Overview

Glacier delivers alpine grandeur on a scale few parks can match — 700+ miles of trails threading through knife-edge ridges, turquoise lakes, and 25 named glaciers (down from 150 a century ago). The Going-to-the-Sun Road is legitimately one of America's greatest drives. The catch: peak season (July-August) brings tour buses and parking lot gridlock at trailheads, especially Many Glacier and Logan Pass. Visit in late September for golden larches, thinner crowds, and the same jaw-dropping scenery minus the chaos.

Trail Tip

Skip the Logan Pass madness and drive to Many Glacier at dawn — you'll have Grinnell Glacier Trail nearly to yourself for the first 90 minutes. The 11-mile round trip gains 1,600 feet but rewards with electric-blue icebergs calving into the lake. Bring microspikes even in July; that final traverse stays icy.

When to Go

The sweet spot is June — good weather meets manageable crowds. Peak season hits in July.

Going-to-the-Sun Road opens mid-month. Peak wildflowers. Snow lingers on high trails. Best weather-to-crowd ratio of summer.

Monthly crowd levels — click a month for details

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F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
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D
Low Moderate High Peak

Seasonal Closures

Going-to-the-Sun Road: Typically closed early November to mid-June due to heavy snow

Many high elevation trails: Snow and avalanche danger limit access

How Busy Is It?

How Glacier compares to all 62 national parks

Busier than 32% of national parks

QuietBusy
Moderate

More crowded trails than 25% of parks

QuietBusy
Moderate

Higher campsite pressure than 45% of parks

EasyTough
Moderate
4,584 Visitors / Trail Mile
781 Campsite Pressure

Notable Trails

Glacier has more trail mileage than 90% of national parks, with 700 miles across 745 maintained trails.

The difficulty split leans moderate to strenuous — only 20% of trails are rated easy.

Easy 20% Moderate 54% Strenuous 26%

Grinnell Glacier Trail

moderate
10.6 mi ·1,560 ft gain ·6-7 hours hrs

Mount Jackson

strenuous
10.6 mi ·4,000 ft gain ·8-10 hours hrs

Iceberg Lake

moderate
9.8 mi ·1,000 ft gain ·5-6 hours hrs

Hidden Lake Overlook

moderate
3 mi ·680 ft gain ·2-3 hours hrs
View all 78 trails
Trail Tip

Start early — Glacier's most popular trailheads fill up by mid-morning in peak season.

Camping

13 campgrounds with 1014 total sites. About 46% are first-come, first-served.

shoreline of mountain lake surrounded by forest

Apgar Campground Reservable

194 sites ·$30/night ·Seasonal
tent, picnic table, and fire ring in forest site

Avalanche Campground Reservable

87 sites ·$30/night ·Seasonal
clouds, conifer forest and mountains reflected in lake

Bowman Lake First-Come

48 sites ·$25/night ·Seasonal
Two people walk down a trail near the Cut Bank Campground under cloudy skies with mountains behind.

Cut Bank First-Come

14 sites ·$20/night ·Seasonal
View all 13 campgrounds

Top Activities

Glacier excels at 14 of 17 activity types — here are the standouts rated 7/10 or higher.

Hiking

10/10

700+ miles of trails from easy valley walks to challenging alpine and backcountry routes

Scenic Driving

10/10

Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of America's most scenic drives; Lake McDonald and St. Mary roads also spectacular

Photography

10/10

Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and Lake McDonald provide world-class photography opportunities

Backpacking

9/10

Extensive backcountry with 60 maintained campsites; permits required; Gunsight and Cutbank Passes popular

Wildlife Viewing

9/10

Grizzly and black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose; best early morning/dawn

Horseback Riding

8/10

Commercial outfitters available; many backcountry trails open to horses; High Sierra Camps accessible

Kayaking Canoeing

8/10

Multiple pristine glacial lakes (Lake McDonald, Lake Louise, St. Mary Lake)

Fishing

8/10

Cutthroat and lake trout in streams and alpine lakes; some catch-and-release only

Bird Watching

8/10

Over 260 bird species; Pileated woodpeckers, bald eagles, water birds, and alpine species

Stargazing

8/10

Dark skies in backcountry; high elevation provides excellent stargazing away from development

Snowshoeing

8/10

Many trails convert to snowshoe routes in winter; lake and valley areas accessible

Ranger Programs

8/10

Ranger-led hikes, campfire programs, evening talks, and Junior Ranger activities June-September

Rock Climbing

7/10

Limited technical climbing; some alpine scrambling and rock routes available

Cross Country Skiing

7/10

Limited winter access; Lake McDonald and west side offer some winter trail options

Who It's For

Experienced Hikers 10/10 Photographers 10/10 Adventure Seekers 9/10 Families Teens 8/10 Couples 8/10 International Visitors 8/10

Planning Your Trip

Getting There

Nearest city: Missoula, MT (120 mi). Fly into FCA.

In-Park Services

Gas available · Lodging available · Cell: limited

Gateway Town

West Glacier, MT / Kalispell, MT — full amenities

Featured In ?Rankings based on data-driven scoring across all 62 national parks.

#5 Best National Parks for Hiking #5 Best National Parks for Stargazing #7 Best National Parks for Camping #6 Best National Parks for Scenic Drives #9 Best National Parks for Fishing #5 Best National Parks for Backpacking #3 Best National Parks for Experienced Hikers

Stories

10 National Park Trails With the Most Elevation Gain Glacier's steepest climbs ranked by vertical feet, from lung-burners to summit scrambles that earn every inch of elevation 10 Short National Park Trails That Pack Serious Elevation Ten trails that deliver serious elevation in small packages, from Denali climbs to vertical shortcuts you'll pay for on the way back 10 Most Demanding Trails in the National Parks The national park trails that test your conditioning, patience, and ability to keep moving when your legs start negotiating for rest breaks 8 Parks for Wildlife Without the Crowds Eight parks where world-class wildlife encounters come without the crowds—and why April is the season to visit 8 Parks Photographers Have All to Themselves Eight parks where photographers get world-class shots without the crowds. April delivers wildflowers, snow, and elbow room 8 Best National Parks for Backpacking Eight national parks where backpacking means something more than a long day hike—from Alaska's trackless tundra to Utah's slickrock canyons 8 National Parks With the Most Trails Eight parks where trail networks measure in hundreds of miles and you could hike every weekend for years without repeating routes 8 National Parks Where You Can Sleep Inside the Park Eight national parks where staying inside the boundaries puts you on the trails before crowds arrive 8 National Parks Where You Can Still See Glaciers Eight parks where ice still carves mountains, from roadside glaciers in Alaska to Nevada's unlikely alpine surprise 8 National Parks With the Most to Do These eight parks pack more activities into one trip than most national parks offer in three seasons 8 National Parks With the Most Campgrounds These parks lead the country in campground volume, spreading hundreds of sites across varied terrain and seasons 10 Best Waterfall Hikes in the National Parks Crater Lake's waterfalls and water features deliver what postcard views can't: solitude, old-growth forests, and geological oddities worth the walk 10 Best Lake Hikes in the National Parks Glacier National Park dominates this ranking for a reason: glacier-carved basins, alpine lakes, and water so cold it hurts to touch 10 Short National Park Trails That Pack a Punch Capitol Reef's best short trails pack slot canyons, arches, and real scrambling into distances that fit between breakfast and lunch 8 National Parks With Every Kind of Trail Eight parks where you can hike coastal cliffs, desert slots, alpine ridges, and cedar forests without changing your parking spot The Rocky Mountain National Parks Road Trip Six mountain parks stay open all winter and welcome families without specialized gear or backcountry skills

Compare Glacier

See how Glacier stacks up against other national parks — crowds, trails, and more.

Compare Glacier

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Glacier National Park?

The best month to visit Glacier is June, based on a balance of weather, crowds, and accessibility. Peak visitation is in July. The park has 5 comfortable months for visiting.

How crowded is Glacier National Park?

Glacier is moderately crowded, with a congestion index of 3.8/10. The park receives 3.2M visitors annually across 1,583 square miles.

How many trails does Glacier National Park have?

Glacier has 700 miles of trails across 150 easy, 400 moderate, and 195 strenuous routes. Popular trails include Grinnell Glacier Trail, Mount Jackson, Iceberg Lake.

Can you camp at Glacier National Park?

Yes, Glacier has 13 campgrounds with 1014 total sites. Some sites are available first-come, first-served.

Is Glacier National Park open year-round?

Yes, Glacier is open year-round, though some roads and facilities may close seasonally. The park's climate is classified as alpine_temperate.

Nearby Parks

Yellowstone National Park 322 mi away
North Cascades National Park 338 mi away
Grand Teton National Park 367 mi away