On to Glacier National Park
So if you read the title of this blog, you know that my car was fixed! We had the trailer packed up and ready to go by 10:30 on Friday since the car was supposed to be ready between 11-12 and I figured we might as well head to town to get it asap. I wanted out of the KOA since they were closing and I didn't want to hold them up. We got into town and I noticed my car sitting outside and hoped that was a good sign. It was! They had just finished the work on the axle and it was good to go! I cannot say enough good things about Randy's Auto Shop in West Yellowstone since they saved my vacation.
Now it was off to Glacier National Park in northern Montana which was a 6 hour drive away. I had scrambled to find a new RV site since the one I had planned on closed that day. We found Rocky Mountain Hi about 30 minutes away from West Glacier and I called to make a reservation. Luckily visiting during off season means that everything is open and they said to come on in. It was another beautiful, uneventful drive (no more shaking) and we were happy to set up camp. We drove by Flathead Lake, the largest fresh water lake west of Mississippi, which had so incredible views. Again, I wasn't feeling great so I went to bed early.
Day 7 started super rainy so we were unmotivated to get up and going. The rain was supposed to stop around 11 so pathetically we stayed in bed until around 10:15. Neither of us were feeling great so I guess the extra rest was needed. I somehow had lost my voice over night which was fun, but I was mostly feeling better besides that. We decided to try another hike that Kara recommended which was dog friendly and nearby since Glacier was supposed to get rain most of the day. The drive to Jewel Basin was rough. It was 6 miles of unpaved road and extremely bumpy and full of turns. My car hated every minute of it (and so did my mom). After what seemed like forever, we made it to Camp Misery Trailhead. My mom still wasn't feeling well and the drive didn't help so she sat out the hike and instead decided to stay with the car and read. Callie and I were thrilled to find a moderate 6 mile roundtrip hike to Birch Lake. Now neither Callie nor I are in great shape so I was slightly worried as the trail started up and kept going but we paced ourselves and enjoyed it. The hike opened up about a mile in and the views were incredible. You could see over the whole basin area including several lakes and the mountains in the background. The trail wasn't very wide and at times included sharp drops but I loved it. I have started to conquer my fear of heights and this proved that I have come a long way. The trail was challenging but doable and I stopped often to take pictures. When we turned around at 3 miles (not quite at the lake but close enough), the sky started to get dark. I had no rain gear with me and my expensive new camera and iPhone. So we picked up the pace heading back. Once we were in the last mile, Callie and I decided to jog to the car since it was mostly downhill and the trail had good footing. We made it before it rained, but I also learned I need to get in shape. This trail made me want to move to Montana and take up hiking more often. Incredible!
Day 8 was our Glacier National Park day! I was so excited to visit this park because of all of the great things people had said about it. I didn't really prep much for it but knew of a few hikes or spots I wanted to try to see. The only thing I really had decided was get to the Going to the Sun Road and we would figure it out. We were only about 30 minutes from the park which was nice given how much driving we had been doing. There is no way to describe the park other than breathtaking. The Going to the Sun Road was beautiful at every turn. There were mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, rock formations, and the trees were changing colors. We couldn't stop saying "Beautiful" for almost 8 straight hours. I pulled into almost every overlook because I couldn't get enough. The road did scare my mom a bit with her fear of heights and the drop offs right next to the road, but I give her major credit for doing as well as she did.
In addition to driving the road and taking way too many picture, we also did two short hikes. The first was at Logan's Pass and was a nice 1.5 mile hike to Hidden Lake Overlook. It was mostly on a boardwalk with plenty of stairs up the mountain. Sadly Callie couldn't join so she enjoyed some sleep time in the car while mom and I enjoyed the hike. Mom had to drop out a little over half way because it had a portion of the trail that had a steep drop off which she was wasn't ready for yet. I finished the hike to find some incredible views of Hidden Lake and the surrounding mountains.
The second hike was much easier to St Mary's Falls. It was only 0.8 miles out to the Falls and mostly on level, well kept trails. The trail ran along the lake or creek the whole time and ended up at some pretty strong falls. My mom did the whole hike with me despite a few drop offs. I am proud of her for not letting her lifelong fear get in her way of trying new things. Also it was incredible how much damage a fire can do in these national parks. The entire trail for St Mary's Falls was surrounded by burnt trees (unsure how recent the fire was) but the circle of life was starting to work and get this area growing again.
The rocks were so colorful
I cannot wait to return to the Glacier National Park area and enjoy more hikes, more incredible views, and more fun. This definitely goes to the top 5 places I have visited in my life. Even the surrounding areas including Jewel Basin and Flathead Lake are beautiful and there is so much to explore. I will be back!
But for now, we will be packing up first thing in the morning and taking off to the next stops, Spokane and Seattle, Washington.
Now it was off to Glacier National Park in northern Montana which was a 6 hour drive away. I had scrambled to find a new RV site since the one I had planned on closed that day. We found Rocky Mountain Hi about 30 minutes away from West Glacier and I called to make a reservation. Luckily visiting during off season means that everything is open and they said to come on in. It was another beautiful, uneventful drive (no more shaking) and we were happy to set up camp. We drove by Flathead Lake, the largest fresh water lake west of Mississippi, which had so incredible views. Again, I wasn't feeling great so I went to bed early.
Day 7 started super rainy so we were unmotivated to get up and going. The rain was supposed to stop around 11 so pathetically we stayed in bed until around 10:15. Neither of us were feeling great so I guess the extra rest was needed. I somehow had lost my voice over night which was fun, but I was mostly feeling better besides that. We decided to try another hike that Kara recommended which was dog friendly and nearby since Glacier was supposed to get rain most of the day. The drive to Jewel Basin was rough. It was 6 miles of unpaved road and extremely bumpy and full of turns. My car hated every minute of it (and so did my mom). After what seemed like forever, we made it to Camp Misery Trailhead. My mom still wasn't feeling well and the drive didn't help so she sat out the hike and instead decided to stay with the car and read. Callie and I were thrilled to find a moderate 6 mile roundtrip hike to Birch Lake. Now neither Callie nor I are in great shape so I was slightly worried as the trail started up and kept going but we paced ourselves and enjoyed it. The hike opened up about a mile in and the views were incredible. You could see over the whole basin area including several lakes and the mountains in the background. The trail wasn't very wide and at times included sharp drops but I loved it. I have started to conquer my fear of heights and this proved that I have come a long way. The trail was challenging but doable and I stopped often to take pictures. When we turned around at 3 miles (not quite at the lake but close enough), the sky started to get dark. I had no rain gear with me and my expensive new camera and iPhone. So we picked up the pace heading back. Once we were in the last mile, Callie and I decided to jog to the car since it was mostly downhill and the trail had good footing. We made it before it rained, but I also learned I need to get in shape. This trail made me want to move to Montana and take up hiking more often. Incredible!
The views from the hike:
After the hike, we went back to the trailer so mom could rest. I decided to see if a winery was nearby and was thrilled to find one 2 miles away. I quickly jumped in the car and went over an hour before it closed. It didn't do an ordinary tasting where I could try a mix of their wines, but instead let me try a few. The wines were ok (specialty of huckleberry peach), but I decided to get a glass of sangria and go sit outside and listen to the live music. It was the perfect setting. Right before closing, I picked up an apple pie from the bakery and went back to the trailer. And yes, we had apple pie for dinner that night.
The second hike was much easier to St Mary's Falls. It was only 0.8 miles out to the Falls and mostly on level, well kept trails. The trail ran along the lake or creek the whole time and ended up at some pretty strong falls. My mom did the whole hike with me despite a few drop offs. I am proud of her for not letting her lifelong fear get in her way of trying new things. Also it was incredible how much damage a fire can do in these national parks. The entire trail for St Mary's Falls was surrounded by burnt trees (unsure how recent the fire was) but the circle of life was starting to work and get this area growing again.
We finished by stopping at Lake McDonald Lodge to see some views of the Lake. The lodge was closed for the season so Callie was able to come walk along the beach and enjoy the views with us. The sun was starting to go down cause the mountains and trees to reflect perfectly in the water. It was just a perfect place to sit and relax a bit before heading home. Also wow is that water cold.
I cannot wait to return to the Glacier National Park area and enjoy more hikes, more incredible views, and more fun. This definitely goes to the top 5 places I have visited in my life. Even the surrounding areas including Jewel Basin and Flathead Lake are beautiful and there is so much to explore. I will be back!
But for now, we will be packing up first thing in the morning and taking off to the next stops, Spokane and Seattle, Washington.