GLACIER NATIONAL PARK—the U. S. component of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park—encompasses just over a million acres of rugged and beautiful northwest Montana wilderness.  The Waterton portion, located in the Canadian province of Alberta, abuts Glacier along the U. S. – Canadian border.  Together, the two parks comprise about 2,000 square miles that naturalist John Muir called “the best care-killing scenery on the continent.”  Though it is several hours from any major city, Glacier still attracts over 2 million visitors annually, ranking it 10th in NPS system visitation.        

This is a land of U-shaped, glacier-carved valleys; jagged peaks rising to over 10,000 feet; turquoise, glacially-fed lakes; countless waterfalls; and miles of rushing streams.  A third of the park is alpine, with rocky summits jutting high above tree line.  Grizzlies and wolves, cougars and wolverines, mountain goats and bighorn sheep—all roam wild and free on this landscape. 

Glacier’s western entrance, about 35 miles from the town of Kalispell, provides access to the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road.  A 50-mile, two-lane paved route, Going-to-the-Sun winds upward from Lake McDonald to 6,700-foot Logan Pass, astride the spine of the Continental Divide.  Several hiking trails begin near Logan Pass, affording visitors an even closer view of rugged peaks and alpine meadows.  Continuing down the eastern side of the road, Glacier visitors pass the road’s namesake, Going-to-the-Sun Mountain.  Still farther down is upper St. Mary’s Lake and the village of St. Mary.  At St. Mary, Going-to-the-Sun Road intersects U. S. 89, which provides access to the Many Glacier section of Glacier National Park and to the Canadian border and Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park. 

Few actual glaciers remain in the park; those that do are rapidly succumbing to climate change.  Within this century, the namesake of this park will no longer exist inside its confines.  The park’s water and air quality and its wild inhabitants are also threatened by nearby oil and gas exploration, strip mining and logging, all driven by our thirst for energy and other natural resources.  As with many natural wonders, we humans have put Glacier National Park under tremendous pressure.  Along with Glacier’s spectacular scenery, environmental and development pressures provide all the more reason to visit this Montana masterpiece sooner than later, before it is perhaps changed forever.