Spending a Week in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is a place where it feels like you are standing in the past, present, and future. I had the pleasure of going on this trip with my fiancé, Austin, his mom, Kim, and his brother, Jason. And what an adventure it was! If you’re looking for a Glacier National Park itinerary for one week, here’s what we did, ate, hiked, and explored.
After this trip, I can confidently say a successful Glacier National Park trip is not done by simply winging it. It takes almost a full year of planning to reserve passes, boat tour tickets, and lodging. Keep that in mind when planning your own adventure!
One Day in Kalispell
Day 1 - Kalispell, MT
After landing at Glacier Park International Airport, we headed for Kalispell. We were only spending one night here and made the most of it.
We grabbed food at Moose’s Saloon, a popular restaurant with wood chip shavings all over the floor. The kitchen does take a while, so make sure you order right away. We liked our pizzas!
After dinner, we headed over to Volunteer Park, a beautiful pebble beach, to take in the views of Flathead Lake.
Volunteer Park
Tip: everything you’ll need store-wise is in Kalispell (Walmart, REI, Sierra, Target, etc.) before you head off to Glacier National Park.
West Side of Glacier National Park
Day 2 - Apgar Village
Austin and I woke up, got a quick workout in, and we all packed up to hit the road to Glacier National Park.
We checked off a lot of things on our to-do list this morning. After grabbing snacks and sunscreen at Target, we headed to Lary’s Fly Shop. Stopping at local fly shops on vacation has become a bit of a tradition for me. It’s a fun way to connect with the local fishing community, ask questions about where to fish, what flies to use, and pick up some gear. I had a great haul from here and would 10/10 go back. Plus, it was so badass seeing a woman running the shop that day.
Next up, the Sharing Shack. Kim found this resource through a Facebook group. It’s a small shack filled with items you can’t bring on a plane but might need once you arrive, like bear spray, camp fuel, coolers, lotions, granola bars, bug spray, and more. We needed bear spray for our hikes, so we borrowed one and left a donation. The rules are simple: if you borrow something, donate something back or leave cash.
The official state fruit of Montana is huckleberries. So it was mandatory that we tried a huckleberry pastry. Over in Hungry Horse, the Huckleberry Patch store stands proudly. We overheard one of the workers, in his late 60s, say he has worked there since he was a teenager. How cute is that? We bought every pastry to try, and I’m happy to say they were all delicious. You can also grab food, use the restroom, and buy souvenirs here.
A little farther down in Coram, we grabbed a quick bite at Park Provisions. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich, and it was divine.
Now we were finally in Glacier National Park. Photo opp at the park sign? Check. Checked into Apgar Village Inn? Kind of. We arrived several hours before our 4 p.m. check-in, so we made our way to our first hike of the trip, Trail of Cedars to Avalanche Lake. We had Going-to-the-Sun Road passes for multiple time slots to make sure we had a way in during the afternoon. At the trailhead, parking was completely full. We circled the lot until something opened. Kim mentioned how accurate people were when they said, pack your patience for this park, and I couldn’t agree more.
Best Hike Highlight: Trail of Cedars to Avalanche Lake
This 6-mile hike rewards you with a stunning lake view at the end. The Trail of Cedars is easy, but the second leg to Avalanche Lake adds more of a challenge. There are some elevation changes with glimpses of mountains peeking through the trees and views of the waterfall from the Trail of Cedars. There are also outhouses near the lake, but they are very dark, so bring a headlamp.
After our hike, we checked into Apgar Village Inn and ate dinner at Eddie’s Café.
Day 3 - Going-to-the-Sun Road
The alarm went off at 3:45 a.m., and we were up and ready to drive to Logan Pass. Everyone told us the parking lot fills by 6 a.m., so early is the way to go. From Apgar, it took almost an hour.
Logan Pass Parking Lot
I didn’t know what to expect on this road, but driving it in complete darkness was intimidating. The only thing between the car and the drop down the mountain was a few feet of stone wall. But that’s what made it an adventure.
Best Hike Highlight: Hidden Lake Trail
I loved hiking all 5.1 miles of this trail. At the start, there are lots of stairs climbing into the mountain. Then you’re on rocky, uneven terrain, especially if you hike all the way down to Hidden Lake from the overlook. The descent isn’t too bad, but the hike back up is a real glute burner. It’s very steep, so if you need extra support, bring hiking poles.
Start of the Hidden Lake trail
Looking for wildlife in Glacier National Park? We spotted a family of mountain goats and trout swimming in Hidden Lake.
After a well-deserved nap, Austin and I rented a kayak to explore Lake McDonald from Apgar Village.
East Side of Glacier National Park
View from our Cottage
Day 4 - St. Mary’s
Eating Mountain House Meals at St. Mary’s Visitor Center
Bags packed, we headed to the other side of the park via Going-to-the-Sun Road and reached the St. Mary Visitor Center. Austin and I stamped our national park passport books and cooked Mountain House meals in the parking lot for lunch. (The Pasta Primavera is now in my rotation. Highly recommend!)
We stayed at The Cottages at Glacier. The views are unbeatable from the cabins. They have everything you could need for your stay, even bear spray, and are right at the East entrance of the park. This made trail access super easy.
Best Hike Highlight: St. Mary to Virginia Falls
This hike was absolutely worth it for the views. You gain elevation at the end of this out-and-back trail to reach the lower and upper waterfalls. The terrain is flat in some parts but uneven near the end with rocks and roots. Don’t let the short distance fool you.
Did we see wildlife? Yes, moose! Right at the start of the trail, in the lake. Make sure to bring binoculars.
Virginia Falls
Day 5 - Boat to Grinnell Glacier
Day five was one of my favorite experiences in the park. Kim booked us an out-and-back boat trip with Glacier Park Boat Company at Many Glacier Hotel almost a year in advance. Now we were standing at the dock, waiting for our boat ride to Lake Josephine.
It’s a two-boat trip: take one boat out to a dock, hike a little, then board the second to Lake Josephine. They provide pickup times so you know when to return for your ride back to Many Glacier Hotel.
Once at the lake, we hiked over to Grinnell Lake. It’s a short 2–3 mile hike with breathtaking views of the mountains and crystal-clear water. I could have spent forever here.
While waiting for the boat back, I did some fishing and caught my very first freshwater trout, a brookie, and a big one at that. It made the whole trip for me! I caught it with a nymph on my Tenkara USA HANE rod. What a fight it was.
My first freshwater trout
Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada
Day 6 - Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lake view from the Prince of Wales Hotel
If you have your passport, head to Canada. It’s just about an hour away.
We were all pretty beat at this point, but that didn’t stop us from squeezing in one last adventure. I had never been to Canada, and Waterton Lakes National Park was so close we couldn’t pass it up.
We stopped at the Prince of Wales Hotel for photos and a peek inside. It’s beautiful, and I wish we had time for their Afternoon Tea experience.
After that, we headed into Waterton and ate at Waterton Park Cafe. The burgers and poutine were delicious. We grabbed some beaver tails afterward and enjoyed time by the lake, just steps from the shops.
Final Thoughts on Our Glacier National Park Itinerary
Glacier National Park is by far one of the most special places I’ve ever set foot in during my outdoor journey. I couldn’t recommend it more. Whether you’re looking for the best hikes in Glacier National Park, the spots to eat, or tips for where to stay, I hope my recap gave you a few new ideas for your own trip.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
Also, major shout out to Kim for planning this trip for us! This was my first time truly seeing a national park in its entirety.
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