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.

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
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A
S
O
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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
How this park ranks

Annual visitors per trail mile

LowestHighest

Annual visitors per campsite

LowestHighest

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

Camping

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

shoreline of mountain lake surrounded by forest

Apgar CampgroundReservable

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

Avalanche CampgroundReservable

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

Bowman LakeFirst-Come

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

Cut BankFirst-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 Hikers10/10Photographers10/10Adventure Seekers9/10Families Teens8/10Couples8/10International Visitors8/10

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.

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

Stories

6 National Parks Where Fall Foliage Steals the ShowSix parks where elevation, trees, and timing converge to create the best fall color shows in the National Park System10 National Park Trails With the Most Elevation GainGlacier's steepest climbs ranked by vertical feet, from lung-burners to summit scrambles that earn every inch of elevation10 Short National Park Trails That Pack Serious ElevationTen trails that deliver serious elevation in small packages, from Denali climbs to vertical shortcuts you'll pay for on the way back10 Most Demanding Trails in the National ParksThe national park trails that test your conditioning, patience, and ability to keep moving when your legs start negotiating for rest breaks8 Parks for Wildlife Without the CrowdsEight parks where world-class wildlife encounters come without the crowds—and why April is the season to visit8 Parks Photographers Have All to ThemselvesEight parks where photographers get world-class shots without the crowds. April delivers wildflowers, snow, and elbow room8 Best National Parks for BackpackingEight national parks where backpacking means something more than a long day hike—from Alaska's trackless tundra to Utah's slickrock canyons8 National Parks With the Most TrailsEight parks where trail networks measure in hundreds of miles and you could hike every weekend for years without repeating routes8 Parks Where Spring Arrives FirstEight national parks where June brings perfect weather and actual elbow room while the famous names turn into parking nightmares8 National Parks That Stay Cool in SummerEight national parks where June means cool air, open roads, and crowds that haven't peaked yet8 National Parks That Are Better in WinterEight national parks where June brings comfortable weather, fewer crowds, and landscapes at their peak8 National Parks Where You Can Sleep Inside the ParkEight national parks where staying inside the boundaries puts you on the trails before crowds arrive8 National Parks Where You Can Still See GlaciersEight parks where ice still carves mountains, from roadside glaciers in Alaska to Nevada's unlikely alpine surprise8 National Parks With the Most to DoThese eight parks pack more activities into one trip than most national parks offer in three seasons8 National Parks With the Most CampgroundsThese parks lead the country in campground volume, spreading hundreds of sites across varied terrain and seasons10 Best Waterfall Hikes in the National ParksCrater Lake's waterfalls and water features deliver what postcard views can't: solitude, old-growth forests, and geological oddities worth the walk10 Best Lake Hikes in the National ParksGlacier National Park dominates this ranking for a reason: glacier-carved basins, alpine lakes, and water so cold it hurts to touch10 Short National Park Trails That Pack a PunchCapitol Reef's best short trails pack slot canyons, arches, and real scrambling into distances that fit between breakfast and lunch8 National Parks With Every Kind of TrailEight parks where you can hike coastal cliffs, desert slots, alpine ridges, and cedar forests without changing your parking spotThe Rocky Mountain National Parks Road TripSix mountain parks stay open all winter and welcome families without specialized gear or backcountry skills8 national parks with the most waterfallsEight parks where waterfalls define the landscape, from Yosemite's iconic drops to North Cascades' glacial cascades almost nobody seesGlacier vs Grand Teton: which park should you visit?Glacier spreads its drama across three times the terrain. Grand Teton delivers vertical shock in a fraction of the space8 national parks with the most paved trailsFrom Acadia's carriage roads to Yellowstone's geothermal boardwalks, these parks prove accessibility doesn't mean sacrificing scenery8 parks perfect for college grads this summerEight national parks that reward ambition, stay open past dark, and don't require a trust fund to enjoyFatal bear attack at Glacier National Park: what trails are closed right nowFatal grizzly attack closes Glacier's most iconic trails. Here's what you need to know before you visit in May8 historic lodges in national parks worth the splurgeEight historic lodges where the architecture rivals the landscape and reservations open months in advance8 parks with the best visitor centersEight parks where the visitor centers are worth planning your day around and ranger programs translate geology into storiesGrinnell Glacier Trail closed after second bear attack of the season at Glacier National ParkGrinnell Glacier Trail closed after second bear attack this season as grizzlies and hikers collide in Glacier's high country8 parks for photographers this summerEight mountain parks where wildflowers peak, snowpack lingers, and summer crowds haven't arrived yet10 best alpine lake hikes in the national parksGlacier's alpine lakes dominate this list for good reason: glacial water, dramatic cirques, and scenery worth the suffering8 wheelchair-accessible scenic drives in national parksEight national parks where the best views come from the road, not the trail. No vertical gain required5 national parks where August beats JulyFive national parks where August solves July's problems: better weather, open roads, and crowds that actually thin out8 parks where wildlife viewing peaks in summerEight parks where alpine terrain and open landscapes turn summer into peak season for watching bears, wolves, and herdsGlacier National Park's Many Glacier Valley floods and evacuates — what visitors need to knowMany Glacier Valley flooded and closed. Here's what's still open, where to hike instead, and what caused the washout10 best wildflower hikes in the national parksGlacier owns the wildflower conversation. These ten trails deliver alpine meadows, cirque lakes, and blooms so dense they look unreal.8 national parks with backcountry campsites worth the permit waitEight parks where the backcountry permit lottery protects terrain worth the wait, from Glacier's alpine basins to Denali's zone system8 national park campgrounds that book out in minutesEight national park campgrounds that vanish in minutes, and what makes them worth the digital cage match8 national parks with the most dramatic summer thunderstormsWhere August thunderstorms turn national parks into electric theaters, from alpine peaks to desert canyons10 best ridge hikes in the national parksTen ridge hikes where exposed granite, ocean views, and actual scrambling separate the peak-baggers from the parking lot crowd7 national parks where September is better than JulySkip the July crowds. These seven parks are better in September: cooler temps, thinner crowds, same trails

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 Park322 mi away
North Cascades National Park338 mi away
Grand Teton National Park367 mi away