Glacier, before the ice is gone.

Field guide ◆ Glacier

Plan the trip.

Glacier National Park sits on the Montana-Canada border, contains 25 active glaciers (down from 80 a century ago), and is widely considered the most cinematically intact landscape in the lower 48. Going-to-the-Sun Road traverses the park east-to-west across the Continental Divide — a 50-mile drive that spans alpine tundra, hanging gardens, and waterfalls dropping straight off the side of the highway.

Plan for a 5-day trip. Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road first thing on day one (the most scenic drive in any national park, full stop). Hike to Hidden Lake from Logan Pass on day 2 (3 miles, mountain goats almost guaranteed). Boat across Lake McDonald and hike Avalanche Lake on day 3. Day 4-5: get a backcountry permit and do Many Glacier — Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier are both in walking distance from the same trailhead.

Logistics: vehicle reservations are required May-September. Cell signal is non-existent in most of the park. Bears (both black and grizzly) are present in numbers — bring a real bear spray and read the protocol before you go.