SPRING IS IN THE AIR! My 2019 Glacier National Park Trip Part 2
On the second day of my Glacier National Park trip
Day one was about getting to Glacier National Park, and I did get there in time to do a little reconnoitering before nightfall, as well as, take a few good pictures. The second day, however, was when all the fun would start. Since saving money was imperative, a ‘tent site’ at the St. Mary KOA was all I needed to sleep in my car the first night.
There were two parts to the second day. My newest best friend “Hey Siri” woke me at 4 AM, and on this opening segment, my camera and I combined for over 290 photos and short videos. At the Wild Goose Island Overlook the view is absolutely spectacular. During my first trip to Glacier, in 1997, I took a photo from that iconic spot. Over twenty years later, that 20” x 30” enlargement is still hanging in my living room and is one of my finer photographs. This time around, I intended to be at the aforementioned spot, when the sun started to rise, to see what kind of pictures would be available with a still lake.
The sun had not started to rise at this early hour, but while driving toward the park entrance at St. Mary, I could detect a ‘lightening of the dark’ to the east. Scenic Drive #2 Glacier National Park: Going-to-the-Sun-Road in S.A. Snyder’s Scenic Driving MONTANA is quite possibly the most impressive forty-eight continuous miles anywhere in the United States. For me, it is! This roadway is the only way, outside of walking, to go from one end of the park to the other. The only other way to West Glacier is to travel along U.S. Highway 2 which takes you south of the park. On a good day, with light traffic, you can make the drive over the Going-to-the-Sun Highway in a little under two hours. Of course, that is if you don’t stop anywhere. Like that would really happen. I wasn’t trying to traverse the entire highway on the present day. For one thing, all I wanted to see was the Wild Goose Island Overlook. And the road was not open all the way. It was the middle of June, and they were still digging out from all the snow that had accumulated at Logan Pass, the highest portion of this road. From St. Mary it’s about a 15-minute drive from the Glacier National Park entrance to the Wild Goose Island Overlook. Traveling from east to west, the sweet spot is on the left side of the road. There is a parking area, both before and after the overlook. I was the first to arrive.
From that vantage point, one looks out over Wild Goose Island in the middle of St. Mary Lake with some small trees in a sloping foreground to the water’s edge. Looking to the west, Gunsight Peak which stands over 9,000 (9,258) feet tall, regally looks down upon that small insignificant piece of earth in the middle of the water. To the left, or south side, of the lake are a line of 8,000+ foot pinnacles that author Jack Holterman, in his book Place Names of Glacier National Park, calls the “Grand March of Mountains.” They are the Red Eagle, Mahtotopa, Little Chief, Dusty Star and Citadel Peaks. On the north, or right side, of the lake are the prominences known as Goat and Going-to-the-Sun Mountains. The summit of Goat Mountain tops 8,800 (8,826) feet while the crest of Going-to-the-Sun rises to an impressive 9,642 feet. I was, as always, so impressed with this spot that my camera recorded 114 photos and short videos during the hour and a half spent there. A few people came and shared the early morning view with me. Comparing notes, I talked to one of them for several minutes. But to be honest, I was just enjoying the peace and quiet, the solitude of the moment, the time spent watching these magnificent creations by God. That’s the most important reason to visit the Rocky Mountains. I feel more at home, more in tune with the Lord, in these majestic surroundings than anywhere else. I cannot stress how peaceful it is, in this setting, under the Almighty’s watchful eyes. The sense of tranquility that one receives when they are in a place such as this magnificent park is worth so much more than any dollar amount could match. Glacier National Park has to be on your Bucket List.
After leaving the Wild Goose Island Overlook, I headed back to St. Mary. St. Mary Village is just outside the park entrance. There is a little bit of everything there. But it’s pricy. Check out the website below. The first picture that pops up will sell you on this little piece of God’s Heaven on Earth. If it doesn’t, then you’re not alive!
https://www.glacierparkcollection.com/lodging/st-mary-village/
If you have the money to spend, there are over 120 guest rooms at St. Mary Village. The problem is the long waiting list. As with the other hotels in Glacier, as well as Yellowstone and other major national parks, you could be out of luck if you don’t book a year in advance. That leaves what I like to do, KOA Campgrounds. And there is one, the St. Mary/East Glacier KOA Holiday, which is only a few minutes up the road from the Village. It isn’t cheap. Even tent sites have gone up exponentially, but they are a viable option. Ever since we took our Rocky Mountain getaway with my good friend Gerald and his teenage sons in 2004, I have become a big fan of the little cabins that you can book at KOA campgrounds. The cost is higher now than it was fifteen years ago, but if you split the cost between two or three people it becomes much more affordable.
There are two places to sit down, relax, and eat in the St. Mary Village complex: the Curly Bear Café and the Snowgoose Grille. Plus, there are other places nearby, including a pizza joint. The Grill has a rustic kind of look to it, and they serve gourmet-style food with an emphasis on western dishes such as bison and trout. The food is good, but the best part about the Snowgoose Grille are the great views of nearby Saint Mary Lake and the surrounding mountains. Eating supper while gazing upon these majestic sites . . . well, it just doesn’t get much better. I find it most satisfying! We ate there, with a friend, in 2005. The prices are a bit steep, and some might say it’s not worth the cost, but that’s up to you. As for me, the ambience of this upscale diner is worth a visit.
In addition to the eateries, there is a grocery store nearby, to pick up provisions for your excursion through the park. There are gasoline pumps to top off your vehicle, but you probably will want to make your gas purchase in Browning before you head out to the park. Like everything else in a national park, it’s a lot more expensive. And there are gift shops to buy souvenirs as well as hiking and fishing gear.
Before heading out to Many Glacier, I stopped to get a little something to eat. It was still too early for one of the restaurants, but there was a small coffee/pastry shop at the end of the main hotel. A cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll cost $8.00 but the roll was good, and the coffee was hot. As I said before, everything inside a national park is going to be pricey.
