Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park & Whitefish, Montana

“Thanks” to the pandemic of 2020, most of us have spent more time indoors this summer than any other (which is our family’s least favorite thing). After several weeks of monitoring the news, we were ecstatic to learn that we finally didn’t have to cancel another trip this year! So on we went to spend a week soaking in the fresh air, sunshine, and mountain views of northern Montana. Though not always a go-to trip for vacations, the mountains have so much to offer- natural beauty, (mostly) refreshing weather, wildlife sightings, a more casual atmosphere, and many unique food & drink spots along the way. If you are looking for a get-a-way with some space between you and others, then this is the trip for you! (Especially if you’re looking for a digital cleanse, the lack of cell service is actually a blessing)

WHERE TO STAY

· Under Canvas Glacier- Our 3rd Under Canvas location did not disappoint! Whether you stay in a suite with your own bathroom, or decide to save money and choose a tent with communal bathrooms- this lodging is a much more glamourous take on camping. With a tiny wood-fed fireplace in the tent to warm yourselves at nights & in the mornings, to a volleyball court and cookouts down by the main hut, this is a great way to connect with the outdoors (a safe distance from bears). 

· Airbnb (Whitefish)- This place was a dream and gave us abundant home inspiration to take back to Ohio. Located in the center of the most adorable town, we stayed here for 3 of the 6 nights and enjoyed being able to walk to shops, bars, and restaurants. 

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK

If you can’t tell from all the food pics, we LOVE to eat and definitely indulge on local beers & liquors. Below are our most loved drink spots/restaurants from the trip. Keep in mind if you venture here in the summer during huckleberry season you can enjoy almost everything with a taste of huckleberry!

Drinks/Food in Whitefish

· Backslope Brewing (drinks)- we stopped here on our way from Coram into Whitefish and were pleased with the local beers offered, they rotate their selection frequently but if you love ginger try there BUXOM J. 

· Great Northern Bar & Grill (drinks)- another very casual beer spot with an outside patio.

· Spotted Bear Spirits (drinks) - this is a local distillery that offers up tastings and drinks from vodka to tequila; go for their margaritas (add huckleberry) and don’t be afraid to do a tasting flight! Their coffee liqueur tasted like dessert. The gin gimlet is also a great choice.

· Craggy Range Bar & Grill (drinks/lunch/dinner) - we had a small appetizer here, but stopped in for some drinks and ended up getting a beer tower on a Tuesday because why not?

· Abruzzo Italian Kitchen (dinner)- Classier spot with endless amounts of bread and an extensive wine list, took us back to our Italy trip last year with the fresh made pasta!

· INDAH Sushi (dinner)- amazing outdoor spot to enjoy fresh sushi and some red wine, for a classier night in the mountains!

· Latitude 48 Bistro (dinner)- our first night in Whitefish we didn’t end up eating till 9 PM because we were exploring, this place did not disappoint and was our favorite spot. Try their spicy marg and don’t shy away from the risotto or the fresh whitefish! Appetizer suggestion- 100% try the bao buns.

· Sweet Peaks Ice-Cream (dessert)- we have a few ice-cream lovers in our fam, so we stopped here twice. Think Jeni’s inspired flavors (they also have amazing milkshakes!!)

· Folklore Coffee - located underneath our Airbnb, we stopped here on our first morning before we explored the shops. Great coffee and great service, we also loved how many books they had in the shop that you can take with you or leave behind for future customers. 

· Buffalo Café (breakfast, lunch, or dinner)- - another amazing breakfast spot (because why not treat yourself every morning).

· Loula’s Café (breakfast)- we stopped in here for breakfast and only had a short wait for 5 people, the place is always busy! Everyone’s go to was the French toast!

· Swift Creek Café (breakfast)- - a small scale breakfast shop that offered up some unique breakfast options, try the lemon ricotta pancakes!!

· Mountain Berry Bowls (breakfast/lunch food truck)- a great smoothie bowl stop for a refreshing breakfast, lunch, or snack

Food/Drinks near Glacier (Flathead Valley)

· Glacier Distilling (drinks)- we couldn’t make it in for their whiskey tasting but GO IF YOU HAVE TIME!!! Place looks adorable, and they sell at a lot of the dinner spots we frequented. 

· Packers Roost (drinks/lunch/dinner)- 1 mile from under canvas, this is the local hole in the wall bar that has the best customer service and great beer options!

· Glacier Grill (dinner)- come here for the best pizza and range of beers after a day of hiking, we recommend the milkshakes for an after dinner treat too! 

· Josephine’s Bar & Kitchen (dinner)- We stopped in for a late dinner after our 2nd day of hiking, they have a great outside patio, but we were dying from the heat so chose to eat inside. Try the bison gyro and pack mule! (P.S this is right beside glacier distilling so if you have a wait time, stop down there for a tasting!)

· Middle Forks Eats (breakfast/lunch)- UNREAL Mexican food truck that was situated in the center of the park’s town square- try the breakfast tacos or burrito!!

· Sunflower Café (breakfast)- We ate breakfast here TWICE because we loved it so much. Amazing breakfast sandwiches and decent coffee, but what we loved most was the ambiance of camping with only outside seating!

· The Nut Hut (coffee)- this was located a mile before you enter Glacier National park, its off the side of the road in a small trailer with delicious almonds and UNREAL coffee (they even have iced and specialty coffees!)

*Honorable mentions we didn’t get to try in Whitefish: Tupelo Grille, Amazing Crepes, Montana Coffee Traders and Casey’s.

*Also if you’re planning on spending all day in the park be sure to pack snacks, lunch, and extra water from the market or a local grocery store!

WHAT TO DO:

· Horseback Riding- Highly recommend doing a trail ride via Swans Mountain Outfitters. Whether you are an experienced rider or its your first time, the instructors are very informative. If you can book the cowboy dinner experience and bring your own liquor!

· Hiking- there are endless hikes you can do in Glacier National Park, see below for our top 3!

1.  High line Trail- I swear we keep topping our hardest hikes but if you want to get to Granite Park Chalet it’s a 15 mile hike out and back. The hike starts off with a narrow path on the side of the mountain and the views never disappoint the entire time. If you are smart, start at Logan Pass and after seeing the chalets, scale down the mountain and end at The Loop which is only 12 miles, if you have someone willing to pick you up at the bottom since shuttles are not running this summer due to covid. If you don’t want to complete the whole thing, at least hike to Haystack Pass and back (about 7 miles roundtrip).

2. St Mary’s Lake/Virginia Falls- our hike on the first day, this hike ended up being over 7 miles (varies depending on where you park) and was so serene with two beautiful waterfalls. We also were lucky enough to see a moose bathing himself in the lake below with our binoculars!

3. Hidden Lake Overlook- don’t let this 3 mile hike out and back fool you, as you are constantly hiking at an incline and through areas of snow! The hike down is a lot easier, we could only go to the outlook point as bears were feeding on spawning fish. Check Glacier’s website to see if the trail is open as sometimes they close it due to bears getting too close.

· Visit the top of Whitefish Resort Mountain- We took the ski lifts to the top of the mountain and enjoyed beers at the top. 

· Visit Whitefish Lake- either rent a boat or paddle board or soak up the sun on the shoreline for a few hours before tackling your next adventure in the mountains. 

· Shopping in Whitefish- There were a ton of spots to shop in whitefish but two that stood out to us were

1. Mums Flower shop - Along with being a flower shop, their visual merchandising was on point and a great spot to buy gifts to bring home

2. Axehead- known for all their hand made goods such as leather patches for hats and iron coasters. The owner was so impressive with his knowledge of the town and was a blast to hang out with.

Summer 2020 Glacier National Park Update:

            Due to Covid, only the west entrance of the park is open and the Road to the Sun ends before you reach the town of St. Mary’s. No shuttle buses are running either. We were excited that we were able to explore West Glacier, but are already looking forward to a future return when East/Many Glacier is open as they have amazing hiking there as well. Glacier National Park is truly one of the most beautiful places in America; the park is only open about 4 months out of the year so start planning your trip now!