One of the iconic experiences that I missed on my first visit to Glacier National Park was driving the full Going-to-the-Sun Road because it was partially closed. The narrow road winds through the mountains and was built to blend into the natural scenery. It's 50 miles long and offers some of the most majestic views to be found in the park. Without stopping, it takes about 2 hours to drive the entire 50 miles, but there are countless reasons to stop and stretch your legs. First of all, the views are incredible and there are dozens of pull off areas, so you're going to want to hop out for photos. I think I literally stopped at every single place that I possibly could park my SUV. There are also bathrooms along the way and 3 visitor centers: Apgar Visitor Center, Logan Pass Visitor Center, and St. Mary Visitor Center. Below were a few of my favorite stops.
Big Bend
Gunsight Pass Trail Hike to Florence Falls
Wild Goose Island
It's hard to describe the absolutely massive geographic scale of this part of the park. The soaring mountains and steep ravines create a dramatic landscape and the drive itself can be a heart-pounding experience, especially if you're not used to or comfortable driving in mountainous terrain. There were definitely parts that made me extremely nervous, but it didn't stop me from driving the full road 3 times during my trip!
Here's a video I took of a portion of the drive. Originally, as I was editing the video, I sped it up to 2 X, but watching it at that speed gave me so much anxiety that I had to slow it down to 1.5 X. I added some music as well for your viewing pleasure. Don't worry, I had both hands on the wheel!
Comments