There is in the United States in Montana near the border with Canada a place that is ideal for lovers of wildlife and beautiful scenery. The sky here is incredibly expressive, the snow is perfectly white, the plants are of all shades of green, the lines of the mountains are fantastically beautiful, and the water bodies are more like huge mirrors than the water surface. Most importantly, this is one of those places where you can see the glaciers. This is the Glacier National Park, which lies at the northern tip of the Rocky Mountains

How to get here

Missoula (190 km) and Kalispell (40 km) airports take flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other cities USA. You can get to the park without problems, on shuttles or buses. From Canada (the city of Calgary) to the national park only 4, 5 hours drive

Directly next to the park is the town Gustavus, you can get to it from Juneau by air taxi or by water

Climate

If we talk about the current situation, it is quite warm (-2 ° C on average up to +4 ° C) winter, and the summer is rather cool, the average temperature is in the region of +12 ... +15 ° C. In the mountains it is much cooler than in the lowlands. The driest months are April, May and June.

Nature and fauna of the park

The park area is almost 4000 sq. M. km, it is rich in mountain ranges, hundreds of large and small lakes, waterfalls, variegated meadows, glaciers, formed many centuries ago. The park is inhabited by a large number of animals and birds, and people first settled in these places about 10,000 years ago, they were Indian tribes.

The first Europeans arrived here in the early 19th century as part of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, they discovered something here the Indians . In 1807, the Manuel Fort was built, intended for trade with the Indians . Later, gold was found around the neighborhood, which made the almost uninhabited territory turn into a busy and densely populated area . Fortunately, the efforts of the enthusiasts succeeded protect a unique from the fate of the gold-bearing vein and the site of the fur-bearing field . In 1910 the region received the status of a national park and construction works began here .

Glacier Park tourist routes

The territory of the park was quickly equipped with the necessary infrastructure for tourism , and today there are more than 300 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places

The park fell into the zone of increased interest of ecotourism lovers: Glacier contains glaciers from among those that in the near future can literally disappear from the face of the earth - melt due to changes in the climate. Currently there are about 30 glaciers in the park, while in the 19th century there were five times more glaciers here. Under the influence of the most massive of them, landscapes of the area were formed and changed year after year. According to scientists, the melting of glaciers is a natural and irreversible process, it can not be stopped.

There are many hiking and hiking trails along the park's territory . The most popular route is the 80-kilometer route called "The Road to the Sun": it's a two-hour a trip on a small bus or car .It starts from the lower parts of the park, and ends at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level at the Continental pass . This short trip will give an opportunity to see many magnificent views, each of which is a masterpiece of the artist named Nature . Do not forget that the most the best species are available in the park only from hiking trails .

The water route through the park is incredibly interesting. The ship moves along the shores of Glacier Bay, so passengers have the opportunity to examine in detail the coastal glaciers, each of which has its own unique pattern and color. Quite often you can see and hear how a block of ice breaks off the coastal ice massif, producing the sound of a powerful shot, and falls into the water with a loud splash. It is not possible to get close to the glaciers, as it is dangerous.

Examining the park from the air is another opportunity to give yourself an unforgettable impression of contemplation of wildlife. It is a combination of deep-water fjords, Glacier Bay and its banks look very expressive from the air, so helicopter tours and light airplanes are very popular

Lodge, campgrounds and hotels in Glacier

Among the several hundred tourist facilities in Glacier Park there are, of course, hotels. They are built in picturesque places, usually on the shore of water bodies, and are part of tourist complexes, including cafes, restaurants, recreation areas, shops.

Lake McDonald Lodge opened its doors in the western part of the park in 1914 . The name of the hotel was named after the biggest lake in the park on which the river was built . The complex of buildings in the style of the Swiss chalet fits perfectly into the landscape . The main building (which is listed as the National Historical Monuments of America) is located hotel lobby - open surrounded by three floors of balconies from which you can get to the rooms . Interiors and furnishings in the hotel are kept in good quality rustic style, rooms with all conveniences .

On the eastern shore of Lake Swiftkarrante is the Hotel Many Glacier, the largest in the park . The hotel enjoys an exceptional reputation, as its location is considered the most successful . This is a complex of buildings in which there are rooms, open verandas, a restaurant with live music, shops, cafes, bars . The hotel rooms are decorated without any frills , but very comfortable s . However, here few people spend time in the room: walking, horse and water walks, trips to the park on the red sightseeing bus, and simply staying on one of the terraces from which magnificent views open attract tourists much more .

Saint Mary Lake, Glacier National Park

Snow Goat, Glacier National Park

Glacier Bay, Glacier National Park

Mount Cheef, Glacier National Park

Bear, Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park