Romantic Alpine Adventure: 7 Days in Glacier National Park

Getting here

Perhaps you are driving in from a neighboring state, or maybe you are planning to fly. If you are flying in, I highly recommend choosing Kalispell as your arrival airport. Kalispell's Glacier National Park Airport is extremely unique, as the baggage claim area feels like a rustic lodge. From the minute you step off the plane, you'll know you are in Montana.

Stock up

Once you have stretched your legs and checked into your lodging, it is time to visit a local grocery store. While supporting local establishments for your meals is certainly part of this itinerary, stocking up on grab and go breakfast items, trail snacks, bug spray and picnic items (perhaps a portable charcuterie assortment, featuring local huckleberry jam?) is a must. Take this opportunity to find and obtain bear spray! Bear spray can be rented or purchased locally, and is a crucial to have available before entering the park.

Enjoy dinner

On the west side of Glacier National Park, you've got plenty of great eateries to choose from. Here is a list of a few of my faves:

• Outlaw Diner: A fun themed diner with delicious breakfast and incredible house hot sauces.

• Sunflower Cafe + BBQ (seasonal): Attached to a campground, this spot is a rustic eatery with outdoor seating at picnic tables with tasty brunch, delicious BBQ, and life-changing huckleberry lemonade.

• Belton Grill Dining Room: The most elegant option on this list, come here for a casual-yet-elevated date night featuring locally sourced meats and other ingredients.

• Gunsight Saloon: Atmospheric eatery and bar with live music in Colombia Falls to contribute to the "Old West" vibes

• The Huckleberry Patch: Calling all pie lovers! The huckleberry pie here is unreal, and you can request a slice with Montana-made ice cream. In my opinion, Huckleberry pie + brown sugar ice cream = perfection.

Morning kayak

Paddle around the gorgeous Lake Macdonald on a kayak, single or tandem. Morning departures begin at 9:00am, and you will enjoy seeing the surrounding mountains reflected on the lake's surface. You may have seen pictures of Lake Macdonald on Instagram before because the water is clear and the rocks are "rainbow." Our favorite part of the kayaking adventure was disembarking on a part of quiet shoreline to swim in the glacial waters. This was a romantic, off-the-beaten path moment we will never forget!

Explore Apgar Village

Next to Lake Macdonald, there is a small but lively village with some small shops. You can explore the shops, set up your lunch at a picnic table and refuel from your kayaking adventure.

Afternoon adventure

If you are feeling excited for more activities, you could rent a stand-up paddle board, enjoy nearby cycling trails or explore this region of the park on horseback. For a more leisurely afternoon, head back to your lodging to enjoy the amenities and prepare for a more significant hike tomorrow.

Morning logistics

First, decide whether you'd prefer to wake up early and drive to the Trail of the Cedars trailhead, or utilize the park's shuttle system (we used the shuttle). If you prefer to use the shuttle, drive to the Agpar Visitor Center and hop on a bus heading to Avalanche Creek. The ride will be about forty-five minutes, and shuttles come every half hour.

Hike

Once you arrive at Avalanche Creek, start your hike by exploring the Trail of the Cedars. Worthy of note, Trail of the Cedars is one of two wheelchair-accessible hikes in the park, and is mostly level. Branching off of the Trail of the Cedars is the Avalanche Lake trailhead. This hike is a moderate one, with under 800 feet of elevation gain and under 6 miles of trail out-and-back. Avalanche Lake is a spectacular sight to behold, making this hike highly rewarding! Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Lake, and return to the shuttle stop.

Late afternoon & early evening

If you still have energy after arriving back to the Visitor Center, take your first ride up Going-to-the-Sun Road and turn around at Logan Pass. During this time of day, there are less visitors so you will be able to enjoy the pull-off viewpoints in a more relaxing manner. If you time this correctly, you may even catch golden hour lighting in the park!

Very early morning

While most people do not like to wake up before dawn on their vacations, doing this on your day of alpine exploration at Logan Pass is absolutely worth it. Logan Pass Visitor Center is located at the summit of Going-to-the-Sun road and is the starting point for two of the most iconic trails in the park. Accordingly, the small parking lot up there fills up fast. We arrived at 7:15am (which meant we left our lodging around 5:45am) and we took one of the last parking spots.

Choose a hike

Option 1 - Highline Trail: A bucket-list trail for many hikers, the Highline is an unbelievable alpine trek that features a unique stretch of exposed trail alongside a cliff, overlooking Going-to-the-Sun road below. Heights and I do not mix, so we did not select this trail.

Option 2 - Hidden Lake Overlook Trail: This easy-moderate trail features stunning alpine scenery, lovely wildflowers and exciting fauna. See if you can spot mountain goats, big horn sheep or even... bears! On this trail, we encountered a large brown bear that starting walking towards us on the trail. Luckily, we did not need to deploy bear spray as the bear was more concerned with finding berries than interacting with hikers. The trail leads to Hidden Lake Overlook, which showcases a bright blue glacial lake. We got engaged on this trail!

Descend to the East Side

After you have finished exploring all that Logan Pass has to offer, descend Going-to-the-Sun Road towards the eastern side. Check in to your new lodging and settle in for the night.

Enjoy a boat tour & hike

Purchase a ticket to hop on the Glacier Park Boat Company's boat tour, which will shuttle you first across Swift current Lake and then across Lake Josephine. Depending on the tour option you select, you might be able to enjoy a guided hike to Grinnell Lake. On our guided hike, we learned so much about the wildlife in the area and learned about the different native berries on the trail. We could pick and eat our own huckleberries on the hike!

Tip: My suggestion is to forego the return boat transportation and follow the trails to the south of both Lake Josephine and Swiftcurrent Lake back to your starting point. This walk is mostly flat, but there are many wildlife-spotting opportunities. On our walk back, we spotted four moose!

Park after dark

Recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, Glacier National Park hosts ranger-led stargazing events and activities. Check the park calendar and the visibility forecast to see if you should add this nighttime activity to your itinerary!

Two Medicine

The Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park is one of the least popular areas of the park, which makes it a bit more peaceful. We spotted another bear in this region, and we loved exploring Running Eagle Falls. The falls create a gorgeous natural pool which would be delightful to wade in.

Alternate adventure

There are many other hikes on the east side of the park, such as the Redrock Falls trail or the St. Mary and Virginia Falls trail. You could also explore Two Medicine Lake by kayak, or enjoy a whitewater rafting excursion on your last day.

Final dinner

On your last evening, enjoy a delicious meal at the Great Northern Dining Room at the Glacier Park Lodge and watch the sunset over the glacial peaks from your lodging.

On your last day, I suggest enjoying a hearty breakfast at the Whistle Stop Restaurant (seasonal) (do not skip the huckleberry stuffed French toast!) and begin your journey home. Hopefully you are ending your trip feeling more connected to nature, yourself and your partner!