213: Glacier Country, Montana

Vacation Mavens

This episode is sponsored by Glacier Country Tourism. All opinions are our own.

This week, Tamara shares what it is like to visit Glacier Country, Montana on a girls' trip and Kim shares her thoughts on this scenic part of Northwestern Montana. From Missoula to Whitefish, Kalispell to Glacier National Park -- if Montana is on your bucket list, give this episode a listen!

Read more:

Adventurous Weekend Getaways to Western Montana- We3Travel

Best Things to do in Glacier National Park - Stuffed Suitcase

Things to do in Glacier Country, Montana

• Glacier Country is a tourism region of Northwestern Montana that covers eight counties
• To get to Glacier Country you can fly into Missoula or Glacier Airport in Kalispell, both of which offer many direct flights, especially from the western USA
• You need to rent a car to visit this region and part of the experience is the scenic drives through the countryside
• To visit Glacier National Park, Tamara stayed at the Homewood Suites in Kalispell, which is about 45 minutes to the western entrance of Glacier National Park
• To visit Glacier National Park you need a reservation to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road from when it opens in June through mid-September. Reservations open 120 days in advance and fill up in minutes.
• Things in and around the park close by mid-September to early October.
• Kalispell and Whitefish are both good for exploring Glacier National Park if you can't get reservations in the park. Whitefish is a ski resort town that is very cute but also pricey.
• The road into the Many Glacier section and Two Medicine Lake are gravel and very rough road.
• Kim stayed in Under Canvas at Glacier National Park in West Glacier and the Isaac Walton Inn, which is an old train depot and you can stay in a train caboose.
• On her trip, Tamara stayed in a few different types of accommodations including:
  • The Lodge at Trout Creek -- B&B lodge
  • Bridge Street Cottages in Big Fork
  • Laughing Horse Lodge
  • Residence Inn Missoula
• If you want to see wildlife, drive through the Bison Range not far from Missoula
• Other fun outdoor adventures are:
  • Kootenai Suspension Bridge & Kootenai Falls
  • Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area
  • Llama trekking with Swan Mountain Llama Treks
  • Soak in the hot springs at Quinn's Hot Springs
  • Kayaking Clearwater Trail into Seely Lake
  • Sunset boat tour on Flathead Lake
• Shoulder season in September was a great time to be
• If you are visiting be sure to Recreate Responsibly:
  • Leave no trace
  • Plan ahead and make reservations
  • Be flexible as plans may need to change because of weather, fire, road closures, etc.
  • Be mindful of wildlife and carry bear spray when hiking (buy it there but don't bring it on the plane)