop – Grand Pristmatic Spring, Fairy Falls, Old Faithful

Day 6: Drive to Glacier National Park

Day 7: Hidden Lake Overlook/Highline Trail

Day 8: Avalanche Hike

Day 9: Fly Home

Day 8: Hidden Trail Overlook or Highline Trail

Day 9: Fly Home

Thanks so much for reading the blog and I hope it inspires you to travel to these three epic national parks! Let me know if you have any questions or comments in the section below.