The Top 6 Reasons to Visit Glacier National Park

I know this may sound a little over-the-top, but every person living in this country should visit Glacier National Park at least once in their lifetime. It will forever change them. John Muir once said of Glacier:

"Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal. Nevermore will time seem short or long, and cares will never again fall heavily on you, but gently and kindly as gifts from heaven."

I know I can’t, but I'm pretty sure there aren’t too many others that can quite sum-up the Glacier experience better than Muir did. Here are just a few of the reasons on why I think Glacier is so special:

Unparalleled Beauty
In my humble opinion, Glacier National Park is by far the most beautiful park I’ve ever been to. This includes almost every major national park in the lower 48. As a disclaimer, I should note that I haven’t had a chance to explore the interior of Alaska….yet. Having said that, my love affair with this park began immediately the first time I laid eyes on it. To be precise, it was during the drive from Browning along Highway 2 as we approached the East Glacier/Two Medicine area. My love and awe for the park has grown after every hike and after each subsequent visit. At every turn on any road or trail is one spectacular scene after another. In fact, there are no bad or boring hikes. Photographers could spend a lifetime here taking photos of scenes that normally show up in Backpacker Magazine or National Geographic. One of the most famous photo locations in the entire National Park System is at a spot known as Wild Goose Island Overlook. You may recognize the scene in the photo below:

Glaciers
Most people assume that Glacier received its name as a result of the 25 glaciers that are located throughout the park. However, the park was actually given its name due to the rugged mountains that were carved by massive glaciers during the ice ages. Fortunately, a few of the glaciers can be reached by trail. Some of the most popular hikes for enjoying front row views of these glaciers include Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier.

The Highline Trail
The Highline Trail from Logan Pass is widely recognized as one of the best hikes in the park, if not the entire National Park System. At every step and every turn hikers will enjoy absolutely spectacular scenery as they follow along the Continental Divide. The exceptionally beautiful views, the excellent opportunities for spotting wildlife, and the wildflowers all combine to make this a hike you'll remember the rest of your life. If you can make it past the narrow ledge section near the trailhead you’ll have the option of traveling to Haystack Pass, Granite Park Chalet, or making the one-way hike which continues all the way to “The Loop”. You'll also have the option of taking the steep spur trail up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook.

The Going-to-the-Sun Road
The famous Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road to cross Glacier National Park from east to west. The epic route transports visitors through some of the most spectacular scenery the park has to offer. This engineering marvel spans more than 50 miles across the park's interior, takes passengers over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, and treats visitors to some of the grandest sights in the Rocky Mountains. Along its course the road passes glacial lakes and cedar forests in the lower valleys, and windswept alpine meadows and sweeping mountain vistas atop the 6646-foot pass.

Several scenic viewpoints and pullouts along the way provide motorists with ample opportunities to stop for extended views and photographs. Once at Logan Pass be sure to visit Hidden Lake Overlook, a relatively easy hike that takes hikers across the Continental Divide just above the Logan Pass Visitor Center.

Some drivers (and passengers) might be a little intimidated by the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Portions of it hug the mountainside as it traverses over steep drop-offs and steers through tight curves. If this gives you any pause, you may want to consider letting the drivers of the iconic Red "jammer" Buses take you across the mountains.

Wildlife
Outside of Yellowstone, Glacier National Park is arguably the best park for spotting and viewing wildlife. Although wildlife are frequently spotted along the road, a venture into the wilderness is likely to bring better results. Trails such as Iceberg Lake, Ptarmigan Tunnel, Grinnell Glacier and Swiftcurrent Pass are excellent choices if you wish to possibly see a grizzly or black bear. Bullhead Lake, the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, Dawson Pass and Cobalt Lake are all great choices for spotting moose. For bighorn sheep, check out Grinnell Glacier, Dawson Pass or the Highline Trail. For the best opportunities to possibly spot a mountain goat, check out Hidden Lake Overlook, the Highline Trail or Piegan Pass.

Backcountry Chalets
2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the Sperry and Granite Park Chalets. Both backcountry chalets were built in 1914 during a period when the Great Northern Railway was promoting Glacier National Park under the "See America First" campaign. Today the two backcountry chalets offer hikers the opportunity to trek to an overnight backcountry destination without being bogged down with a bunch of camping gear.

Perched at an elevation of more than 6500 feet, the Sperry Chalet sits high atop a rock ledge that offers visitors commanding views of majestic mountain peaks, waterfalls, as well as Lake McDonald in the valley far below. The Granite Park Chalet rests just below Swiftcurrent Pass, along the edge of a sub-alpine meadow that offers commanding views of Heavens Peak and the McDonald Valley. Day hikers and overnight guests commonly reach this chalet by one of three trails: the Highline Trail, the Granite Park Trail or the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail out of Many Glacier.

With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout the park, hiking is the absolute best way to see Glacier National Park. In addition to the hikes listed above, the park offers a variety of other outstanding hikes. If you do plan to visit Glacier this year, please note that our hiking website also offers a wide variety of accommodation listings as well as other things to do to help with all your vacation planning.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
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Bear Spray Used on a Black Bear Caught on Camera

The SABRE Bear Spray company recently published this video on their Youtube Channel. It shows an interesting encounter between a black bear and wildland firefighter and nature photographer, Curtis Matishwyn. The bear is clearly acting aggressively - but was it acting aggressively to cause harm to Matishwyn, or was it simply being curious? Should Matishwyn held his ground instead of retreating in this circumstance?

For more information on what to do if you encounter a bear while hiking, please click here.





Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
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The National Park Service announces entrance fee-free days for 2023

The National Park Service will have five entrance fee-free days in 2023 that provide free admittance to all national parks for everyone. On these significant days of commemoration or celebration, and throughout the year, the National Park Service is committed to increasing access to national parks and promoting the advantages of outdoor recreation for public benefit and enjoyment. The free entrance dates for 2023 are: 

January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 

April 22 – First Day of National Park Week 

August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day 

September 23 – National Public Lands Day 

November 11 – Veterans Day 

Detailed information about what there is to see and do at each park is available on NPS.gov or the NPS app. It is important for people to know before they go what is open and available, especially if interested in overnight accommodations.

Most national parks are always free to enter. Only about 100 of the 400+ national parks have an entrance fee. For parks with an entrance fee, the cost ranges from $5 to $35 and the money remains in the National Park Service, with 80-100% staying in the park where collected. The funds are used to enhance the visitor experience by providing programs and services, habitat restoration, and infrastructure maintenance and repair. 

The fee waiver for the fee-free days applies only to National Park Service entrance fees and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, special tours, or other activities.

The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass allows unlimited access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks, for the passholder and companions accompanying them. There are also free or discounted passes available for currently serving members of the U.S. military and their dependents, military veterans, Gold Star Families, fourth grade students, disabled citizens, and senior citizens.

Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2023 are the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  



Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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CPW seeks Colorado Recreational Trails Committee Representative from Congressional District 6

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is requesting applications for an opening on the Colorado Recreational Trails Committee. The committee advises the Parks and Wildlife Commission and CPW on matters pertaining to trails, their use, extent, location, and funding. Members of the committee review, score, and rank grant applications to formulate funding recommendations for State Trail grant programs.

The 11 committee members are volunteers: one from each of Colorado's eight congressional districts, two at-large representatives, and one GOCO representative. They serve four-year terms (unless filling the remainder of an unexpired term) and may be reappointed to a second, four-year term.

The following representative positions based on Colorado's congressional districts are open: Congressional District 6 (Aurora / South Denver)

In keeping with Federal Recreational Trails Program requirements and the commission’s Recreational Trails Committee Policy, the committee shall include in its membership representation a broad spectrum of trail users. Committee members should be proponents of all trail recreation activities with unbiased judgment toward both motorized and non-motorized uses. Committee members will be chosen based on the candidate's qualifications, overall skills, outdoor recreational interests, and leadership qualities.

CPW seeks to maintain a balance between non-motorized and motorized representation on the State Trails Committee. The preferred candidates will have a varied trails background with experience and knowledge to represent a wide variety of trail interests with the goal of working cooperatively for trails and greenways throughout the state.

The position is open until filled. Initial application reviews will begin on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.

How to Apply:

* To be considered, applicants must reside in Congressional District 6. (congressional district map).

* Download and complete the 2022 Committee Application.

* Submit a resume with your application to trails@state.co.us with the words “Recreational Trails Committee Application” and the congressional district number where you reside in the subject line.

* Applications should be received by January 17 at 5 p.m. to be considered in the initial review.

Please contact Fletcher Jacobs at fletcher.jacobs@state.co.us if you have any questions.



Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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Rocky Mountain National Park continues pilot timed entry permit reservations from May 26 through October 22

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will implement another pilot temporary timed entry permit reservation system beginning on May 26, 2023. Previous use of the reservation system has eased congestion impacts and improved the visitor experience in the park.

The reservation permit system is similar to that used in 2022, with two types of reservations available. One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. This reservation period will be from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor. This “rest of park” reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability, with no set time for departure.  The reservation system will apply to all areas of the park. The only cost associated with booking a reservation is a $2 recreation.gov processing fee.    

Reservations to enter the park will be available through www.recreation.gov at 8 a.m. MDT on Monday, May 1. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 26 through June 30. The next release will occur on June 1, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June. On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July. On August 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked. On September 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked. 

Modifications from the 2022 pilot system to the 2023 pilot system include making 40 percent of all reservations available the day prior at 5 p.m. through recreation.gov. These are expected to run out quickly and visitors are encouraged to plan ahead when possible.  Other modifications will include extending the pilot permit system through October 22 and reducing the time period and number of hours daily that a reservation is required for “rest of park.”  This reduced reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This system spreads use throughout the park and throughout the day to better use all parking/trailhead areas.  

The park is continuing to work on its long-range visitor use management plan including public meetings in December and a public engagement comment period from December 12 through February 1. To learn more go to Day Use Visitor Access Strategy, please click here.

RMNP is one of the busiest national parks with over 4.6 million visitors in 2019, representing a 44 percent increase in visitation in seven years. In 2021, under a pilot timed entry system, RMNP’s visitation was 4.4 million. Visitor crowding and congestion at the park have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity.

The park has experimented and piloted various visitor use management strategies over the last six years, including managing vehicle access to first-come, first serve (2016-2019) in highly congested areas. These first-come, first-serve restrictions had some limited success initially, but over time began to lose effectiveness; the length of time they were necessary kept expanding and impacts were pushed elsewhere.  The park piloted park wide timed entry permit reservation systems (2020-2022) and will be piloting a similar system again in 2023 while the park works to complete its long-range visitor use management plan.  During all the pilots the park has collected extensive traffic, trail, and visitor movement data, and collected baseline data on social trails, bare ground areas, and human waste along highly visited trail corridors. Additionally, timed entry pilot related research was conducted on parking lot turnover rates at key trailheads. The park is learning from these various strategies since 2016, to help inform long-range day use visitor access strategies.  



Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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Rocky Mountain is hosting a virtual public meeting today regarding long-term day use visitor access planning

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this on their social media yesterday (for meeting today):

Rocky Mountain National Park is hosting a virtual public meeting tomorrow [TODAY], Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the park's long-term day use visitor access planning.

Advance registration is required. For all details and to sign up, visit our website. Unable to join us for the live meeting? This meeting will be recorded and a link will be posted on the park's webpage.

Park staff are eager to continue connecting with park visitors from near and far, to help identify ideas and strategies to assist the park prepare for long-term day use. We hope to hear from members of the public who have recently visited the park, as well as those who have told us they no longer visit Rocky Mountain National Park because of crowding and congestion.

Have ideas to share? Public comments on this project are open and will be accepted on Rocky Mountain National Park's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ROMO_DUVAS through February 1, 2023.

Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
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Annual Christmas Bird Count at Great Sand Dunes to be Held December 23rd

Birders and nature enthusiasts in the San Luis Valley will join birders across the western hemisphere to participate in Audubon's longest-running wintertime tradition, the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), held at Great Sand Dunes National Park on Friday, December 23 at 8:00 a.m. Birders of all skill levels are invited and encouraged to participate.

To participate in the bird count at Great Sand Dunes, interested individuals must register with the park and be signed up as park volunteers. Contact the visitor center at 719-378-6395 between 9a.m. and 4:30p.m. to register. Participants who are registered as park volunteers will receive an entrance fee waiver for the day of the bird count. Volunteers must arrive at the park by 7:45a.m. on December 23rd to complete volunteer paperwork, review safety guidelines and receive map of assigned area and instructions for returning count results. Those who are registered will receive specific instructions on which building in the park to meet at on December 23rd. For more information on the bird count, please direct inquiries, and questions to Dewane Mosher, Dewane_Mosher@nps.gov.

The longest running citizen science survey in the world, Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count takes place nationwide in late December each year. Tens of thousands of volunteers throughout North America brave winter weather to add a new layer to over a century of data.

The Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities changed the course of ornithological history. On Christmas Day in 1900, the small group posed an alternative to the “side hunt,” a Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals. Instead, it was proposed that they identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, founding what is now considered to be the world's most significant citizen-based conservation effort – and a more than century-old institution. The CBC is vital in monitoring the status of resident and migratory birds across the Western Hemisphere, and the data, which are 100% volunteer generated, have become a crucial part of the U.S. Government’s natural history monitoring database.

Please go to the Audubon website for additional information, news, and history on the Christmas Bird Count: https://audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
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Author Page For “Ramble On" Is Now Live

Over the past week or so I've announced that I will be publishing a new book on the rich history of hiking. Today, I wanted to let you all know that the author page for that book, “Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World” is now live. The page provides some details on what the book is about, and why I decided to write this expanded, second edition. You can check it out by clicking here.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Avalanche Forecast for Rocky Mountain National Park is Considerable

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

The avalanche forecast for Rocky Mountain National Park is currently considerable.

Many of the park’s winter trails, including destinations in the Bear Lake and Hidden Valley areas, have significant avalanche terrain. Many avalanches are triggered by outdoor recreationists, including snowshoers, winter hikers, and backcountry skiers.

You can trigger dangerous avalanches on steep slopes with recently drifted snow. Avalanches can break from a distance and below. Give yourself a wide margin of safety. Slopes less than about 30 degrees offer safer options. Before heading out, visit the Colorado Avalanche Information Center's website and learn about the current avalanche forecast for your planned destination: https://avalanche.state.co.us/

Remember - safety is your responsibility. Know where you are going and the potential hazards in the area. Search and rescue can be delayed, especially in winter. For more information on how to be avalanche aware, visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/avalanche-awareness.htm.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Colorado Parks and Wildlife invites you to celebrate the new year by hiking at a Colorado state park

On January 1, 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife invites you to participate in a First Day Hike at a Colorado state park.

First Day Hikes offer a chance to start 2023 off on the right foot by exercising in nature. Each participating state park offers a unique opportunity to enjoy self-guided hikes, scavenger hunts or limited capacity guided hikes.

About First Day Hikes:

* Hikes are free but park visitors must possess a valid parks pass.

* Participating parks may require a reservation prior to the hike, check the park’s webpage for details.

* Hikes will vary in skill level and length depending on location and weather conditions.

* Bring snacks, water, extra clothing, and hiking shoes with good traction. If trails are icy or snowy consider bringing trekking poles, snowshoes or shoe spikes.

For a list of participating parks, visit the CPW Event Calendar,



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Cameron Peak Fire Closure Area Update

Some closures remain in the Cameron Peak Fire burn area due to safety hazards and recovery work, but progress continues to be made. Updates to the order include the opening of the Swamp Creek area road system, including FSR 171 and FSR 530. Old Flowers Road was also removed from the closure; however, this road is not open due to its regular seasonal closure.

These roads were removed from the closure thanks to the work of our recreation and fire staff, along with support from local four-wheel drive club volunteers. It is always best to check our road status page online for the latest as many roads seasonally close Dec. 1.

Although most of the Canyon Lakes Ranger District is open to non-motorized travel, the Roaring Creek Trail remains closed to all uses. These closures are in place for the safety of visitors, as well as natural resource protection.

It is important for visitors in the burn area to be aware of safety hazards within the burn scar, including but not limited to, falling trees, flood risks, stump holes and rock fall danger. Be sure to check local weather information. Your safety is your responsibility.

Many factors come into play when determining when an area can reopen and to what uses. Beyond the immediate risk of hazard trees, considerations need to be made for erosion control, road and trail stabilization issues, travel route interconnectivity, damaged infrastructure like bridges, and other recovery efforts. The Cameron Peak Fire burned more than 173,000 acres of National Forest System lands within its 208,913-acre scar.

To help people plan their visit, we recommend everyone checks our Know Before You Go page for helpful tips.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Revealing My Upcoming Book Cover

The other day I “revealed” the title of my upcoming book. Today I wanted to reveal the cover of “Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World”

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park