Steps from Glacier National Park’s west entrance, West Glacier—a stop on Amtrak’s Empire Builder line—flurries with activity. Restaurants, souvenir shops, and outfitters congregate here on the banks of the Flathead River, right off the park’s ultra-scenic main drag, Going-to-the-Sun Road. A plethora of accommodations and things to do can be found in this area of the park, from hunting for huckleberry ice cream and hiking along Lake McDonald, to attending ranger programs at the Apgar Visitor Center. From here, access to all the park has to offer is a cinch.
June through mid-September is when you want to visit West Glacier and Glacier National Park. In this season, Going-to-the-Sun Road is reliably open to vehicles, services are available, and the weather’s nothing short of fantastic for hiking, rafting, and more. However, West Glacier is the place to be in the off-season for winter sports—the road from town to Lake McDonald Lodge is usually open year-round.
While you’ll likely want a car to travel through West Glacier and Glacier National Park at your leisure, you could manage it without one: Take Amtrak’s Empire Builder to West Glacier, utilize Xanterra’s shuttle into the park (fee-based; reservations required), or spend your time around the West Glacier area, where many tour operators are based. Technically, you can even walk into the park.
While Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed to vehicles until the 50-mile route is fully plowed around late June, it’s open to hikers and bikers as early as April. Rent a bike (or e-bike!) in West Glacier, and hit one of the world’s most scenic drags—while it’s empty and serene—on two wheels. Biking the whole thing is a two-day task, but you can aim for a day’s pedal between Avalanche Trailhead and Logan Pass.
