Glacier National Park with Kids: A Complete Guide
Plan a trip to Glacier National Park with your kids, and explore brilliant blue lakes, see glaciers hanging off the sides of mountains, ride on one of America’s most scenic roads in a historic car, and make memories that will last a lifetime!
Glacier National Park is a must-do for families, who will love the range of activities and areas to explore in this beautiful national park in Montana.
Since Glacier is a large park, it can be tough to know where to start, where to stay, and what to do in each area.
In this complete guide, you’ll find everything to help you plan the perfect, kid-friendly vacation to Glacier, including hiking suggestions, lodging and camping recommendations, parking tips, and more!
Welcome to Glacier National Park!
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Planning a Glacier Family Vacation: An Introduction
Deemed “The Crown of the Continent,” Glacier is one of the most incredible places that you can visit in the entire United States. My family has visited over half of the U.S. National Parks (with more to come!) and Glacier remains one of the parks my kids talk about the most and ask to return to again and again.
Much like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming or Canyonlands National Park in Utah, Glacier is a large national park with multiple areas that requires specific planning to confidently visit.
Making it more complicated is the reservation system that was put in place a few years ago, which prohibits visitors from accessing Going-to-the-Sun Road (and, thus, much of the park) from the west entrance during peak season. You’ll learn more about the reservation system below.
Layout of the Park
First, it’s important to understand the layout of the park, so you can determine in which areas you’d like to concentrate your time.
The major areas of the park are:
West Glacier, including Apgar and Lake McDonald, which includes the park’s most popular entrance, a visitors center, and lodging options. One end of Going-to-the-Sun road is here, and you will need reservations to access it from this entrance. Trail of the Cedars, watersports on Lake McDonald, and multiple hiking trails are located in this part of the park.
Logan Pass, which is at the roughly half-way mark along Going-to-the Sun road. It also functions as a marker for the highest vehicle pass in the park. There is a small gift store, ranger station, and bathrooms here. It’s the place most likely to have snow in July and where you’re most likely to see mountain goats!
St. Mary is at the eastern end of Going-to-the-Sun Road, and you will not need a reservation to get onto the road if you’re traveling east to west. There are a few stores at this entrance, as well as a visitors center. There are many beautiful hikes, a boat tour, and the Wild Goose Island overlook near here.
Many Glacier is a separate entrance north of St. Mary and is not accessible via Going-to-the Sun Road. There’s a gorgeous chalet here and incredible hiking to glacier-fed lakes that’s not as crowded as those in West Glacier.
Two Medicine is located in East Glacier, which is also a separate entrance of the park and not accessible via Going-to-the-Sun Road. It is located south of St. Mary and has a historic lodge, Amtrak train station, easy waterfall hikes, and boat tours.
Polebridge is another entrance to the park that’s not along that main Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor. To access this cute town northwest of Apgar, you’ll have to take North Fork Road, which is partially gravel and partially pavement. (Of all of the areas you could skip with kids on a first time visit, this one would be my pick.)
Waterton-Glacier World Heritage Site
PIN ME!
The combined Waterton-Glacier World Heritage Site is the first international Peace Park and combines both an American national park (Glacier) and a Canadian national park (Waterton).
If you’re planning to head into the Waterton side, you will need a passport.
I don’t think that you need to add Waterton to your Glacier itinerary for it to be complete, especially if this is your first visit to Glacier National Park.
Waterton offers up similar hikes to glacier-fed lakes, scenic overlooks, and gorgeous mountains to what I already have suggested on the Glacier side.
Plus, getting to Waterton can be a haul from the major points inside Glacier, which adds more time in the car for your kids.
Basics of the Going to the Sun Road
This famed scenic route winds its way through the mountains up to Logan Pass and past dozens of lakes and waterfalls.
It is the only connector through the park. If you don’t take it, you must go around through East Glacier. Driving Going-to-the-Sun Road straight through without making any stops should take about 90 minutes, depending on the traffic.
The road is narrow, and, if you’re driving a larger truck, you may need to fold in your side mirrors at the tightest spots. Unlike Million Dollar Highway in Colorado, which offers up similarly stunning views of a different part of the Rocky Mountains, Going-to-the-Sun Road has a small stone and mortar retaining wall on the side closest to the steep drop-offs.
You can drive the road east to west, starting in St. Mary and ending in West Glacier near Apgar, and that will not require a reservation. If you’re driving it west to east, starting in West Glacier and ending in St. Mary, you absolutely need a reservation and cannot get onto the road without one.
There are no gas stations along Going to the Sun Road, and this is NOT where you want to run out of gas. Come into the park prepared for the full drive both ways across the park.
Wildlife is everywhere.
A deer grazing by the Grinnell Lake Trail
There are few places where I’ve felt that the wildlife was as immediate was it was in Glacier.
In many places that we’ve visited, we’ve barely seen a hint of the local wildlife as they’re too hesitant to show themselves around humans.
In Glacier, if you’re visiting in the summer, it’s less about if you’ll see wildlife, but when you’ll see it.
There are grizzlies here, and they are frequently sighted throughout the park. When they first come out of hibernation in the upper elevations, they’ll work their way down to the valleys where more berries and other foods are. As the summer temperatures climb, so will the bears, and you’re more likely to find them in higher elevations again.
There are also moose throughout the park, though you’re more likely to see them in less traveled parts like Many Glacier. They like swimming in the lakes, too!
Mountain goats and bighorn sheep can be spotted along the ridges of the mountains, so keep a look out for them.
While all of these animals are fascinating to learn about and see, it’s also important to remember that they are still very much wild.
For more information on how to prepare for a potential wildlife encounter in the park (and keep your kids safe!), see my tips below.
When is the Best Time to Visit Glacier with Kids?
Covering more than a million acres, Glacier National Park requires some pre-planning. I’m sure your kids don’t love waiting around for parking or crowds anymore than mine do, so you’ll need to maximize your time while also working around the inevitable crowds at the most popular spots.
Flexibility is the Key
Many Glacier guidebooks will tell you to be up at the crack of dawn or you simply won’t find a parking space at the most popular trailheads or at Logan Pass.
We decided to test out that theory on our visit by being in the park no later than 7 AM on the multiple days that we were planning to do hotspots like Hidden Lake Trail and Trail of the Cedars.
It turns out that the trails are every bit as busy in the summer at 7 AM as they are at noon or even 3 PM. And the real shocker of the experiment was that we were more easily able to find parking in the afternoon, the exact opposite of when all the guidebooks said.
So, have a loose idea of what you’d like to do in the park, especially in West Glacier, and be flexible enough to loop back around to a trailhead later in the day if it looks like parking is going to be a major problem on your first pass. There is so much to see and do in Glacier than not getting to hike a specific trail is just a minor set-back!
Glacier, Season by Season
Summer is perfect for water sports on Lake McDonald even if the water is still really cold!
While parts of Glacier are open year round, the bulk of visitors are here from late June/early July until the end of August. This is when all of the roads in the park are open, including Going-to-the-Sun Road, which can often be snow packed well into the last week of June.
The summer is when the park is at its peak. You’ll find dozens (maybe even hundreds!) of waterfalls everywhere in the park as the snow at the upper elevations melts. Trails are lined with wildflowers in an array of colors, and the weather is warm but not overbearing.
However, nearly everyone else has that same idea, so prepare for crowded trailheads, especially in West Glacier.
If you’re visiting in the winter months, you’ll find that many of the park’s roads are closed due to snow or construction, so check on the official NPS sites for the most up-to-date closure information.
In the spring, you can access either end of Going-to-the-Sun Road as the lower elevations begin the thaw out and plows can make the roads safe again. As this process occurs, the park opens the freshly paved road sections to bikers exclusively, which is a wonderful way to see this scenic road.
Fall can see early snow or gorgeous (but chilly) weather, so you’ll want to keep your eye on those forecasts if you’re going between late August and early October. The weather can change super quickly during that time, meaning that trail you were planning on visiting might be closed before you can get there.
Remember your reservation!
Okay, let’s talk about these reservations. I’ve had to make national parks reservations for many of our trips, including at Arches National Park in Utah and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. I understand that the NPS is doing its best to manage crowds, and the reservation system is the (often imperfect) result of that.
You will need a reservation if you’re visiting between mid-June and the end of September—check the official NPS reservations site for exact dates each year—and one reservation covers everyone in a single vehicle.
All that being said, the Glacier reservations process is stressful.
To nab one (and I do mean that as they go so fast, it feels like a free for all), you’re going to want to be at your computer 4 months before the date you need the reservation for.
Get logged into Recreation.gov—go ahead and make an account if you don’t already have one—and be prepared to refresh the page for the corresponding section of the park about 5 minutes before they open at 8 AM MST.
The reservations will run out, so you cannot wait until after 8 AM to start this process.
You must then repeat this process for every day you’re going to a reservation area of the park, doing one pass per day, 4 months ahead of time.
If you miss out on this window or don’t get one at that time, they do release a small amount of next day tickets starting in mid-June.
You will need a reservation AND pay for an entrance pass. While the reservation is only good for one day, the entrance pass is good for up to 7 days. You can buy the entrance pass at the ranger kiosk at any of the Glacier entrance gates, or you can use an interagency pass like the America the Beautiful Pass, which I highly recommend!
What Can You Do in Glacier with Kids?
Visitors Centers
There are 3 visitors centers in Glacier National Park, all of which are located along Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Apgar Visitors Center
The Apgar visitors center is small with a set of ranger information desks and a limited selection of souvenirs. If you’d like to learn about the different areas of the park and their corresponding history and geology, there are a series of full color interpretive signs along the stone wall in front of the center entrance.
There isn’t a large museum or park film here, which is a bit disappointing, as my kids and I love exploring those.
You will find large, clean bathrooms here, as well as the Jammer bus tours.
There is a nice paved path that leads from Apgar to nearby Apgar Village and Lake McDonald, which is excellent for families. Read more about that in the “Hiking” section below.
NOTE: Apgar refers to the visitors center area specifically, while Apgar Village is about a quarter-mile to the north and has lodges, food, shopping, and access to Lake McDonald.
Logan Pass Visitors Center
This visitors center is a welcome relief after sitting in the car for a bit on Going-to-the-Sun Road. And, depending on how stressed you and your kids are from the heights on that road, it is worth pausing here for a bit to collect yourself.
There is another small gift shop here with a surprising number of items for such a limited space.
In the ranger area below the gift shop, you can get your national parks passport stamped or learn about local wildlife through the handful of interpretive materials. The visitors center here is filled with large glass windows, so you can take in the beautiful surroundings of Logan Pass while you browse.
There are bathrooms here, though they tend to be less attended than those on either end of Going-to-the-Sun Road. Still, as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers, and these are the only toilets for miles in either direction.
As you’re getting in and out of your car, watch for the pikas that love to scurry about in the parking lot. They are very cute, but don’t attempt to feed or pet them.
St. Mary Visitors Center
This striking building at the eastern entrance to Going-to-the-Sun Road is the largest of the 3 centers and has a decently size parking lot, bathrooms, a ranger information desk, and a larger gift shop.
Since the East Glacier/St. Mary entrance tends to see fewer crowds than West Glacier/Apgar, I’d recommend stopping here over the other 2 if you and your kids would like less stress picking out the perfect park sticker or shirt.
NOTE: If you head just a bit further out of the park via the St. Mary entrance, you can find a huge selection of souvenirs and hiking gear at Trail and Creek Outfitters by the Sinclair Gas Station on the corner of Going-to-the-Sun Road and Highway 89.
Paddleboarding Lake McDonald
If you’ve seen a photo of Glacier National Park before, it’s likely to have been one of brightly colored stones on the shores of a lake backed by brilliantly green mountains.
That is Lake McDonald, and the rocks really are those colors.
While Glacier has many lakes that are worth seeing, Lake McDonald is one of the most easily accessible by visitors, and thus, there’s always a lot of activity in this area of the park. It’s also the largest lake in the park, making it perfect for exploring.
You can rent a motor boat, canoe, or kayak to explore the lake, but I highly recommend renting a paddleboard instead.
Doing so allows you to go slowly, so you can see deer and moose on the shore and large fish deep in the crystal clear water.
Plus, the boards are sturdy enough to carry a child on if they aren’t ready for their own, making this something the entire family can enjoy.
We went through Flathead Outdoors, which is close-ish to the boat launch in Apgar Village and reasonably priced. Our employee contact was easy going and helpful, and he had us in our life jackets and out the door with our boards in no time.
I say “close-ish” because that short, 2 minute walk feels much longer when you’re hauling a large paddleboard and herding children around other visitors and cars. Still, it’s not that bad, and my 11 year old and I were able to handle our board fairly easily.
Going to the Sun Road
Mountain views as you climb towards Logan Pass from West Glacier on Going-to-the-Sun Road
When you’re visiting Glacier National Park, driving Going-to-the-Sun Road is a non-negotiable. Not only does it allow you to get to the heart of the park, you are going to be treated to the MOST incredible views along the way.
I’ve probably driven across the park on Going-to-the-Sun Road at least half a dozen times, and it just never gets old.
There are a couple of ways to access the road:
Biking, though I don’t recommend this unless you’re visiting in the spring when the road is car free. There is no shoulder on much of the road, and no room for error, yet we’ve seen some highly questionable driving as people tried to pass bicyclists on the road.
Driving, which is the most popular way to see this section of the park. You’ll have the flexibility to stop at any of the viewpoints that look interesting or navigate to a specific trailhead.
Jammer buses, which is a fun way to do the park if you’re short on time and/or want a vintage twist to your Going-to-the-Sun Road experience. These paid tours are taken on the historic Jammer buses, which date to the park’s earliest days of tourism. Originally, the park only hired young men who were engaged in medical or law studies to give the tours!
Free shuttles, which is a cost effective way to see the parks, and a good option if you’re not keen on driving the narrow, winding road. These do take a bit of pre-planning as there are 2 routes, one for West Glacier and one for East Glacier, and you’ll need to transfer at Logan Pass if you want to do the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road on the shuttles.
My parents in front of their Jammer bus
Highpoints of the road, no matter which way you get there, are the waterfalls that cascade beside, under, and, occasionally, into the road, the dramatic valley views, and the evolving landscape as you move from the thick forests of West Glacier into the Rocky Mountains near Logan Pass and then descend to the glacier lake of St. Mary.
I highly recommend getting the GuideAlong audio tour for Glacier National Park to listen to while you cruise the roads across the park.
We love these fun, engaging, and inexpensive audio tours, which allows us to stop, re-listen to, or skip any of the sections.
Once you have the tour downloaded to your phone, the tour starts and stops automatically as you get to points of interest. You and your kids will learn about everything from the wildlife in the park to important figures in the park’s history.
This is an excellent alternative to the Jammer tours if you don’t think your child would sit through a 2-3 hour guided experience!
Fun fact: The introduction of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining was filmed on Going-to-the-Sun Road from St. Mary up towards Logan Pass. If you rewatch that scene, you can see the Torrances’ little VW Bug pass St. Mary Lake and Goose Island overlook!
My kids loved the incredible views from the car as we made our way across the park again and again, but if you have a little one with a fear of heights, be sure to place him or her on the driver’s side of the car, where the drop-offs feel less stressful.
A Jammer bus carries visitors past one of the many waterfalls on Going-to-the-Sun Road
Nature Center
Just a few of the many items to explore in the Nature Center
This adorable little building in Apgar Village can be easy to overlook, but it is worth the trouble of finding it.
In Apgar Village, head across the road from Eddie’s Mercantile and stay to the right of the small parking lot. You’ll see a wooden gateway with a gravel pathway beyond.
Hidden in the trees beyond will be a lecture area with a handful of benches and the nature center entrance will be around back and to the right.
Inside this little cabin are an array of things that your kids can play with, touch, and explore. It is free to explore for as long as you’d like.
You can touch different pelts of animals from around the park, see the difference between a real grizzly’s claws and that of a black bear, play in a small sand pit, and listen to different animal calls.
There are usually 2 volunteers on site to answer questions, and we’ve found that these are some of the friendliest and most patient people in the entire park.
Of all of the places in the park, this is, without question, the best stop for those with toddlers and preschoolers. That being said, my 7 and 11 year olds loved it, too!
Boat Tours
With all of the lakes inside Glacier National Park, taking a boat tour is an excellent way to see the park from a new perspective.
Plus, a boat tour combines a scenic cruise around one of the lakes with a live guide so that you come away with both gorgeous photos and a deeper understanding of the park’s history, geology, and wildlife.
We’ve been a several of these boat tours, and they are well worth the time and money.
Even if you’ve taken one tour in one area of the park, I’d encourage you to add on another in a different section as each tour and guide is unique. Many of the boat captains/guides return summer after summer, so they have an incredible knowledge of this area.
All of the boat tours are run by the Glacier Park Boat Company, a family company that’s been serving the park in this same capacity since 1938. That makes it the longest running concessionaire of any national park!
My son on the St. Mary boat tour
There are 4 boat tours in the park, and they’re all excellent for families. The captains are very responsive to questions and will even tailor their tours to different interests that are shared.
The Lake McDonald boat tour leaves from Lake McDonald Lodge and uses the largest boat in the fleet, the DeSmet. The tour is an hour and gives you a glimpse into the northern part of the lake that the paddleboards and canoe rentals don’t usually see.
The St. Mary Lake tours are offered in 1.5 hour and 3.5 hour increments and include 1-3 waterfall hikes. I would recommend the 1.5 hour tour for families, which includes a short hike to Bering Falls midway in the cruise.
The Two Medicine tour can be done in 1 of 2 ways. You can stay on the boat for the entire round trip across Two Medicine Lake, or you can disembark halfway for the 1.8 mile round trip hike to Twin Falls (which comes recommended!) before reboarding the boat for the ride back. If you just ride the boat without disembarking, the tour takes about 45 minutes. If you add on the hike, plan for around 2.5 hours for the entire experience.
My daughter on the Many Glacier boat tour as it leaves from the first dock on Swiftcurrent Lake
The Many Glacier tour is probably my favorite of them all, as you take one boat across Swiftcurrent Lake, do a short hike to a second boat, then ride across Lake Josephine. At the far end of Lake Josephine, you can then hike to Grinnell Glacier (not recommend with kids) or Grinnell Lake (an excellent choice for kids) before doing the return boat trips.
Plan at least 3.5 hours for this tour and hikes.
Hiking
Glacier National Park has some excellent hiking, but many of those hikes aren’t ones that I’d recommend for younger kids or beginning hikers.
However, there are still some easy hikes available for the entire family that are short and sweet.
The Camping Kiddos on the Hidden Lake Trail
Hidden Lake Trail at Logan Pass is the most challenging of the hikes listed here, but it’s still fun even if your kids only make it part of the way up. There are boardwalks to traverse, mountain goats to look for, and even some snow if you’re here in the earlier part of the summer!
The further up the trail you get, the steeper it gets, so plan accordingly and only go as far as your kids are comfortable. The entire trail is over 5 miles round trip, which might be out of reach for some families, but you can aim for the overlook, which is largely accessible by the stairs and boardwalk sections.
My son near the trailhead for Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars is a short, sub-1 mile hike that shares a trailhead with the uber-popular Avalanche Lake trailhead, so expect parking woes here.
If you can get a spot, you’ll then get to explore under massive cedar trees on this easy loop hike. It also takes you past Avalanche Gorge, which looks like something out of a fantasy novel. This hike is located in West Glacier.
The Camping Kiddos fam on the John’s Lake Loop spur
The Apgar Multi-Use Path from Apgar Visitors Center to Lake McDonald area in West Glacier is 1.5 miles one way. Practically, it lets you park in the larger parking lot at the visitors center and then explore the Apgar Village area. The trail itself is wide and paved, making it an excellent multi-use trail. If your kids have their bikes or scooters with them, have them stretch their legs here!
Johns Lake Loop is a nearly flat, easy hike through the beautiful forest of West Glacier. On the way to the pretty lake, you’ll through dense forests. Add on the equally enjoyable Upper McDonald Creek spur trail on the other side of Going-to-the-Sun Road for glimpses of McDonald Creek, McDonald Falls, and Sacred Dancing Falls.
Twin Falls trail in Two Medicine is an excellent, easy hike with options.
Option 1 is the longer version, which requires 3.6 miles of hiking round trip. Option 2 includes a boat tour (see above) and cuts down the hiking to under 2 miles.
Either way, you’ll see the beautiful twin cascades after a lovely walk through wildflowers and forest.
The Camping Kiddos at the Twin Falls in Two Medicine
Running Eagle Falls is, hands down, one of my favorite hikes for kids in Glacier. The entire hike is about .7 miles, and there is a short nature hike spur that you can add on to learn about the many berries and edible plants in this area.
On the main hike, you’ll see the beautiful Running Eagle Falls, which is an incredible 2 waterfalls in 1! You can find it in the Two Medicine area.
Running Eagle Falls also has a small stream nearby where you can splash around.
Grinnell Lake Trail in the Many Glacier area is not to be confused with the similarly named Grinnell Glacier Trail. The two share the same trailhead, but the latter is much steeper and longer, and I don’t recommend it for kids.
The Grinnell Lake trail can be taken from the Many Glacier Lodge, and is 7 miles round trip if done this way. (My 11 year old and my husband did this route and loved it.) You can cut that down to 2.8 miles round trip if you take the Many Glacier boat tour (see above).
For younger kids, the 2.8 mile version with the bout tour is quite manageable, and my 7 year old tackled it without any issue.
The water really is that blue!
Baring Falls is a short 0.6 mile round trip from the trailhead near St. Mary Lake, ending in a shorter but still beautiful waterfall that flows into the lake just a few hundred feet away. You can cut this hike down to less than 0.2 miles round trip if you take the St. Mary boat tour (see above).
Junior Ranger Badges
We loved getting our Junior Ranger badges, which are an excellent way to learn about the parks while getting a unique souvenir. If you’re new to the national parks, I’d highly recommend readying my guide to the national parks for beginners, which shares more information about the Junior Ranger program.
You can get a booklet for Glacier’s Junior Ranger program at any of the visitors centers.
Ranger Programs
During the summer months, there are free ranger programs offered throughout the park.
There are regularly scheduled ones at the Nature Center (see above) that are especially catered to kids. We went to one about the ways that animals adapt to the changing environments of Glacier that was super interactive and engaging.
I also highly recommend the Native America Speaks programs, which bring in the native tribes of this area to share their most treasured stories, dances, and art with visitors. These are kid-friendly and an excellent way to help them learn about the people who have called this place home long before it was a park.
Are you planning to add on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks to your vacation, too? Check out these helpful posts:
Where to Stay in Glacier National Park with Kids
The Camping Kiddos get serious about a game of chess in Lake McDonald Lodge.
While there are many places to stay surrounding the park, sometimes, you just want to be in the heart of it all.
Here are a couple of suggestions on where to stay with kids in different areas of Glacier as well as camping suggestions, in and near the park.
Lake McDonald Lodge in West Glacier is one of the earliest lodges built in the park and dates to 1913.
There are many nods to that historic past in its decor, but the hotel simultaneously offers up fresh, modern accommodations.
Listen to the live piano in the lobby while you play chess on the provided boards.
Many Glacier Hotel in (you guessed it!) Many Glacier is a great base as you explore the northeastern section of the park.
It was originally built by the Great Northern Railroad when the company was looking for a foothold in the park, but today it is run by Xanterra, a concessionaire to many of the national parks.
The Many Glacier Hotel with Swiftcurrent Lake behind
Glacier Park Lodge in Two Medicine is accessible by car or Amtrak train, making it a really fun option for families.
At the center of the lobby, you’ll find massive tree trunks that serve both as focal points and support. There’s a huge fireplace in the lobby, too, perfect for relaxing by on a cool evening.
Those are actual tree trunks supporting the lobby!
Sprague Creek Campground in West Glacier is our pick for families driving a Class B, pulling a small travel trailer, or tent camping.
This inexpensive campground is located right off of Going-to-the-Sun Road and not far from Lake McDonald Lodge, putting you in driving distance of everything along the main corridor through the park.
Our pick for accommodations outside of the park is the Beargrass Lodging and RV Park in Hungry Horse, about 15 minutes from the Apgar entrance.
There are adorable, clean rooms here with kitchenettes, and a small but well kept RV park. The entire place is family run, so you’ll get to know the dad, son-in-law, daughter, and grandkids during your stay! My kids adored the large pool and playground.
Where to Eat in Glacier National Park with Kids
There aren’t a lot of places to eat inside the park, and the ones that are available are often like the dining room at Lake McDonald Lodge: sit down, on the dressier side of casual, and take valuable time out of your day. Plus, much of the food in the park is overpriced for what you get.
There are a few exceptions that are great for kids, offer quick service, and reasonable prices (for Glacier).
Glacier Pizza in West Glacier Village has some delicious pizza with combos that will match any family’s taste buds. There is outdoor seating available. After you’re done with your food, you can stop next door for a quick round of mini-golf.
Many Glacier Lodge has Heidi’s Snack Shop and Espresso Stand, which offers up tasty muffins for the kids and coffees for the adults. There’s also a variety of juices, sandwiches, and soft drinks that you can eat in the lodge’s lobby while gazing out at the lake.
Eddie’s Cafe in Apgar Village has a hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu with favorites like salads, burgers, and huckleberry-peach pie. If you’re really lucky, you might get one of the 4 tables on the outside patio, where you’ll have Lake McDonald as your backdrop as you eat.
Over near Glacier Park Lodge and just outside of the national park entrance, there is a tiny, bright pink food trailer called the Burger Box that serves up massive fry bread tacos and hamburgers. If kids aren’t adventurous enough to try either of those, you can get a plain piece of fry bread with honey and cinnamon which is a favorite of my kids.
Tips for Visiting Glacier National Park with Kids
Parking can be rough.
To see the beautiful Avalanche Gorge, you’re going to have to be patient with the parking situation.
There are a couple of pain points throughout the park that are a struggle, and you need to be willing to either keep looping around the parking area or be okay with passing the area by.
The parking area for Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake is far too small for the number of people who use it during peak season. You’ll want to try this area at different times of day and circle the lot; you’ll eventually luck up.
Apgar Village has very, very little parking, and I wouldn’t even attempt to leave your car here. Instead, park in the Apgar visitors center and walk over to Apgar Village via the multi-use path.
Logan Pass is also usually very busy from mid-morning and into the early afternoon.
Part of the parking lot is dedicated to the Jammer buses, which further limits an already strained parking situation.
That being said, we’ve found that people move in and out of here quickly, so you can get a spot fairly easily if you’re patient.
The overlook at Siyeh Bend between Logan Pass and St. Mary Lake is always busy, too, so keep looking each time you pass on Going-to-the-Sun Road as there’s no really great place to turn around here.
Be prepared for a wildlife encounter.
Bears and moose are a real concern when you’re visiting in the summer months, so you should do your best to prepare for an encounter.
Don’t let your kids run ahead on the trails lest they startle a bear around a corner.
Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Always have it clipped to the outside of your pack where you can grab it within seconds. Have your kids walk behind you so that if you do stumble on a mama bear or moose, you’ll be the first in line and can deploy the bear spray if necessary.
When hiking in bear country, we clip bells to our backpacks and sing loudly, if not in tune!. We’ll call out to the bears to let them know we’re coming. You could tell jokes or recite the alphabet—anything to be loud, which is not difficult for most kids. Ha.
Bears don’t want to be around you anymore than you want to be around them, and, if they hear you coming, they will do their best to move out of their way.
Never, ever, ever approach any wildlife in Glacier. Use the rule of thumb to decide if you’re at a safe distance: if you can hold your thumb out in front of you while your arm is extended and your thumb covers the animal, you’re at an okay distance. If not, step back.
While at Glacier, we’ve seen multiple moose hanging out by the trails, swimming, and relaxing in the water. We’ve seen mountain goats bounding on seemingly impossible cliffsides, and bighorn sheep trotting through the snow. We came within a few feet (accidentally!) of a large elk grazing on the Grinnell Lake Trail, who was so quiet that we didn’t see her until we were nearly nose-to-nose.
Just be aware while you’re out and about and keep those kiddos close.
West Glacier is the busiest part of the park.
While I know that West Glacier is a visitor favorite since it’s so close to Whitefish and Kalispell, if you can get out of West Glacier for part of your trip, you will have a very different experience in the other areas of the park.
Two Medicine and Many Glacier look like ghost towns compared to the crowds you’ll see in Apgar Village.
I’m not saying avoid West Glacier as there’s plenty of fun activities and hikes there; I’m encouraging you to wander a bit further afield to get away from the crowd, even though that means a bit of extra driving.
Be careful around the rivers and streams.
These little fishies love to splash around—safely.
I will preface this tip section by saying that I was a lifeguard for 6 years in high school and college, and, therefore, far more obsessed with water safety than most parents.
Preparing to get into the 42 degree water at St. Mary Lake. He had regrets about 10 seconds after I took this picture!
However, the water at Glacier is absolutely not to be messed with, and you need to watch your children vigilantly.
While we were looking for parking at Trail of the Cedars, we were turned away from that part of the park by rangers as search and rescue was looking for a man who’d fallen into Avalanche Gorge. We later saw the helicopter searching low along McDonald Creek for him. We found out that he drowned after leaning too far over the railing on the Avalanche Lake trail near the Gorge.
That same day, another visitor was swimming in Lake McDonald, got fatigued, and drowned before others could get to him.
The water here is cold and moves swiftly in the late spring and summer as snowmelt causes the rivers to rise.
If your child wants to go swimming, use the beach at Apgar Village to access Lake McDonald, or opt for a calm lake such as Grinnell Lake.
The water is still going to be freezing even in mid-summer, so watch them carefully for signs of hypothermia and don’t let them stay in too long.
Layer, layer, layer.
My son layers up with a sweater over his t-shirt for an early morning hike.
Even in the summer, the weather can vary greatly throughout the day. Aim to bring light, loose layers in both short and long sleeves, so your children can pick their level of comfort.
You can add sweatshirts or long sleeved tees in the mornings and evenings and shed those mid-day.
I packed leggings in addition to my shorts, and I was grateful for the options.
She who holds the walkie talkie rules the world (or at least the vacation).
Consider bringing walkie talkies.
The cell phone reception throughout the park was spotty for us at best.
At the times when we were traveling here with my parents and were in two vehicles, we relied on walkie talkies to keep one another up to date on where we each were.
It was so much easier than checking to see if we had cell signal and then grumbling when we didn’t.
We have Verizon, and it struggled in the park everywhere east of Apgar Village, up Going-to-the-Sun Road and near St. Mary.
We got some reception between St. Mary and the turnoff to Many Glacier, but that wasn’t super reliable.
East Glacier and Two Medicine were a bit stronger, but we continued using the walkie talkies since they were easier.
Bring proper footwear.
Even if you’re sticking to the easier trails and activities in Glacier, you’re still going to be walking into rocky-bottomed rivers, possibly wading through melting snow, and hiking on uneven dirt trails.
Leave those flip flops, Crocs, and tennis shoes at home and bring shoes that are going to work with you and not against you.
I highly recommend Keen Newport H2 hiking sandals, which have a sturdy sole, grooved tread, comfortable neoprene interior and adjustable toggles for the perfect fit. The side slits led water run through the shoe and the neoprene to dry quickly.
Shop the Keen Newport H2s on Amazon: Women’s | Men’s | Kids’
My entire family wears these, and we are really happy with them. My pair is nearly 6 years old, has countless miles on them, and barely look used. 100% worth every dime I paid for them.
Bathrooms are far and few between.
I know that traveling with kids can be slow, often because they need to use the restroom at the most inconvenient times possible (i.e. about 5 minutes after you leave a place with a toilet, when they previously insisted they absolutely didn’t need to go!).
Glacier doesn’t have a lot of bathrooms, so you’ll either need to have your kids hold it or get creative with a pee funnel for girls on a road side stop or a portable tiny toilet for potty training kids.
There are a few public bathrooms along Going-to-the-Sun Road:
Apgar Visitors Center (flush)
Apgar Village near Eddie’s (flush)
Inside Lake McDonald Lodge near the dining room entrance (flush)
Avalanche Picnic Area (vault)
Near John’s Lake Loop trailhead (vault)
Near Bird Woman Falls overlook (vault)
Logan Pass (flush)
Near Rising Sun boat dock (flush)
St. Mary visitors center (flush)
There are several stretches of the road where you’re not close to any toilet, flush or vault, so help your kids make us of them when you can. And bring extra hand sanitizer if you have to use the vault toilets, which are the bane of my existence.
