GUIDE TO VISIT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

GlacierNationalParkisSituatedinMontana’sRockyMountains,GlacierParkisoneofthe mostmajesticparksintheU.Switha1,583-square-milewildernessholdingpristineforests, snowmountains,crystallinelakes,andfullofbeautifulflowers.

Ifthevisitor’sgroupwantstohike,camp,orskiinGlacierNationalPark, TourBusRental can helpyougetthere,modernmotorcoacheswithrecliningseatstotakeyourVisitor’sgroup fromSeattleorPortlandtoMontana.

PARK OVERVIEW:

GlacierNationalParkisdividedintowestandeastsides.TheWestsidestartsataround3,200 feetandhasheavygreentreesandagreatdealofsolitude.TheEastsidestartsataround 5,000feetandhasfewertrees,buthasmoreexpansiveandwonderfulviewsforvisitors.

GlacierNationalParkisanuntouchedbackcountry,themaincutsacrossthepark,arelined withvisitors’centers,andlodgesthatareopenfull-timeforvisitorsduringpeakseason(May toSeptember).Ifyou’renotexperienced,youwanttosticktothetrailsandhotelsaroundthe mainroad.

Ifyouspendyourtimeoutdoors,youneedtohireaLuxuryTourCoachtoreachthereand canventuretothehikingtrailsinthebackcountry.Hereyou’llfindthepark’swildlife,like mountaingoats,bighornsheep,lynx,andgrizzlybears.Pleasemakesuretokeepyour distance!

SEASONS AND WEATHER:

ItisimportanttothinkabouttheweatherwhenyouvisitaNationalPark,butespecially importantwhenyouvisitGlacier.TheGlaciertypicallyhassnowonitstopfromSeptemberto July,andthelowertopmaystillhavesnowfromlateSeptemberuntilJune.Inthewinter season,visitorscanexpectbelow-freezingtemperatures,evenonsummernights temperaturescandropintothe30s.

Glacierhasverycoldtemperaturesandheavysnowfall,andmanyofitsamenitiesareonly openinlatespringandlatesummer,hotels,restaurants,boatrentals,andhorseridingare usuallyopenfromMaytoSeptember.GoingtotheSunRoadandmanyofthehikingtrails alsoopenwhenthesnowmeltsdown.

HireaCharterBusRentalNearMe tovisitfrommid-SeptembertoApril, andhavemany optionsforlodging,food,and trails.Youcanengageinbackcountryskiing,snowshoeing,and rusticcamping.

HIKING:

GlacierParkhasalmost700milesofhikingtrails,andthousandsofpeoplehikethepark’s trailnamed158everyyear.TheNationalParkServicedividesthetrailsintodifferentsections. SleeperCoachBusisthebestoptiontovisitallthehikingtrails.

NATURE TRAILS:

Ifyourgroupisnotupforahikingchallenge,youhavetotryoneofthepark’snaturetrails usingCoachBusRental.TrailoftheCedars,ForestandFire,HiddenLake,RunningEagle Falls,andSwiftcurrentNatureTrailsareallbeautifulforwalksandgivewonderfulfeelings.

TheTrailoftheCedarsandRunningEagleFallsistheonlyhikingtrailsthatarewheelchair accessible.Mobilityaidsandtraineddogsareallowedinthepark.

TIPS FOR HIKING SAFELY:

Ifyou’replanningtotackleGlacier’strails,especiallythetopones,followthesetipstokeep yourgroupsafe:

• StopatavisitorcenterandchecktheParkwebsite,tolearnabouttrailandweather conditions.

• Prepareyourselfforhazardsonyourselectedhikingtrail.

• Keepyourgrouptogethertoavoiddangeroussituationsorfallingbehindthegroup.

• Incasesomeonefallsorgetshurt,Makesureeveryonehaswater,food,andfirstaid supplies.

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT FOR HIKING:

Glacierhasconcessionstandsandstoresthatareopenduringthesummer,it’sstillimportant tobringsupplieswhenhiking especiallyduringwinterwhenstoresaren’topen.Herearethe itemsyoushouldhaveforahike.

• Sturdyfootwear

• Plentyofwater(surfacewaterisnotsafetodrink)

• Bearspray

• Mosquitorepellent

• Sunscreenandhat

• Raingear

• Snacksoralunch

GUIDED HIKING:

IndependentHikingisn’tforeveryone.DuringtheseasonfromMaytoSeptember,guided toursdepartfromthepark’svisitorcenters.Ifyoulikeapersonalizedtour,hireaGlacier Guide,whohaslicensedtooperateinthepark.

Thevisitor’sgroupcantaketheSleeperBusRental fortheboattourwithaguideleading youaroundthetrailsbybookingatourwiththeGlacierParkBoatCompany.

CAMPING:

GlacierNationalParkhasalotofhotelsandlodgesduringthesummer,mostgroupspreferto campforamorenaturalexperience.Glacierhasmanyregulationsforcampinginaccordance withLeaveNoTracelaws,soyou’llneedsomeresearchbeforepitchingthecamp.

CAMPGROUNDS:

GlacierNationalParkhasaround65campgrounds.Inordertoanyofthem,youneedaPermit fromtheSt.MaryVisitorCenter.Inwinter,youmustreserveyourpermitsonlineoratthe officefor3to7days. FromMaytoOctober,youcangetpermitsonaday,butyou’llneedto arriveattheoffice.Permitscost$7,andyoumustwatchaCampingvideocreatedby NationalParkService

Whenyoureceiveapermit,thecampsiteisavailablefortenting.Campingisonlyavailablein theNyack/CoalCreekcamping zone.Upto12peopleareallowedapermitforthesame campground,solargergroupsmayneedtoskip.Visitorsgroupscangotothecampside easilywithLuxuryCharterBus.Allcampgroundhas2-7campsites,andeverycampsitecan holdupto4peopleand 2tents.

TIPS FOR CAMPING SAFELY:

Campingisgreatfun,butcanalsoberisky.Hereareafewtipstokeepthegroupsafe:

• Nevercampalone.makesureeveryonehasacompanion.

• Useextremecautionwhencrossingsnowfields, snowbridges,andGlaciers.

• Hypothermiaisabigriskinglaciers,atnighttime.Dressinsyntheticorwoolclothing asabaselayer.Putonraingearbeforeyoubecomewet,andchangeanywetclothes quickly.Stayingoutofthecoldwindandeatinghigh-caloriefoodstostaywarmup yourbody.

• Becarefultheglacialstreamsandriversintheparkarecold,andthewatermoves quickly.

• Bringfilteredwater.

• Stayawayatleast100yardsfrombearsandwolvesand25yardsawayfromallthe wildlife.

WHAT TO BRING WHEN CAMPING?

TheGroupneedstobewell-preparedforcampinginGlacier.Hereareanitemslistyourgroup needsforwell-preparedcampinginGlaciers:

• Bearspray

• Topographicmap

• Compass

• First-aidkit

• High-caloriefood

• Shelter

• Sleepingbag

• Appropriatefootwear

• Woolorsyntheticclothingtolayer

• Rainjacketandpants

• Lightweightcampshoes

• Footwearforstreamcrossings

• Aweatherprooffoodhangingbag

• 25feetofrope

• Watercontainerandwaterfilter

• Campstoveandfuel

• Emergencyradiosignaldevice

• Insectrepellent