Dave Sr Loc: Nazareth, Pennsylvania

I'm planning to visit Glacier Park this summer, maybe late summer. Any suggestions on when the best photo opportunities (flowers, open trails, etc) would be found ?

willmscr Loc: Beloit Wisconsin

We were there in July last year. Most trails were open but e had to rearrange our plans because some were closed. Flowers were nice then. You'll get a different set of flowers over the entire season. Even in July some trails were closed because of bear activity because the fish were spawning and the bears were fishing in the area.

Plan way ahead. We started looking for accommodations about this time last year and found some of the places that we wanted to stay at were already fully booked.

I have been posting sets of pictures from the trip since we came back. Please feel free to contact me privately if you want more.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Plan way ahead is exactly right. National Parks are notorious for the over-crowding. It's somewhat surprising but other people are also planning to go there.

Drip Dry McFleye

We were at Glacier for eight days in Sept. 2016. As others have said you absolutely want to get accommodations way, way in advance. We just did not think that there would be any problem in the middle of Sept. WRONG! We ended up paying $125/day for a room that was located 1/2 hour's drive to the closest park entrance, and 1-1/2 hour from the entrance we liked best, and were happy to get it! We had originally planned on doing some camping but the snow, sleet, rain and wind we were experiencing pretty much eliminated that idea for us and, I'm guessing, a lot of other people. Everything with a roof on it was sold out. Glacier is a hikers park. There is only one road that will actually take you through the park. If you want to see many of the great water falls and views you gotta lace up your boots. Consider one or more of the boat trips offered. The boats are beautiful wooden antiques and some trips include a guided hike as part of the deal. We had a really good time and got some great photos but we really wish we hadn't had to waste so much time each day driving to and from the park. My wife and I have been to 32 of the national parks so it's not like we were inexperienced but we had never been so wrong about getting a place to stay as at Glacier. Restaurant recommendation: The Belton Chalet & The Isaak Walton Inn. I hope you have a great trip!

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

Dave, check out the park and its' entrances. If you think you would like to mainly enter on the eastern side, then I would recommend that you stay at Aspenwood Resort B&B, west of Browning, MT. Terri and her staff made us feel like we were at home and like family. I am an early riser and she had a fresh pot of coffee ready for me to brew and had fresh muffins etc. to eat. The breakfast was to die for and she also packed lunches for us to take into the park for the day. Let me know if you have any questions. Gary

_Rex

Dave...are you on Facebook? I admin the Glacier National Park FB group, if you're interested in joining. Anyone else welcome also. Full of photos, sights to see, lodging recommendations etc... http://www.facebook.com/groups/46442708325/

Dave Sr Loc: Nazareth, Pennsylvania

Thank you all for the replies and info. I'll be going with a group that has a few dates available and spaces reserved.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

On the east side of the park at St. Mary entrance you can get accommodations. Also up RT. 89 from there to Babb there is an entrance to the park called Many Glacier. Well worth exploring . There is N.P. Lodge and a lake that has a tour boat that takes you to a landing that you get off and walk up 800 feet in elevation and there is another lake with a boat that takes you on a tour through mountains and Glaciers. Wonderful experience.

DJphoto Loc: SF Bay Area

We went to Glacier in July 2011 and stayed in Whitefish MT, coming from Banff. There are many great photo opportunities just on the Going to the Sun road. We went in mid-July and Logan pass had only been open about 5 days by then. We made a "loop" from Whitefish north back into Canada and to Waterton Lake where we took the lake cruise; not to be missed. If you take an early enough cruise, you can take a later boat back from the landing in Glacier and explore part of Glacier just south of the Canadian border. We didn't do any exploring then, as we had a full day planned. We went east from Waterton, then south to Babb (where we had lunch), then drove the Going to the Sun road back to Whitefish. It was an incredible day; four border crossings, two by car, two by boat. We drove back to the Bay Area from Whitefish via the Columbia River Gorge in two days. We're planning to go back and stay a couple of days or so in the Many Glacier Hotel and have a more leisurely trip with more time in Glacier. If you're in Glacier, you are only a day drive from Banff and the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. That is one of the most beautiful places on the planet; we went there before going to Glacier. BTW, we generally don't stay in places too long; that trip was a little over 4,000 miles in 14 days, though 4 of those were in Sisters Oregon. Between Sisters and Banff, we spent a couple of days in and around Kelowna (the "Napa Valley of Canada") and then drove the Trans-Canada Highway to Banff; an amazing drive. We did an 11 day trip that was a little over 4,000 miles too (Colorado, Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Teton NP). Last summer we did about 2,500 miles in 12 days; we picked up a rental car in Charleston SC and dropped it in Chicago. We went via the Outer Banks, Charlottesville VA, Asheville NC and Paducah KY. Have a great trip; Glacier is spectacular. So many places to go, so little time.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

I also went in mid-Sept. It was really crowded. The rangers said that it was the worst that they can remember so late in the season.
I think that part of it was that they started to take reservations for the campsites, well at least for half of them. When someone has reservations, the site is held until 12, at that time it is considered a no-show, and they release the site to whoever wants it.
But the increase in people can partially be because there are more retirees getting out into the parks late in the season.
And if the campsites are filled, yo have to know that all the rooms were booked.

_Rex

Realizing the area is heavy in snow right now, they're not looking to open up the GTTS Rd(completely) till maybe late June/July. All depends on how much more they get & the snow-melt. In touch with locals everyday.