A Pit Stop a Day (Day 6): Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

July 2, 2010 By

The climb up the snow is challenging (and the trail is single file)!

Day 6 was our last full day at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. For today’s featured pit stop, we decided to hike from Logan’s Pass to Hidden Lake.

We drove the approximate 21 miles back to the St. Mary Visitor Center Park Entrance, then another few to the Logan Pass Visitor Center at the peak of the famed Going to the Sun Road (en route, we stopped to let a black bear cross the road!).

The Hidden Lake Nature Trail begins directly behind the visitor’s center. It consists of a fairly steady incline for 1.5 miles to the Hidden Lake overlook. It’s a strenuous hike (some people were carrying skis and snowboards up the trail so they could ski or board down, if that gives you an idea), but the return route is a breeze! We opted to eat a picnic lunch at the overlook; there are no tables, but the viewing platform serves as a nice spot to sit down and take in the view (which is spectacular). We ended up sharing our spot (but not our lunch) with three mountain goats who loped over to see what we were doing!

The resident mountain goats at Logan Pass were not shy!

Note: As you can see, the entire trail was covered in snow at the time of our visit. This made for an extremely challenging 3 mile hike! Rangers told us that by mid-July, most of the surface snow has melted, allowing visitors to hike on raised boardwalks instead. If you plan to go when snow is likely, be sure to wear hiking boots with a good grip and sunglasses (the glare is fierce, and the trail is exposed to sun).

Extra Tip: If the Hidden Lake Nature Trail seems too challenging to your group, and easier (but very beautiful) option is the Sun Point Nature Trail to Barring Falls. An easy .9 mile hike (one way), the trail follows the lake shore to stunning Barring Falls. Flat terrain. You can find the trail head approximately 10 miles back toward St. Mary on the Going to the Sun Road at the Sun Point parking lot.

Calvin reports his opinion on the hike on our new ‘Pit Stops for Kids Cam’:

Date last visited: June 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Approximately 20 miles from Hwy 89.

Admission Prices: Only the $25 per car National Park fee.

Food Services: None at the visitor’s center. If you don’t pack food in, the nearest food is back in St. Mary, where you’ll find the Park Cafe (our ranger told us they have the best pie she’s ever had).

Bathrooms: Available at the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center.

Website: Hidden Lake Nature Trail

Directions: From St. Mary (Hwy 89), enter the park at the St. Mary Visitor Center. Follow the Going to the Sun road past St. Mary Lake and up toward the pass. The Logan Pass Visitor’s Center is on the left.

Up Next: We drive south to Big Sky, Montana, stopping at Boulder Hot Springs to sample their soothing geothermal waters!

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 5): Swiftcurrent Lake Cruise

July 1, 2010 By

The Morning Eagle: a wonderful way to see the park interior.

Day 5 found us lucky enough to wake up once again at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. We spent the morning hiking nearby trails, then boarded Chief Two Guns for a Swiftcurrent Lake Cruise offered by the Glacier Park Boat Company.

What a great way to combine sightseeing, a guided tour, hiking, and boating! We departed from the dock of the Many Glacier Hotel on Swiftcurrent Lake and cruised to the opposite side (approximately 15 minutes). Passengers then walked .2 mile over a hill to nearby Josephine Lake, where we boarded the Morning Eagle, another cruise boat. From there, we crossed Josephine Lake and passengers were offered the choice of returning to Many Glacier or hiking 2.3 miles (round trip) to Lake Grinnell.

Boarding the boat after a .2 mile walk from Swiftwater Lake to Josephine Lake.

We opted for the latter (as did most passengers¦we had a group of about 30). The guided hike was simply stunning. Before we had walked ten yards, our naturalist (guide) was pointing out a moose and her calf in the reeds by the lake. Later on, we encountered moose and elk prints, many waterfalls on the mountainsides, a swinging and swaying wooden bridge, and Lake Grinnell itself. Our guide was knowledgeable, and while I usually prefer hiking without a large group, it was nice to gain the information. Besides, we were in bear country, so I didn’t mind the extra people (safety in numbers, right?).

The hike to Grinnell Lake includes a wooden cable bridge over icy glacial waters!

The kids had fun on the boats (and Toby once again got to take a turn at the helm). Despite the substantial cost, we give this tour a thumbs up: we’d do it again!

Toby at the helm of Chief Two Guns.

Note: You can access Lake Grinnell and the surrounding area without taking a boat cruise. From the Swiftcurrent Lake loop trail (which begins at the Many Glacier Hotel), it’s only approximately 1.3 miles (one way). In fact, Calvin, Nate, and my dad opted to walk back from the Lake boat dock instead of waiting for the return boat: it took them 45 minutes.

Date last visited: June 2010.

Distance off the interstate: 21 miles from St. Mary, 12 miles from Hwy 89.

Admission Prices: $22 per adult, $11 per child (under 12)

Hours: Cruises across Swiftcurrent Lake and adjacent Lake run multiple times daily. Cruises with guided hike to Lake Grinnell depart at 9 am and 2 pm daily.

Food Services: None. Bring your own snacks and water, as you’re out for 3.5 hours.

Bathrooms: Pit toilets are located at two locations along the trail. They were as clean as pit toilets reasonably can be!

Website: Glacier National Park lake cruises

Directions: See directions to the Many Glacier Hotel.

Up Next: It’s winter in the end of June as we hike on a glacier!

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 4): The Many Glacier Hotel

June 30, 2010 By

On Day 4, we drove from Spokane, WA to Glacier National Park, which took us along Hwy 2 and Hwy 93.

94 years old, the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park opened to the public on July 4, 1915. The hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1976.

Located in the northeastern section of Glacier National Park on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, the Many Glacier is a classic national park lodge in every sense: it’s rustic, beautiful, scenic, and imposingly elegant. Five stories tall, it contains a grand lobby, sprawling decks overlooking the lake, Swiss style architecture, and 214 guest rooms within two large chalets offering lakeside, standard, and value accommodations.

My family and I stayed at The Many Glacier for three nights (Sun-Tues). The hotel was near capacity when we visited in late June (not long after park opening), but The Many Glacier didn’t feel crowded at all. In fact, if you want to feel in the thick of things’, you’d be best suited in W. Glacier (on the opposite side of the park) and its surrounding villages. Many Glacier is a full 21 miles from the nearest visitor center at St. Mary (although only 1 mile from a ranger station where kids can pick up Junior Ranger kits) and over an hour’s drive (over the Going to the Sun Road¦a must!) from Lake McDonald.

So what is there to do at The Many Glacier? More than you can possibly fit in! (Our first full day at the hotel, we never touched our car.) The hotel sits lakeside, with beautiful views in every direction. Over 700 miles of hiking trails criss-cross Glacier National Park, many of which fan out directly from the hotel. We sampled six miles of them, and saw a moose, rabbits, and bighorn sheep! (On the Going to the Sun Road, we braked for a black bear cub!) Boat tours of Swiftcurrent Lake and other surrounding lakes depart regularly from the hotel’s dock. Also on-site is a stable (horseback riding starts at $40 an hour) and a kiosk at the dock where you can rent canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. At the front of the hotel is a departure location for the park’s famed Red Bus Tours.

The rooms at The Many Glacier are what I’d call comfortable with no frills’ (which was just fine with us). Standard rooms have a double bed and a twin, a full bathroom with tub, heating/air conditioning units, and a balcony. What they do not have: internet access, TV sets, hair dryers, mini-fridges, or coffee makers. Trust me, these inconveniences are worth bearing for the view alone!

Note: In addition to the above, there is no wifi or cell service at The Many Glacier (or anywhere within the national park). The Park Cafe in St. Mary has wireless access.

The hotel staff (as I’ve routinely found to be true in national parks) was, without exception, polite, friendly, helpful, and passionate about their hotel.

Date last visited: June 2010.

Distance off the interstate: 21 miles from St. Mary, 12 miles from Hwy 89.

Room Rates: Standard rooms start at $165 a night (double occupancy).

Food Services:

Breakfast at the Many Glacier is served buffet-style in their Ptarmigan Dining Room from 6:30 am to 10 am. The food is great (you have to try the Montana scrambled eggs) and the service is quick. Even better? The views: the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room look out over Swiftcurrent Lake. (Breakfast is also served at the Swiftcurrent Italian Gardens Ristorante one mile from Many Glacier.)

Box lunches are available from the dining room. (We opted to stock a cooler of lunch foods prior to arrival and make our own lunches.) Snacks, some groceries, and sandwiches can be found at Heidi’s, on the lower level of the hotel. The Swiss Lounge at Many Glacier serves appetizers and sandwiches starting at 11:30 am and afternoon fondue from 2-5 pm. (Fondue can also be ordered during dinner hours, and we can vouch for it…it was delicious!)

Dinner options include casual dining at the Italian Gardens, burgers at the Swiss Lounge, or the European-themed menu at the Ptarmigan Dining Room. (The same children’s menu exists at all locations within the national park. It offers a pretty decent selection and the servings are not tiny.)

Website: Many Glacier Hotel

Directions:

From St. Mary, take Hwy 89 north to Babb. Turn left and travel 12 miles into the national park to the Many Glacier.

From West Glacier and the western end of the park, take the Going to the Sun Road across the park to the east entrance. Leave the park at St. Mary, then follow directions above.

We paid our own way at The Many Glacier. While the hotel’s media relations specialist was aware of our arrival, the staff, from the dining room wait staff to the valet, had no idea I’d be writing a review based on my experience.

Up Next: We board the ‘Chief Two Guns’ for a Swiftcurrent Lake cruise in Glacier National Park!

Cave Campground California

April 1, 2010 By

Creek running through Cave Campground

Junct. of Hwy 89 and Hwy 44
Hat Creek, CA

Part of the Lassen National Forest, Cave Campground near Hat Creek makes for a nice pit stop along Hwy 89, especially if you only have time for a bathroom break and maybe a picnic lunch. (If you have more time at your disposal, consider hiking to the falls at nearby McArthur Burney State Park.)

The campground, open with full services April through October, was empty of overnighters when we stopped in March. The larger restroom facilities at the front of the campground were locked, but pit toilets were available at the end of the loop (a few hundred yards away). With no fee for day use, Cave Campground was a great spot to picnic, with easy access to the highway and a stream (rushing in springtime) with a footpath bridge the kids enjoyed exploring. We just pulled into an empty campsite and used the picnic table! (During the busier summer months, day use visitors can use the picnic tables near the front of the campground.)

Date last visited: March 2010

Distance off the interstate: Directly off Hwy 89.

Hours and Admission Prices: No day use admission fee. Overnight fee from April to October is $11 per night.

Bathrooms: See above.

Food Services: None. Closest convenient food is Susanville (another 1.5 hours south).

Website: None.

Directions: Directly off of Hwy 89 just before the junction of Hwy 44 (driving south).

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Elwell Lakes Lodge review, CA

March 1, 2010 By

Hands’ down, Elwell Lakes Lodge and the surrounding Sierra Nevada region of Northern California is one of our favorite places on earth. As such, I’m afraid I’ll have a hard time being impartial in this review! Having grown up in the area and visited numerous times from childhood to adulthood, I cannot recommend it highly enough for an adventurous family vacation well off the beaten path.

Elwell Lakes Lodge review:

One of many family cabins at Elwell lakes Lodge.

The lodge, nestled high in the Sierras 25 minutes from the small resort town of Graeagle, CA, is located over an hour northwest of Reno, NV, and almost two hours north of Tahoe, and is comprised of approximately a dozen rustic guest cabins, seveal tent cabins, a recreation hall well-stocked with books and games, and a main lodge. Cabins are comfortable with furniture, linens for the beds, kitchens, and bathrooms. Most, if not all, have a front porch and a BBQ.

Best of all is Elwell Lakes Lodge’s location. Situated just past Lakes Basin Campground, it is literally a gateway to the numerous lakes that comprise the Lakes Basin Recreation Area. Directly from your front door is a well-maintained network of hiking trails leading to some of the most beautiful scenery in the Northwest. The fishing, swimming, and exploring can’t be beat. If you so desire, you could easily stay a week and not get back into your car once.

Nate and Cal, playing along the shore of Long Lake.

If you do choose to take a drive, our picks are to the wonderful mining town of Johnsville and Plumas Eureka State Park where your kids can see a stamp mill still standing, or (in the opposite direction) to Dowieville and the excellent swimming along the Yuba River. Nearby Salmon Lake and Sand Pond offer great swimming and fishing as well, and excellent golf is awaiting in Graeagle.

Most days, we prefer to make pancakes for breakfast, explore the lodge, and hike or swim (kids love the stockpile of Legos in the main lodge and the creek running alongside the furthest ring of cabins). They spent one memorable (to them) afternoon catching frogs. Be sure to bring a book or two, and plan to sit awhile on the main lodge deck overlooking the mountains.

Date last visited: Last weekly stay, July 2004. Last visit, July 2009.

Distance off the interstate: Approximately 35 minutes from Hwy 89.

Rates: Rates vary by cabin, ranging from under $600 to over $1000 weekly. (These rates include housekeeping and use of all lodge facilities and row boats on Long Lake). If you’re looking for a place with nightly rates, Gold Lake Lodge has similar style cabins, is nearby, and has a restaurant on-site. We’ve stayed there as well, and love both lodges.

Food Services: At the time of this posting, Elwell Lakes Lodge does not provide meals. The owners do host a fun pot-luck dinner once weekly in the large dining building, and every cabin comes equipped with a kitchen and stocked with pots, pans, dishware, and silverware. Otherwise, our dining recommendations are The Sardine Lake Lodge, just a few miles further up Gold Lake Highway, or for kid-friendly pizza and pasta, Gumba’s in Blairsden.

Website: http://www.elwelllakeslodge.com/

Nate looks for minnows in the shallow water of Sand Pond on a summer evening.

Contact Information: Phone: 530-836-2347 Mailing address: P.O. Box 68 Blairsden, CA 96103

Directions: From the town of Graeagle, turn onto Gold Lake Highway. After driving seven miles, turn right into the Lakes Basin Campground. Follow the signs to Elwell Lodge (stay left).

 

McArthur Burney Falls State Park

August 3, 2009 By
The inviting pool at the base of the falls.

The inviting pool at the base of the falls.

24898 Hwy 89
Burney, CA

McArthur Burney Falls State Park is one of the nicest state parks I’ve run across in a long time. In northern California’s volcanic country near Lassen National Park, it sits directly on Highway 89 near Burney. After you enter the park, you’ll find a large, shaded picnic area to your right, with parking to the left. Follow the signs to the Burney Falls overlook for an amazing view. 129-feet high, Burney Falls is stunning (and dumps 100 million gallons of water a day!). The 0.3 mile walk to the base of the falls is well worth it; at the bottom, enjoy the soft spray or dip your toes in the freezing water. The basin is a beautiful blue. There’s a loop trail to try if time is permitting (1.3 miles), or just retrace your steps back to the top (0.6 round trip). We picnicked at a nearby table, but wished we’d had enough time for a swim in nearby Lake Britton.

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: Located directly on Highway 89, or six miles north of Highway 299.

Admission Prices: $6 per car for day use.

Bathrooms: Located across the street from the day use parking. They looked brand new.

Food Services: A nice general store with all the necessities, plus soft serve ice cream!

Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=455

Directions: Take Highway 89 near Burney. (From Redding, go north on Hwy 299 past Burney and follow signs.)

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Slide Rock State Park

July 29, 2009 By
Slide Rock State Park, July 2009

Slide Rock State Park, July 2009

6871 N. Highway 89A
Sedona, Arizona

Slide Rock State Park may be a bit further off the beaten path than most pitstops (18 miles from Flagstaff), but it’s a mere five miles from the popular vacation town of Sedona, and well worth any amount of effort.

Slide Rock State Park planning:

Located down Highway 89A along a particularly scenic stretch of Oak Canyon, Slide Rock State Park is exactly what it professes to be: a slippery, natural waterslide. Upon first sight, my kids were awestruck, and quite frankly, so was I. At least a quarter mile of the river is cut so perfectly out of the red rock canyon, it appears man-made. The water pools and eddies around smoothly rounded slabs of granite, creating both slick slides and deep diving holes.

Nate, sliding down a shute.

Nate, sliding down a shute.

There’s about a quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the swimming site. It’s easy to access, but bring good water shoes. I know this is simply common sense, but the rocks are very, very slippery. We fell many times, and saw worse. There’s very little shade, and not much room on the slabs of stone for chairs. We opted to bring only beach towels and a cooler with cold water, which worked out great. We didn’t spend much time out of the water, anyway!

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: 18 miles off I-17 on Hwy 89A from Flagstaff; five miles from Sedona.

Hours and Admission Prices: Slide Rock is a state park, and entry is $10 per car or $2 per person. Hours are sunrise to sunset, but be advised: the park becomes very crowded on hot summer days, and when the parking lot fills, the park is closed. We visited on a Tuesday in July, and were one of the last cars admitted at 11 am. Get there early!

Bathrooms: Near the parking lot.

Food Services: There is a small general store located near a historic homestead en route to the slide (after the parking lot). It was well-stocked with cold drinks, ice cream, and snacks, but don’t plan to get a full lunch here.

Website: http://azstateparks.com/Parks/SLRO/

Directions: From Sedona: Head north on AZ-179 toward Sombart Ln. Turn left to stay on AZ-179, then turn right at N Hwy-89A/AZ-89A.

From Flagstaff: Take AZ-89 toward Sedona. Turn left at S Hwy-89A/AZ-89A. Turn left at N Hwy-89A/AZ-89A.

 

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