Today, we finally go to the park! The much anticipated main attraction!
First, we get up a little late. We’re all a little worn out from the trip. Plus, the weather at night is cool and NO HUMIDITY! You sleep SO well. We get the cooler loaded, some snacks and food and we head to the park. Wait in line only for a few minutes, buy an annual pass (Thanks to Someone) since were are going to visit the Tetons and Yellowstone later, and head into the park. At the entrance there is a visitor center, shops and places rent kayaks, boats…all were packed!
Since the east side facilities are closed, the west side is packed! It amazes me that we are trying to stop the spread of Covid, but were packing more people into smaller spaces. The demand is still there, but we’ve closed things and put more people together. Doesn’t make sense. To go on a white water raft trip, you have to wear a mask in the store that they only allow so many people in at once, then pack them on a bus and then cram 12 people onto a little boat without masks!! What part of that makes sense?
Anyway, the first thing you see when you get into the park is Lake McDonald. It’s a big, beautiful lake with crystal clear water. The rocks on the bottom are brightly colored and you can see 20 feet down with no problem. When you look at it from above, it is a beautiful dark blue color. The side you drive on has a lush green forest, the other side of the lake has been burned a few years ago and is not as pretty.
We traveled on the “Going to the Sun Road”, The only road that goes thru the park. And yes, sometimes you really feel like it! This road is NOT for the faint of heart! It gets narrow and has some drop offs that are over a thousand feet. It you go over, no one will ever find you! I missed alot of the park because of the death grip on the steering wheel and eyes peeled straight ahead!! This road was worse than Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park. But, probably the most scenic and majestic road you will ever travel. Words cannot describe the beauty and the magnificence of this place. You seem so small compared to these mountains.
It takes about 2 hours to get across the park (to where it was closed) to St. Mary’s Lake. That’s with quite a few picture taking stops. At the end, St. Mary’s Lake facilities were all closed. The Black Foot Indian Reservation is on that side, and they have pretty much closed everything down inside the reservation. St. Mary’s lake was not as beautiful and Lake McDonald. The entire area has been on fire there and hardly anything was green…just dead trees.
Didn’t see a whole lot of wildlife that first day. Did see a bear and some deer and a few goats that came right down to the rest area. They are not afraid of people!
The best thing about Glacier…NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED!! Fish for FREE!!
We took hundreds of pictures, can’t put them all on here so I tried to pick some of the best ones. So happy we got to see this park. They don’t call it the “Crown Jewel of the Continent” for nothing!!
