DAY 10 – 12 ~ GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Wow, what a beautiful drive on 93 thru north Idaho into Montana.  We climbed up to 5000 feet on a winding road following the Clearwater River through Bitterroot National Forest into Missoula.  The river was running full with lots of rapids.  When we reached the top of Lolo Pass we stopped at the visitor center and had some lunch out behind the center sitting in the warm sun with snow at our feet.  This is the same route Lewis and Clark traveled in 1804 as they traveled westward to find the Pacific Ocean. 

We continued driving over the pass and downhill still following the river but now it has a different name (Lochsa River) and the rapids are flowing the opposite direction.

 

This was a very long drive.  After 307 miles and 7 hours we finally arrived at the KOA in West Glacier, Montana.  This KOA is one of the best we’ve been in.  200 sites spread out on several acres.  Some in the woods, some out in the open.  The sites are level and nicely landscaped.  There are several comfort stations.  Two swimming pools, one for family and one for adults.  There is even an ice cream shop and a small café. We had a great view of the mountains from our site. It was sunny and quite warm as we settled in.  The rains started during the night and continued the next day.  Oh well. 

We had two full days to enjoy Glacier National Park.  The main road that goes over the pass, Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed.  We have visited this park several times and each time that highway has been closed.  We just visit too early.  There is still snow on that pass when we visit in the spring.  Next time we will visit in the fall. 

  

Our first stop is Polebridge, a one building town on a dirt road that is just outside the park boundary.  The one building in Polebridge is the mercantile and bakery.  They make the best cinnamon rolls.  This time we also had a huckleberry bear claw.  Yummm.  Before we left we bought a loaf of huckleberry beer bread to enjoy back at the trailer. 

 

We drove as far as we could on the Going-to-the-Sun Road seeing the sights and making a stop at what we think is Avalanche Creek, which was running hard with lots of rapids.  On the way back we visited McDonald Lake and lodge and had a nice lunch there.  It was a beautiful day with great scenery.

Avalanche Creek (I think)

     

I think this is Avalanche Creek running into McDonald Lake

McDonald Lake

The next day we visited Waterton Lakes National Park on the north side of Glacier NP.  Waterton is actually in Canada (British Columbia).  There are no roads going into Waterton on the west side of Glacier so we had to go south around the boundary of the Park to East Glacier. Then go north crossing the border into Alberta and into Waterton.  It was a two-hour drive, but very scenic.

  Lower Waterton Lake

Middle Waterton Lake

We stopped at Prince of Wales Hotel and had High Tea with a view of Waterton Lake.  It was a beautiful day with good food and great scenery.

 Back of Hotel overlooking Waterton Lake

Those 3 big windows is the lounge where we had High Tea.  

 

This is the town of Waterton Lake.  

In Canada the National Parks are built around towns.  So the public actually live inside the park and run businesses.

Wild animals such as elk and big horned sheep make themselves at home in front of businesses and on resident's lawns.  We have actually seen elk relaxing on people's front porches.  We came across this big horn sheep resting on someone's lawn.  

Tomorrow we head back to Alberta, Canada to visit Banff and Jasper.