If your family craves adventure but doesn't know where to start, this guide is for you. Glacier National Park is the perfect place to fall in love with exploration, and with the right guidance, planning can be a breeze. Geared towards families who want to make the most out of their time with their kids, knowing they have just 18 summers together, this guide encourages you to venture out of your travel comfort zones. You'll find our top recommendations for places to stay (note that the top hotels book a year out on the first of every month!), activities to enjoy, and essential tips on navigating the vehicle reservation system. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey!
There is truly an endless amount of activities you can do in this area of the park, but here is a collection of our favorites. Please note that you must have a vehicle reservation to access many parts of Glacier National Park as you are visiting from May 24th through September 8th from 6am to 3pm. Follow 18 Summers Atlas for more information on our blog for how to obtain these passes. Also note that many activites that you book in advance allow access to certain portions of the park, so always ask when booking. Some activites are the Red Bus Tours and certain boat tours, to name a few.
Head to Logan Pass, the highest elevation reachable by car in the park, and check out the visitor center. Then, take the Hidden Lake Overlook trail, round trip 2.7 miles and 540 feet elevation gain, for breathtaking views and likely a few visits from mountain goats. This is a moderately challenging hike by description, but school aged children should be able to slowly hike this trail. Depending on the time of year you go, and how much snow the park received the winter prior, there is a decent chance of snow being on the ground.
The air temperature can be delightful and you might only need shorts and a tshirt, but hiking boots or solid shoes to manage snow on a mountain side is essential. The weather can always turn, so it is smart when traveling to elevations this high to bring cold weather clothing as well, even if temperatures at your hotel seem warm.
Hike along McDonald Creek to see McDonald Falls and Sacrad Dancing Cascade in a beautiful, tree-filled setting. This hike is very easy for children of many ages and makes for an enjoyable quick adventure if you are looking for a low-key way to explore the park.
Avalanche Lake Trail is about 5 miles and 730 feet elevation gain, making it a more challenging hike than the other suggestions, but still doable with older school aged children, maybe 8 years and up depending on their level of adventurous spirit. Or if you are a superdad and like to hike with a 3 year old on your shoulders, this is your hike! The kids will like the creek, lake and waterfalls on this hike.
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Activities to do on Water That Will Make for an Epic Family Adventure
Take a narrated scenic boat tour on Lake McDonald or rent a kayak for a few hours and explore on your own. Either way, your family is going to be in awe of the breathtaking landscape of this highly rated area of Glacier National Park.
There are various levels of trips you can choose from when booking a rafting adventure. The scenic float trip is great for young families in particular!
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Places to Stay on the West Side of Glacier National Park
We love the beach access to McDonald Lake and the ranger led programs at the amphitheater. Check the campground regularly to make sure all types of camping equipment, such as tents and soft sided campers, is allowed due to bear activity. Book 6 months in advance.
No vehicle reservation is required to enter this part of the park. It is a great stopping point if you are traveling around the exterior of the park going from the west to the east side (as opposed to going through the park via Going-to-the-Sun road).
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Days 5-7 East Glacier
This side of the part is a personal favorite, although much more remote and isolated than the west side. There are two main entrances: St. Mary Entrance, which is the eastern entrance to the Going-to-the-Sun Road and then the Many Glacier entrance. Please note that you do need a vehicle reservation pass to enter Many Glacier starting July 1st through September 8th from 6am - 3pm. Anyone who is staying in a hotel or campground within the Many Glacier area, or has an activity such as a boating excursion booked, can use proof of this reservation as their entryway.
Guests entering the Going-to-the-Sun road via the St. Mary entrance do not need a vehicle reservation pass. This is a great alternative if you either did not get a chance to explore this area the first part of your trip, or if you simply want to do it again!
This was one of our favorite hikes of the trip, but we did not do the whole thing with our 2, 6 and 8 year old children. Our 2 year old was carried the entier time, but the 6 and 8 year old had to hike this on their own. We started the trip by taking the boat from Many Glacier Hotel across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, which substantially cut down on hiking mileage. The overall hike is 10.6 miles, but taking the boat makes it about 7.2 miles. The total elevation of the entire hike is 1600 feet and can be very steep, especially the portion of the hike that begins at the dock once you get off the boat. We made it about 2.5 miles from the boat before the kids got tired, and we decided to turn around. However, the views were absolutely spectacular the entire hike up and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything. I highly recommend this hike, even if you know you won't be able to make it the entire way. There are some steep areas, so a fear of heights is not ideal for this hike.
We loved hiking around Swiftcurrent and Lake Josephine and enjoying the gorgeous weather, trees and wildlife. The kids explored nature and felt like they were on a different planet. Always bring bear spray, because although we were very close to hotels and campgrounds, we ran into a a Grizzly! No bear spray needed, since we were loud prior to our encounter. We did not startle the bear and she knew we were there the whole time. We slowly backed away and went the other direction. But it was a great reminder that you can never be too cautious with being prepared for bears and other wildlife in the area. Traveling in larger groups is always preferred, and talking amongst yourselves as you hike so wildlife hears you in advance is a great tip. In general, bears do not want to hurt you, so if they know you are coming, they will leave the area.
Go horseback riding through Glacier! Check the minimum age requirements on their website depending on the trip you would like to take.
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The best adventures in Glacier National Park often come from unplanned activities. Always carry extra clothes in your backpack or car, and let the kids experience the unforgettable chill of Glacier water by jumping into a lake. Stay flexible and embrace the spontaneous opportunities to explore, take breaks to soak in the scenery, and capture these special moments. Slow down and enjoy everything this incredible park has to offer.
One tip if you are wanting to see a bear, from a distance, is to go to the fields you drive through at the Many Glacier entrance before dusk. This is when the bears typically come out to feed and drink water from the streams. Our first night going, we saw a beautiful black bear with the sunset in the distance. A fan favorite for the kids! We also always had a few pairs of binoculars with us and saw a couple of grizzly bears way up high on the mountainside.
Note: always check for trail closures before taking off for the day, as trails do close due to bear activity.
An Incredible Hike For Families With Older Children
We were able to hike without the kids, and picked a good one. This 10.6 mile, 2300 foot elevation hike led us through wildflowers, trees, past a waterfall until finally reaching Ptarmigan Tunnel. An older child, 10 years old minimum, could likely handle this hike if they are an experienced hiker, but younger children could not. I also would not recommend only doing a partial hike on this one. It is beautiful all the way up, but the "aha" moment is definitely at the end. Also, see that glacier lake in the photo? You definitely will want to put your feet in that. How long can you last?!
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Places to Stay on the East Side of Glacier National Park
Our favorite campground, and full of memories and experiences. Swiftcurrent Inn is a very short walk away that has laundry and showers to use. They also have a convenience camp store with ice cream! We ate at their diner a few times as well. Book 6 months in advance.
Must book a year in advance for the best chance of getting a room! Reservations open on the first of every month for that entire month for the NEXT year. You can always check for cancellations closer to the dates. I was able to easily get a few rooms last minute, but not worth the risk. My parents stayed here, so we visited and hung out on the property a lot during our stay. They have an expansive deck everyone hangs out on, a restaurant and a conveinence store for quick things.
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Top Restaurants for Families on the East Side of Glacier National Park
