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A weekend in Glacier National Park

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The Kalispell international airport is conveniently located not only for Big Mountain, but also for Glacier National Park. Plan your trip for the summer, between late June and mid-September, to ensure that you will be able to access all or most of the park. To maximize a short trip to Glacier, stay inside the park, at one of the hotels or motels near one of the lakes. And rather than spending valuable time on the stressful driving and parking situations that can arise on winding Going-to-the-Sun Road and at crowded Logan Pass in the summer, sign up for a full-day or half-day bus tour of the park. Glacier Park, Inc. (www.glacierparkinc.com ) and Sun Tours (www.glaciersuntours.com ) are the two bus tour companies. Prices range between $25 and $85, depending on the length of the tour. Both tour lines make plenty of stops for scenic viewing and taking photographs.

Reserve the second day of your trip for either fishing somewhere on the Flathead River system (where you will find rainbow and brook trout, and so much more), or hiking one of the many day hikes available in the park. The Apgar Lookout Trail will take you to 5236 feet, with views over Lake McDonald and the Livingston range. The trail begins near the west entrance to the park, and is short but moderately difficult. The Hidden Lake and Hidden Lake Overlook Trails start at the Logan Pass Visitors’ Center and will provide beautiful Alpine views, and the opportunity to experience some of Glacier's amazing variety of wildflowers. The Ptarmigan Tunnel, on the east side of the park, is a steep, four-mile hike which will take you actually through the mountain. The trail is difficult enough to merit setting aside a full day to hike it. Watch out for grizzly bears, since they're often sighted along this trail -- it is best to educate yourself about grizzly bears before attempting any of the hikes in Glacier. There are also numerous shorter trails available, between one and two miles, which will reward you with incredible views and up-close experiences of Glacier's wild beauty.

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