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

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 newPit 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

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

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!

A Pit Stop a Day Keeps the “Are We There Yets” Away

Or at least, that’s my hope as my family and I embark upon a 22-day road trip, touring four national parks, six family-friendly resorts, eight states, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, maybe not that last one (which means it’s sure to show up on auto bingo, right?).

Where are we going?

Glacier National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Zion National Park

with overnights and multi-night visits at many mountain and family resorts, all of which we’ll be reviewing!

I’ll be posting ‘A Pit Stop a Day’ during our travels

(as WiFi availability allows), and hope you’ll follow along as I document our progress with texts and photos on Twitter using the hashtag #apitstopaday. Throughout our trip and after we return, you can expect extensive reviews on not only the best potty break locations (although those are worth their weight in gold), but on all the “Off the Beaten Path” resorts and attractions we visited.

If you need further incentive to stick with us as we make our way along the interstates and highways of the western U.S., Pit Stops for Kids will have not one, but TWO great giveaways introduced during our road trip!

Details to follow in the next few days, so make sure you’re following us on Twitter and ‘liking’ us on Facebook so you don’t miss out on opportunities to win!

Below is our general route. Our first stop: Portland, Oregon, where we’ll be reviewing the Portland Spirit Sightseeing Cruise and the Hyatt Place hotel!

To see all 23 posts on this road trip, click here.

View National Parks road trip 2010 in a larger map