# Glacier National Park, and nearby towns (Whitefish, Essex, East Glacier, West Glacier)



## Rail Freak (Jan 16, 2012)

Has anyone stayed at the Belton Chalet in West Glacier? If so, give me a run down, please!!!

Thanx

RF


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## Twin Star Rocket (Oct 28, 2012)

Not yet! I've planned to return to Glacier Park by rail and stay there. I made a 1980 trip to Glacier and used the Belton station as my entry point to the park. I'm sure I saw the Belton Chalet.

I can recommend McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel--both former Great Northern properties just like Belton Chalet.

When I go again I might use the "red jammers" to get around instead of renting a car at Belton.


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## CHamilton (Dec 17, 2014)

Don't wait, take the Empire Builder now!

Glacier National Park Is On Track To Be Glacier-Free By 2030

http://gizmodo.com/glacier-national-park-is-on-track-to-be-glacier-free-by-1663887582

9 now-and-then images of melting glaciers

http://mashable.com/2014/12/17/glacial-melt-climate-change/


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 17, 2014)

Who you gonna believe, Rushbo or your lieing eyes?

Nice find Charlie, everyone should see these, but I'm guessing they won't be shown on Fox Stations!!!


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## dogbert617 (May 28, 2017)

So I was thinking eventually in a year or 2, I wouldn't mind doing an Amtrak trip to Whitefish, and of course from there go to Glacier National Park. Hadn't decided if I also should try to visit nearby Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta(and bring my passport), or not. I was thinking Whitefish over Essex, since it seems to have more local amenities(motels/hotels, car rental places, etc) vs. Essex(not sure if there's anything there, except the Isaac Walton Inn). I know I also could go from East Glacier Village into the national park, but am still leaning towards Whitefish.

Anyway, I have some dumb questions to ask(forgive me, lol!), based on early Googling and various message board threads I've read. Are there any free shuttles within this national park(i.e. Zion National Park), or is it better to rent a car and drive to the portions of Glacier National Park I was interested in? I was worried at first the best option would be to rent a car after arriving in Whitefish or East Glacier(though probably I'll do Whitefish), but I do wonder how extensive the shuttle system is within this park. And in the opinion of those who've gone here, what would be the best months to visit this park? It does seem like from road closures if you go in the winter, that probably the best time to visit would be sometime in the mid-late spring or early-mid fall. And perhaps, that you run into slightly less crowds vs. summer. But who knows? Back to the rental car question(I have a license, but just haven't actually rented a car before), do any of the rental car companies allow one to cross the border to Alberta(just for Waterton Lakes) and back? I assume they would, but won't be surprised if they charge an extra fee if you want to do that. Knowing how rental car companies(from what I've researched) can nickel and dime you, over certain minor things.

Also, any local things/points of interest worth stopping at in this immediate area surrounding Whitefish(and etc. with the towns nearby) besides Glacier National Park? And of course, any recommended nearby places to eat that are decent would be nice to hear about. I was still trying to do Tripadvisor/Yelp/Google research, to figure out what I can on this area. My bigger question mark I want to find out, is if the national park has any shuttles to get to various parts of this park. Or is it only that a few of the nearby motels/hotels, have shuttles that'll get you to various parts of this park? Thanks to someone, who can clarify my confusion on that.


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## dogbert617 (May 29, 2017)

I did look it up more, and found out there is a shuttle system within this national park. Still do hope to figure out later if there are any guided tours(say like via a private bus), that allow you to both see Glacier and also Waterton Lakes. Or if it'd be better to rent a car, to do that?

Hope someone else who has visited Glacier before(and/or Waterton, plus the surrounding area in the past), can respond to this topic. This writeup on Tripadvisor, does help a little bit with info on Glacier:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g143026-c198714/Glacier-National-Park:Montana:Before.You.Get.Here.Read.This.html


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## Pooh2 (Jun 1, 2017)

We actually just booked this trip for fall. (First time to that area of the country).

We are flying into Kalispell, Montana from the east coast, staying one night in Whitefish, two nights in or near the park (hoping to snag a cancellation at Many Glacier), then the last night in Whitefish before boarding the train to Chicago, then flying home. We are planning to rent a car so we can sight see at our own pace but also found the Red Bus Tours in the park look fun, as well as maybe a boat tour.

Looks like several hotels in Whitefish will do a morning shuttle to the train.

Good luck with the trip!


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## TinCan782 (Jun 1, 2017)

We are headed to East Glacier later this summer in the Empire Builder...staying at the Glacier Park Lodge and renting a car.

You might take a look at this recent thread...

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/70632-glacier-national-park/


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## dogbert617 (Jun 13, 2017)

FrensicPic said:


> We are headed to East Glacier later this summer in the Empire Builder...staying at the Glacier Park Lodge and renting a car.
> 
> You might take a look at this recent thread...
> 
> http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/70632-glacier-national-park/


I later realized that had more discussion of this topic, vs. this one I started. Still, never hurts to have a thread on this board as well to talk about things to do in Glacier National Park, and nearby areas.

Too bad it seems this board is sometimes overlooked, as far as seeing a lot of posting activity on threads discussing places to travel in different regions of the US.



Pooh2 said:


> We actually just booked this trip for fall. (First time to that area of the country).
> 
> We are flying into Kalispell, Montana from the east coast, staying one night in Whitefish, two nights in or near the park (hoping to snag a cancellation at Many Glacier), then the last night in Whitefish before boarding the train to Chicago, then flying home. We are planning to rent a car so we can sight see at our own pace but also found the Red Bus Tours in the park look fun, as well as maybe a boat tour.
> 
> ...


Thanks! I have no idea when I'll do such a trip, just considering ideas for the future to possibly do. The only thing I was wondering, is that the Red Bus Tour shuttle service easier to utilize if you stay near West Glacier Village, vs. East Glacier? In the other thread Frensic(John) linked to, someone in that thread said that they recommended renting a car if you stay in the East Glacier Village area.


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## brianpmcdonnell17 (Aug 15, 2017)

I am planning a one night stay there in early January, but will not have access to a car. As of now, I am planning to stay in Whitefish. Is that the best option for a one-day stay without a car? We are taking the train, so the other options seem to be West Glacier or Essex.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Amtrak Forum mobile app


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## CCC1007 (Aug 15, 2017)

brianpmcdonnell17 said:


> I am planning a one night stay there in early January, but will not have access to a car. As of now, I am planning to stay in Whitefish. Is that the best option for a one-day stay without a car? We are taking the train, so the other options seem to be West Glacier or Essex.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J327P using Amtrak Forum mobile app


Yes, and there is a ski resort just a few miles from town that all of the hotels will shuttle you to.


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## TinCan782 (Aug 15, 2017)

FrensicPic said:


> We are headed to East Glacier later this summer in the Empire Builder...staying at the Glacier Park Lodge and renting a car.
> 
> You might take a look at this recent thread...
> 
> http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/70632-glacier-national-park/


Our 4 day stay at East Glacier last month was really great. I can't comment on East Glacier vs West Glacier as we stayed East. We drove around and explored each day in our rental car including driving the Going to the Sun Road which was a really nice drive...traffic yes but no problems negotiating the road. The Red Bus Tours are available at the Glacier Park Lodge. Our drive on the G-T-T-S Road was the only time we were in Apgar/West Glacier. On the way back we stopped in Essex and the Izaak Walton Lodge and checked it out. Gonna have to stay there next time!

Our stay at Glacier NP was wrapped in travel on two new (to us) routes - the Empire Builder and California Zephyr. We traveled from Los Angeles to Seattle to Glacier to Chicago to Emeryville and back to LA! A very enjoyable 2 weeks for us.


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## Twin Star Rocket (Sep 26, 2018)

We stayed at *Belton Chalet* three nights last week. It's located across Hwy 2 from the West Glacier Amtrak station (which is in use as a gift shop for a Glacier NP preservation group).

Rooms are small, simple, clean, and have a private bathroom. Some (with balcony) face trackside and the highway; others face the forest in back.

The lounge area is small but has a fireplace and shares room with an open gift shop area.

Free coffee is served in the mornings only.

Supper is provided by an adjacent restaurant. No other meals.

For breakfast and lunch (and supper) there is the *Glacier Highland restaurant* within easy walking distance. Recommended!

Staff at Belton Chalet is very helpful.

P.S. We also stayed two nights at the *Izaak Walton Inn* about 25 miles to the east off Hwy 2.


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## Palmetto (Sep 26, 2018)

Too bad about no meals at the Belton Chalet. I was looking into a trip there as a bit of a retreat, but with my COPD, the prospect of having to walk to get something to eat isn't appealing. I've been to the IWI a couple of times, and was looking for a change.


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## Twin Star Rocket (Sep 28, 2018)

At the tail end of our Glacier NP vacation last week, we drove into Whitefish on our way back to Spokane.

The former Great Northern depot there is a gem. It has three tenants: Amtrak, a town historical museum, and various car rental agencies (one of which is oldest Hertz agency in the U.S.). It's very clean and spacious inside. Outside the architecture reminds you of the chalet-like GN lodges in Glacier Park.

The depot is within easy walking distance of many shops and eateries in the heart of the town. Whitefish is a very trendy winter and summer destination.

Also by the depot are two railroad curiosities: a rare NW3 switcher painted in a traditional GN scheme and the "Bruck." The latter is a custom-built bus the GN used to shuttle passengers between Whitefish and nearby Kalispell in place of a "doodlebug." Kalispell was bypassed circa 1904 when GN built a new mainline to the north of Kalispell.


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## oregon pioneer (Sep 28, 2018)

I have never stopped overnight in Whitefish, but you are tempting me...


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## ehbowen (Sep 30, 2018)

oregon pioneer said:


> I have never stopped overnight in Whitefish, but you are tempting me...


You want some good rates? Try the ski resort during the spring off-season; after the snow melts and the lifts stop running but before things warm up and dry up enough for summer activities. You may have to go through a broker, but you can find some real bargains. I forget exactly how much we paid in 2014, but my dad & I shared a two-bedroom condo with fireplace, living room and full kitchen for a week for less than what I would normally expect to pay for two nights in a Marriott or similar.


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## cpotisch (Oct 18, 2018)

ehbowen said:


> oregon pioneer said:
> 
> 
> > I have never stopped overnight in Whitefish, but you are tempting me...
> ...


But is it actually a good place to visit and enjoy at that time of year?


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## CCC1007 (Oct 18, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> ehbowen said:
> 
> 
> > oregon pioneer said:
> ...


I may be biased here, having lived in the flathead valley before, but I would say that the shoulder season for tourists is a great time in the valley, as the locals are less stressed by visiting throngs at that time.


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## Maglev (Nov 1, 2018)

I just got a pop-up ad for Whitefish, and thought this would be a good time to post my picture of Whitefish.  Here's the eastbound _Empire Builder_ on January 10, 2017 running with three locomotives, two sleepers and two coaches in the Seattle section, and an extra SSL deadheading on the rear.


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## dogbert617 (Jun 26, 2019)

FrensicPic said:


> Our 4 day stay at East Glacier last month was really great. I can't comment on East Glacier vs West Glacier as we stayed East. We drove around and explored each day in our rental car including driving the Going to the Sun Road which was a really nice drive...traffic yes but no problems negotiating the road. The Red Bus Tours are available at the Glacier Park Lodge. Our drive on the G-T-T-S Road was the only time we were in Apgar/West Glacier. On the way back we stopped in Essex and the Izaak Walton Lodge and checked it out. Gonna have to stay there next time!
> 
> Our stay at Glacier NP was wrapped in travel on two new (to us) routes - the Empire Builder and California Zephyr. We traveled from Los Angeles to Seattle to Glacier to Chicago to Emeryville and back to LA! A very enjoyable 2 weeks for us.



Wow, that's a lot of traveling you did there. And BOTH riding the EB and CZ, from end to end? I wish I had that much time, to ride Amtrak like that. Sorry for the super darn late reply, on this.

The great news, is that next week I'll FINALLY(after 2 years of throwing around this idea), be really going to Glacier National Park via Amtrak. Am finalizing the last part of the trip(which'll more involve extending this trip from 2 to 3 full days at Glacier), but am glad that finally I'll be getting to do this! Will post how my trip goes, soon.


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## dogbert617 (Jun 26, 2019)

Twin Star Rocket said:


> We stayed at *Belton Chalet* three nights last week. It's located across Hwy 2 from the West Glacier Amtrak station (which is in use as a gift shop for a Glacier NP preservation group).
> 
> Rooms are small, simple, clean, and have a private bathroom. Some (with balcony) face trackside and the highway; others face the forest in back.
> 
> ...



Belated question about Isaac(sp?) Walton Inn, are there a lot of things to hike to around Essex? Or am I right in thinking it's a little more limited around there(in terms of hikes), except for Scalplock Mountain Trail and Goat Lick Overlook being nearby? I will say this would be a place I'd at least give consideration too, someday down the road.


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## Twin Star Rocket (Jun 26, 2019)

There are hiking trails and ski trails at *Izaak Walton Inn*. You can rent a car there too and travel up and down Hwy 2 to nearby trails in the National Forests and National Park. It also has its own laundry for guests to use and a restaurant(serving 3 meals a day). It's fun just to explore the grounds around the inn.
*Belton Chalet* has a restaurant and bar within easy walking distance for supper. Definitely not open for breakfast or lunch.


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## Twin Star Rocket (Jun 26, 2019)

You really should spend at least 3 days at Glacier NP! There are the classic *"red jammers"* that will take you to the main sites in the park. They are really meant for folks to stay with the jammer the entire route you select although you can get out and walk at certain stops. 
In addition there are *park vans or mini-buses* which will take you to a stop and let you off to go hiking. You might return to the same stop later in the day or a completely different stop after a hike. 
Finally there are *rental cars* at *Apgar Village* in West Glacier. 
I've only been to Glacier in the fall. However, I've seen film footage of vehicles bumper to bumper on *Going to the Sun Road* in high summer season. Not for me. Seems that way in many parks that I visited recently compared to 20, 30, or 40 years ago.


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## Rasputin (Jun 26, 2019)

The Izaak Walton at Essex is a great place to stay but it is certainly not the best way to see Glacier National Park. It is a considerable distance from the prime scenic areas and hiking areas of the Park. You can certainly do the grueling uphill hike to Scalplock Lookout nearby (carry bear spray) or do a few other nearby hikes in the national forest but you will miss out on the Park unless you drive there.


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## lbrandon (Jun 26, 2019)

I'm headed to Glacier National Park via the eastbound Empire Builder in September. I decided to stay in Whitefish since the town is a little larger and I could use points for a chain hotel there. Has anyone else rented a car at the Whitefish Amtrak station before? Looking for some feedback regarding Budget vs Hertz there. I know Hertz actually has a rental office at the station but I see that Budget also shows rentals at the Amtrak station. I can prepay for a rental from Budget for about half the price of Hertz but I'm a little nervous about car availability and pickup method given that they don't have a physical office at the train station.


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## Rasputin (Jun 26, 2019)

You can certainly travel around the Park on the Park shuttle or on the Red buses and that is fine if you are looking for a sedentary trip through the Park. If you want to get out and do some serious hiking or if you want to be more independent you really need to rent a car usually at Whitefish or the Kalispell Airport on the west side or at East Glacier on the East side. 

We rented a car at the Amtrak station in Whitefish once and that was fine but it was years ago. We have also rented through Enterprise at Whitefish and that worked out well. Last time we went to the Park we flew to Spokane (due to low air fares there), rented a car there and drove to the Park for about ten days.


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## Barb Stout (Jun 26, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> Wow, that's a lot of traveling you did there. And BOTH riding the EB and CZ, from end to end? I wish I had that much time, to ride Amtrak like that. Sorry for the super darn late reply, on this.
> 
> The great news, is that next week I'll FINALLY(after 2 years of throwing around this idea), be really going to Glacier National Park via Amtrak. Am finalizing the last part of the trip(which'll more involve extending this trip from 2 to 3 full days at Glacier), but am glad that finally I'll be getting to do this! Will post how my trip goes, soon.


Wonderful! I went there 2 or 3 years ago prior to discovering train travel. Nobody has mentioned the NPS site for information which is always my first go-to when planning a trip to a national park. Here is the link for Glacier. https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm We had a wonderful trip. Whenever I go to a national park, which is sort of a lot, my first stop is the visitor center for more personal and pertinent advice about hiking trails suitable for me as well as information like weather and fires. I do recommend taking the park shuttles on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, although they are not actually operated by the park, but by a contractor. They are free and stop at various hiking trail heads and instead of watching the road and traffic, you can watch the scenery instead which is much better. In fact, I can't even remember what the traffic was like when we were there which was in August. One bad thing I did, which I want to warn you about, is no matter what time of year it is, bring a jacket. We took the park shuttle to Logan Pass, got off, and walked around. A storm came up with heavy winds. I had not brought a jacket and got very cold to the point of becoming incapable of thinking clearly.

My next trip there will be via train.


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## Siegmund (Jun 26, 2019)

lbrandon said:


> I'm headed to Glacier National Park via the eastbound Empire Builder in September. I decided to stay in Whitefish since the town is a little larger and I could use points for a chain hotel there. Has anyone else rented a car at the Whitefish Amtrak station before? Looking for some feedback regarding Budget vs Hertz there. I know Hertz actually has a rental office at the station but I see that Budget also shows rentals at the Amtrak station. I can prepay for a rental from Budget for about half the price of Hertz but I'm a little nervous about car availability and pickup method given that they don't have a physical office at the train station.



Budget and Hertz both keep cars at the Whitefish station. Parking lot is across the street and one block east.

My memory is that there is one service counter inside the station, from which both Budget and Hertz keys are given out, but I've never rented there (I live there and depart/arrive from that station but haven't paid close attention to the rental counter, beyond observing that it is there.)


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## Rasputin (Jun 26, 2019)

Siegmund said:


> Budget and Hertz both keep cars at the Whitefish station. Parking lot is across the street and one block east.
> 
> My memory is that there is one service counter inside the station, from which both Budget and Hertz keys are given out, but I've never rented there (I live there and depart/arrive from that station but haven't paid close attention to the rental counter, beyond observing that it is there.)


As I mentioned it has been a few years since we rented a car at the station in Whitefish but I believe the counter is only staffed at train time and perhaps only when someone has made a reservation. I think they send someone from the airport rental counter.


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## dogbert617 (Jun 27, 2019)

Twin Star Rocket said:


> You really should spend at least 3 days at Glacier NP! There are the classic *"red jammers"* that will take you to the main sites in the park. They are really meant for folks to stay with the jammer the entire route you select although you can get out and walk at certain stops.
> In addition there are *park vans or mini-buses* which will take you to a stop and let you off to go hiking. You might return to the same stop later in the day or a completely different stop after a hike.
> Finally there are *rental cars* at *Apgar Village* in West Glacier.
> I've only been to Glacier in the fall. However, I've seen film footage of vehicles bumper to bumper on *Going to the Sun Road* in high summer season. Not for me. Seems that way in many parks that I visited recently compared to 20, 30, or 40 years ago.



I was doing 3 full days at Glacier, for this trip next week. Next time I may consider renting a car, since for sure there are sections of this national park which I concluded don't have any way to get up to those areas unless you have a car(i.e. Polebridge, Bowman Lake, Kintla(sp?) Lake, and probably others I'm forgetting). And perhaps to do such a trip in like May, June, or September, when there are less crowds. Who knows yet how I'll try to do a 2nd trip there like, in terms of logistics.

Was trying to figure out, are there any places near the West Glacier train station to rent a car? Or is it just any of the rental car agencies in Whitefish, or that one by East Glacier(as I remember, Dollar had its cars out of a lot near Sears Motel over there). Also, I certainly do suspect there are times when traffic is heavy, on Going to the Sun Road.

Finally, this page is interesting( https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/crowds.htm ): "
*2. On the Roads*
You are likely to encounter congestion and long wait times around parking lots, visitor centers, and entrance stations. At times of extreme congestion, access to whole areas of the park may be temporarily restricted to allow for emergency vehicles. In the summer of 2018 access to Many Glacier was restricted 26 times and access to Kintla Lake was restricted 52 times and access to Bowman Lake was restricted 68 times.

Wow-za! I wonder if most of these temporary closings of parking lots due to cars in parking lots or on roads hitting capacity, occurred during July and August?


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## dogbert617 (Jun 27, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> The Izaak Walton at Essex is a great place to stay but it is certainly not the best way to see Glacier National Park. It is a considerable distance from the prime scenic areas and hiking areas of the Park. You can certainly do the grueling uphill hike to Scalplock Lookout nearby (carry bear spray) or do a few other nearby hikes in the national forest but you will miss out on the Park unless you drive there.



That was the gist I got, while doing research. That if you aren't trying to do a lot of exploring of Glacier and more of that immediate area, that it's fine. But to me it doesn't seem like Izaak would be a good home base hotel to stay at while in this area, unless you had a rental car to get over to the western or eastern part of the park. I did notice however, that Sun Tours did have at least one tour(a full day tour for $120, from 7:30am to 4pm) that picks up from Izaak Walton(Red Bus tours OTOH, does NOT have a single tour that does pick ups of guests from there btw): https://www.glaciersuntours.com/tour-details/


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## Ziv (Jun 27, 2019)

Not so fast, Bob. It didn't get a lot of coverage, but the glaciers may be lasting a lot longer than the doom and gloomers predicted. In fact, the NPS took down the signs predicting their early demise recently. Glaciers in the park have actually been growing over the past couple years. They will probably continue to shrink in the years to come since we are coming out of the Little Ice Age, but they aren't shrinking nearly as fast as had been foreseen.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/06/07/national-park-glacier-warnings/




Bob Dylan said:


> Who you gonna believe, Rushbo or your lieing eyes?
> 
> Nice find Charlie, everyone should see these, but I'm guessing they won't be shown on Fox Stations!!!





Bob Dylan said:


> Who you gonna believe, Rushbo or your lieing eyes?
> 
> Nice find Charlie, everyone should see these, but I'm guessing they won't be shown on Fox Stations!!!


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## Rasputin (Jun 27, 2019)

Rail Freak said:


> Has anyone stayed at the Belton Chalet in West Glacier? If so, give me a run down, please!!!
> 
> Thanx
> 
> RF


the Belton Chalet and the Glacier Highland are both virtually right across the highway (U.S. 2) from the Amtrak station at West Glacier. This is a very active rail line and an active highway. People who stay at both places complain about the highway noise and the train noise. This does not bother us. Our family normally stays at the Glacier Highland when we are on the west side of the Park and they have a decent restaurant. Glacier Highland is a very adequate motel type facility but I believe there are some rooms in the main building right beside the highway. It is reasonably priced for the area. Belton Chalet is more upscale and is priced higher. There is also the West Glacier Motel a short walk from the station.


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## Rasputin (Jun 27, 2019)

There used to be a place at West Glacier which rented cars. It was as I recall an outdoor center or guide service. A call to your place of lodging may provide the answer or you could call the Glacier Outdoor Center (google them) and ask them. They rent about everything else so they ought to know about car rentals in the area. 

Keep in mind that you will have much more choices for car rentals in Whitefish or Kalispell than at West Glacier (if it does exist) or at East Glacier. At West Glacier and East Glacier I suspect that you are paying for the convenience.

As far as I know, the Going to the Sun Road is not closed due to congestion but parking lots esp. at Logan Pass, a prime attraction, do get full and are closed. Best advice would be to go early in the day, also in the evening. this time of year, daylight lasts a long time in the Park and evening can be a beautiful time of day to drive around the park (and can be a great time to see wildlife compared with mid-day.) 

Stopping at the Park Visitors Centers at Apgar and St. Mary will provide you with current Park info and status. 

the Park shuttles provide transportation for hikers and visitors over some routes in the Park but they are not tours. Some complain that there are long waits and they are often delayed but we have had no issues with them. The Red buses provide narrated tours. You can call the company for further info on schedules and prices. they can be a fun ride. (Company used to be called Glacier Park inc. but they have changed their name - you can probably still google them under the old name - they also operate the Glacier park Lodge hotel and the Prince of Wales hotel and they recently purchased Belton chalet.)


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## Barb Stout (Jun 27, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> I was doing 3 full days at Glacier, for this trip next week. Next time I may consider renting a car, since for sure there are sections of this national park which I concluded don't have any way to get up to those areas unless you have a car(i.e. Polebridge, Bowman Lake, Kintla(sp?) Lake, and probably others I'm forgetting). And perhaps to do such a trip in like May, June, or September, when there are less crowds. Who knows yet how I'll try to do a 2nd trip there like, in terms of logistics.
> 
> Was trying to figure out, are there any places near the West Glacier train station to rent a car? Or is it just any of the rental car agencies in Whitefish, or that one by East Glacier(as I remember, Dollar had its cars out of a lot near Sears Motel over there). Also, I certainly do suspect there are times when traffic is heavy, on Going to the Sun Road.
> 
> ...


Based on my experience when I was there in August, I would guess that the parking lots were full rather than the roads were congested. Another possibility is that there may have been fires in those areas. There were a few fires when we were there, so some areas were restricted.


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## Palmland (Jun 27, 2019)

We stayed at Belton Chalet several years ago and loved it. We had a room on the top floor (just 2 floors) with a shaded balcony that looked directly on the tracks. There was a passing siding that was often occupied that ended at the mouth of the tunnel, a short distance away. Easy walk to the station and the restaurant at the time we were there had the best food in the park, so many repeat visitors told us. So, Palmetto, I would consider the restaurant on the property it is so close, as the photo in this link shows. https://www.beltonchalet.com/

While there is some traffic on the road daytime, it virtually disappears at night. We slept with the window open and the occasional rumble of a freight was not a problem. The big event of the day was train time at the station. If on time, a good after dinner stroll. We rented a a car in the seasonal rental office in E. Glacier, where we arrived on the westbound EB. After touring the park and staying at Glacier and McDonald Lodges, we left the car at Whitefish and took the train to Seattle.


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## Ziv (Jun 27, 2019)

Dogbert, hitting parks early in the season works well but remember that one of the coolest features of Glacier Park, Going to the Sun Highway, doesn't get cleared until mid-June, sometimes close to July. It gets a LOT of snow!
One other thing mentioned already but that is worth point out again is just how much fun a basic tour on a Red Bus is. I usually meet people that I like on the tours, so I do the Red Bus tour first thing, then I do my hikes. The Red Buses aren't cheap but even a short one is worth it. 



dogbert617 said:


> I was doing 3 full days at Glacier, for this trip next week. Next time I may consider renting a car, since for sure there are sections of this national park which I concluded don't have any way to get up to those areas unless you have a car(i.e. Polebridge, Bowman Lake, Kintla(sp?) Lake, and probably others I'm forgetting). And perhaps to do such a trip in like May, June, or September, when there are less crowds. Who knows yet how I'll try to do a 2nd trip there like, in terms of logistics.
> 
> Was trying to figure out, are there any places near the West Glacier train station to rent a car? Or is it just any of the rental car agencies in Whitefish, or that one by East Glacier(as I remember, Dollar had its cars out of a lot near Sears Motel over there). Also, I certainly do suspect there are times when traffic is heavy, on Going to the Sun Road.
> 
> ...


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## Rasputin (Jun 27, 2019)

The best Red bus tour would be Apgar to Many Glacier and return. It is also the longest I think and most expensive but it would a great trip. Hope to do it with family next time. (Wouldn't be great to do in the rain however, but on a good day when they roll back the canvas top - that's really great.)


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## Rail Freak (Jun 27, 2019)

A few years back, I took the east bound train (from PDX) to West Glacier. The Park hotel shuttle was there waiting when I arrived. I checked in at the Apgar Village Inn (Highly recommend). Spent the rest of the day taking the free Hiker Shuttle up to Logan Pass & back. The next day took the Red Bus Tour over to Many Glacier, had lunch, & returned back to Apgar. The final day, I took the Hiker Shuttle back to my favorite spots I'd found the previous days. (No Car Rental on this trip) That evening hotel shuttle back to the station to catch the EB back to PDX. Best Vacation Ever!!!!


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## Rail Freak (Jun 27, 2019)

Oh,BTW, I had the Co-Pilot seat on the Red Bus Tour, TOO COOL!!!


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## Rasputin (Jun 27, 2019)

Rail Freak said:


> A few years back, I took the east bound train (from PDX) to West Glacier. The Park hotel shuttle was there waiting when I arrived. I checked in at the Apgar Village Inn (Highly recommend). Spent the rest of the day taking the free Hiker Shuttle up to Logan Pass & back. The next day took the Red Bus Tour over to Many Glacier, had lunch, & returned back to Apgar. The final day, I took the Hiker Shuttle back to my favorite spots I'd found the previous days. (No Car Rental on this trip) That evening hotel shuttle back to the station to catch the EB back to PDX. Best Vacation Ever!!!!


That sounds like a great trip and I would say that you made really good use of your time in the Park!


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## dogbert617 (Jun 27, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> The best Red bus tour would be Apgar to Many Glacier and return. It is also the longest I think and most expensive but it would a great trip. Hope to do it with family next time. (Wouldn't be great to do in the rain however, but on a good day when they roll back the canvas top - that's really great.)



If you're referring to Crown of the Continent tour from the west side of Glacier National Park as a Red Bus tour, yes that's the tour I booked. Actually I was really hoping to do a Red Bus tour from the east side, but as I was hoping a damn hard time finding a spot where it'd work with dates of hotels on the east side not sold out, I compromised and booked Lake McDonald Lodge, and also the Crown of the Continent tour on the west side.

Was also a little disappointed that when I was booking shuttles going south from St. Mary Village to Glacier Park Lodge, I'll only have an hour and 45 minutes to check out the Two Medicine Lake area. As the only times they had spots left for, would allow a 1:45 layover at Two Medicine. Next time if I come back, I will try to do a plan that allows for greater exploration of Two Medicine, and Many Glacier. And who knows on that 2nd Glacier trip I do someday, maybe I'll bite the bullet and rent a car?


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## Rasputin (Jun 28, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> If you're referring to Crown of the Continent tour from the west side of Glacier National Park as a Red Bus tour, yes that's the tour I booked. Actually I was really hoping to do a Red Bus tour from the east side, but as I was hoping a damn hard time finding a spot where it'd work with dates of hotels on the east side not sold out, I compromised and booked Lake McDonald Lodge, and also the Crown of the Continent tour on the west side.
> 
> Was also a little disappointed that when I was booking shuttles going south from St. Mary Village to Glacier Park Lodge, I'll only have an hour and 45 minutes to check out the Two Medicine Lake area. As the only times they had spots left for, would allow a 1:45 layover at Two Medicine. Next time if I come back, I will try to do a plan that allows for greater exploration of Two Medicine, and Many Glacier. And who knows on that 2nd Glacier trip I do someday, maybe I'll bite the bullet and rent a car?


I can't recall all of the names of the tours but it sounds to me like you have the best, or one of best ones. Two Medicine is a nice area but you can spend more time there on your next trip Hope you have a great trip and will post a report.


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## Barb Stout (Jun 28, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> I was doing 3 full days at Glacier, for this trip next week. Next time I may consider renting a car, since for sure there are sections of this national park which I concluded don't have any way to get up to those areas unless you have a car(i.e. Polebridge, Bowman Lake, Kintla(sp?) Lake, and probably others I'm forgetting). And perhaps to do such a trip in like May, June, or September, when there are less crowds. Who knows yet how I'll try to do a 2nd trip there like, in terms of logistics.
> 
> Was trying to figure out, are there any places near the West Glacier train station to rent a car? Or is it just any of the rental car agencies in Whitefish, or that one by East Glacier(as I remember, Dollar had its cars out of a lot near Sears Motel over there). Also, I certainly do suspect there are times when traffic is heavy, on Going to the Sun Road.
> 
> ...


Also, some of those above


Rasputin said:


> I can't recall all of the names of the tours but it sounds to me like you have the best, or one of best ones. Two Medicine is a nice area but you can spend more time there on your next trip Hope you have a great trip and will post a report.


Two Medicine is where we camped when we went (via car). Nice and peaceful compared to other areas on the Going to the Sun road and St. Mary's.


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## Rasputin (Jul 3, 2019)

Link to an item in the Flathead Beacon on the state of Glacier National Park's glaciers:

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2019/07/03/outdoors-issue-2019-science-still-shows-glaciers-retreat/


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## dogbert617 (Jul 9, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> I can't recall all of the names of the tours but it sounds to me like you have the best, or one of best ones. Two Medicine is a nice area but you can spend more time there on your next trip Hope you have a great trip and will post a report.



As for Two Medicine, I talked to one of the drivers who was doing the St. Mary to Two Medicine to Glacier Park Lodge, and he didn't mind me instead going on the shuttle that was closer to arriving at Two Medicine around 4-4:15pm(give or take on exact time), so I chose to do that instead of go south to Glacier Park Lodge at the 12:45pm time(woohoo). And that was enough time so I could do a quick boat cruise across the Two Medicine Lake, and back. Along with hikes along the South Shore trail to two different parts of the trails going that way(Paradise Point, and I forget the name of the other part I hiked to), before rain came in. I know there's an optional guided hike to Twin Falls you can do on the other side of where that ferry goes to(away from the camp/general store), but I chose not to do that hike since it was raining a little much for me IMO.

Honestly, what I booked all worked for the best, and well for me. Since while I didn't go through with my original Red Bus tour idea for one starting from the east side(Big Sky Circle), I still could see the Goat Lick area of Glacier National Park from the train, so it's okay. And of course, saw Izaak(sp?) Walton Inn from the train as well, which was a nice treat to briefly see on the way to West Glacier/Belton. Which was that I spent 2 nights at Lake McDonald Lodge. One night in the main hotel part, the other night in Snyder Dorm which actually was nicer to stay in, than I thought it'd be like. And if it wasn't for me staying in Snyder, I don't think I ever would've discovered a nice reading room(w/a few historical books on the local towns, plus Glacier National Park as well) they had between the main hotel room and Snyder, and also an auditorium where NPS rangers do at least 2 presentations/talks inside of each night.

Second full day at Glacier also went well, which was exploring places along Going to the Sun Road, and ultimately heading east towards St. Mary Village Hotel. It was nice that I did manage to hike the Avalanche Gorge/Creek trail to the end, and I enjoyed that hike a lot. It left a bad taste in my mind about Pursuit's computers(parent company of both St. Mary Village and Glacier Park Lodge, and they run a few other hotels in that area that I'm forgetting), when NEITHER of the 2 hotels would properly read my card. Despite that I called my bank to check on things, told me everything was fine and that I had more than enough funds in my account, and like I thought confirmed that Pursuit's computers were the annoying problem! At the first place(St. Mary Village) thankfully the manager was understanding and let me stay without paying the refundable security deposit, but for Glacier Park I annoyingly had to go to an ATM outside that place to withdraw money to pay the security deposit.  Aside from that, exploring Two Medicine was nice, and I did like seeing the historic inside of the Glacier Park Lodge building. I did have my revenge with St. Mary Village and Glacier Park Lodge in a way, via eating at local places outside those 2 hotels. Frog's Cantina at St. Mary and also Curly Bear Cafe for ice cream(you even can get Huckleberry ice cream there, and it was great!), and Two Medicine Grill and Brownie's Hostel(for the fact I thought they'd have Huckleberry Pie per reports I'd heard about that place, but sadly they were out of that so I settled for Huckleberry ice cream) for the East Glacier Park Village area. I was bummed Two Medicine Grill wasn't open for me to do a last breakfast before boarding #8/28 back home, but assumed that it was probably closed(oddly no sign was posted on the door they'd be closed that day) due to the 4th of July holiday. Also it was a nice plus about Brownie's Hostel, that you can get single cans of beer to go, unlike other places where you don't have any choice except to get a 4 or 6 pack of beer to go(i.e. at the Cenex gas station east of Two Medicine Grill, Circle R Motel, etc). Finally, it was a little bit of a shock to me that no businesses(including gas stations) were open after 10pm in both the St. Mary and East Glacier Park areas, except for a bar in the area of each place(Kip's Beer Garden, and Trailhead Saloon). And back to that security deposit at Glacier Park Lodge, at least I got my cash back on the morning I checked out no prob.

On a different note I wasn't surprised about no phone reception, since I already heard the reports about that in advance and was expecting that'd be the case for inside most of Glacier National Park. The exceptions were in the Apgar area of the park a little past the west entrance(i.e. Village Inn, Apgar Campground, a few miles northeast on GTTS Rd. is where you lose Verizon reception), in the St. Mary area by the St. Mary Village Hotel and other nearby businesses along US 89(yay for the Blackfeet Tribe, that it was probably their doing per talking to a hotel employee, as to why a cell phone tower does exist in this area), and by Glacier Park Lodge in that area near the train station.

The shuttles that aren't the official Going to the Sun Road free shuttle work well btw, for anyone who may be nervous about that issue before arriving. When doing a hotel reservation for any place within the park, at THAT time you also do a reservation for Xanterra's shuttle to places just within Glacier National Park. And of course, you should either buy your 7 day pedestrian pass($20) either at the gate, or online in advance via yourpassnow.com (I did the latter). When westbound train #7/27 got to West Glacier, the shuttle already was waiting for passengers in the parking spaces just next to the platform, and is a white van with Glacier Park Lodges and Xanterra company logo on the outside of the van. From what that driver told me, they also do dropoffs to other places just within the gate on the west side of the park not ran by Xanterra, such as to some cabins that were close to Village Inn at Apgar. And at St. Mary Village, you just wait inside the lobby, for the driver to arrive and announce that he/she is picking up those using the shuttle. The same is done, also at Glacier Park Lodge for those using the shuttle north to Two Medicine, or all the way north to St. Mary Village. I should NOTE however, that if you want to use the shuttle going further north from St. Mary Visitor Center to Many Glacier Hotel, you do a short walk west from the hotel to the visitor center, then the Many Glacier Hotel shuttle will pick its riders up from there. That shuttle does NOT pick up at St. Mary Village Hotel, for everyone's info. Oh yeah as for picking up the shuttle at Two Medicine, the driver goes inside the camp/general store, and announces his/her presence that he/she is picking up passengers either heading southward to Glacier Park Hotel, or north to St. Mary Village. Plus I thought it was a nice touch at Glacier Park Lodge, that they have a complimentary shuttle(and you don't need to tip either, as I didn't see anyone else doing so) you can ride from the dropoff/pickup area outside the lobby(especially if your bags start to feel heavy at the end, like mine did!), over to the East Glacier Park Amtrak station. I imagine Glacier Park Lodge does the same thing for those arriving at East Glacier Park(has that vehicle parked by the train station till the train arrives), and has their shuttle pick up those arriving from the train and heading over to that hotel?

Well this trip went great, and for sure it'll only be a matter of time before I do some sort of return trip there! Just not sure yet, when that will be.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 9, 2019)

Twin Star Rocket said:


> There are hiking trails and ski trails at *Izaak Walton Inn*. You can rent a car there too and travel up and down Hwy 2 to nearby trails in the National Forests and National Park. It also has its own laundry for guests to use and a restaurant(serving 3 meals a day). It's fun just to explore the grounds around the inn.
> *Belton Chalet* has a restaurant and bar within easy walking distance for supper. Definitely not open for breakfast or lunch.



Very late and belated response to your comment, but when I further researched Izaak Walton Inn, it didn't seem as bad as I worried at first glance for hikes near there. What one may easily miss, is that there also are a few hikes you can do into the Flathead National Forest(south of US 2), such as one going towards Marion Lake. I think still I want to do a trip to stay either at Many Glacier Hotel or Swiftcurrent Motor Inn first, but down the road for sure I'll look into Izaak Walton.


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## Rasputin (Jul 10, 2019)

The Izaak Walton Inn in Essex is a great place to stay and the food is good. It is prime spot for watching trains. However people should be aware that it is far from the prime scenic areas of Glacier National Park. Although there is some hiking available at Essex in the National Park and in the National Forest, none of these hikes would be considered prime hikes. The prime hikes in Glacier would be at Two Medicine, Lake McDonald, Many Glacier and the North Fork areas. The prime hike in the Essex area would be the Scalplock Lookout hike which is a strenuous uphill hike with no significant views until the top. In my opinion if your goal is to visit Glacier National Park, Essex is not the right place to be. If your goal is to see a lot of trains and helper locomotives, Essex is the place to be.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 10, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> The Izaak Walton Inn in Essex is a great place to stay and the food is good. It is prime spot for watching trains. However people should be aware that it is far from the prime scenic areas of Glacier National Park. Although there is some hiking available at Essex in the National Park and in the National Forest, none of these hikes would be considered prime hikes. The prime hikes in Glacier would be at Two Medicine, Lake McDonald, Many Glacier and the North Fork areas. The prime hike in the Essex area would be the Scalplock Lookout hike which is a strenuous uphill hike with no significant views until the top. In my opinion if your goal is to visit Glacier National Park, Essex is not the right place to be. If your goal is to see a lot of trains and helper locomotives, Essex is the place to be.



Did I read correctly on a bunch of the online reviews that Izaak Walton is open all year, unlike many of the other inns, hotels, and motels that seem to only be open during May or June-September? I find that interesting if true, that they choose to be open all year. And like I said earlier, perhaps someday I'd like to try staying at Izaak, so that I could have a chance to visit once. At this point I'm itching a little more to do another trip within Glacier, and also do some sort of visit into the town of Whitefish.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 10, 2019)

Maglev said:


> I just got a pop-up ad for Whitefish, and thought this would be a good time to post my picture of Whitefish. Here's the eastbound _Empire Builder_ on January 10, 2017 running with three locomotives, two sleepers and two coaches in the Seattle section, and an extra SSL deadheading on the rear.
> 
> View attachment 10867



So this train had TWO sightseer lounges?!? I've never seen the EB run with 2 such lounges, though at times I've seen more than one sleeper on the front half (Seattle section), and ditto with the Portland section as well. As was the case (2 Portland sleepers, & 2 Seattle sleepers) when I rode it last week, to Glacier NP.


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## Rasputin (Jul 11, 2019)

Yes the Izaak Walton Inn is open all year and I understand that they do a good business in the winter catering to cross country skiers who use the trails in the national forest. The hotels in the park (and many businesses and facilities outside the park) do not open until June. There is only one restaurant open all year in East Glacier and none in West Glacier so things are pretty quiet until the season starts.


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## Bel5 (Jul 12, 2019)

We're going to stay 2 nights at the Izaak Walton in October, stopping off on New York to Seattle trip. We're not planning any serious hikes but hopefully will be able to do a couple of not too strenuous walks and some chilling watching the trains. Very much looking forward to it.


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## Rasputin (Jul 12, 2019)

Bel5 said:


> We're going to stay 2 nights at the Izaak Walton in October, stopping off on New York to Seattle trip. We're not planning any serious hikes but hopefully will be able to do a couple of not too strenuous walks and some chilling watching the trains. Very much looking forward to it.


I hope you will give us a review of your stay there. Hope you have a good time and that the weather is good.


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## Bel5 (Jul 13, 2019)

Thank you Rasputin. I will try to remember to do a review. These forums have so much useful info for planning.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 13, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> Yes the Izaak Walton Inn is open all year and I understand that they do a good business in the winter catering to cross country skiers who use the trails in the national forest. The hotels in the park (and many businesses and facilities outside the park) do not open until June. There is only one restaurant open all year in East Glacier and none in West Glacier so things are pretty quiet until the season starts.



Speaking of Izaak Walton(and thanks for this earlier reply), do you know approximately when in September or October that leaf colors start to change on trees around Glacier, and also the Flathead National Forest? It'd be cool to see the leaf colors change, in the fall. Would be cool to revisit that area, and see leaf colors change out that way during the fall season.


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## Rasputin (Jul 13, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> Speaking of Izaak Walton(and thanks for this earlier reply), do you know approximately when in September or October that leaf colors start to change on trees around Glacier, and also the Flathead National Forest? It'd be cool to see the leaf colors change, in the fall. Would be cool to revisit that area, and see leaf colors change out that way during the fall season.



I haven't been to Glacier in September for many years so I don't know the answer to that. I would suggest a call or email to the Park or to the Inn or to the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Center might provide some information. In September and October there might be some snow especially at the higher elevations. Not sure when you would likely see some snow at the lower elevations such as around the Inn.

For Barb's trip in October, I would suggest that if possible they rent a car for the day and drive to the Two Medicine area and the Many Glacier area in the Park and also drive up the Going-to-the-Sun road as far as it is open. Those will provide far superior scenery than can be seen at Essex. Perhaps the Park's visitors center at St. Mary will also be open. I might also suggest a stop at the Museum of the Plains Indians in Browning. Bring some warm clothes (or buy some at the Inn gift shop) but if there is a snowstorm, enjoy Essex instead of driving around.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 14, 2019)

Rasputin said:


> For Barb's trip in October, I would suggest that if possible they rent a car for the day and drive to the Two Medicine area and the Many Glacier area in the Park and also drive up the Going-to-the-Sun road as far as it is open. Those will provide far superior scenery than can be seen at Essex. Perhaps the Park's visitors center at St. Mary will also be open. I might also suggest a stop at the Museum of the Plains Indians in Browning. Bring some warm clothes (or buy some at the Inn gift shop) but if there is a snowstorm, enjoy Essex instead of driving around.



In East Glacier Village, there's also an art gallery (____? (forget first name) Clarke Art Gallery) of Native American art that seems like it would've been interesting to visit per online reviews, had it been open longer than just until 6pm. And as I recall, opened at something like 10 or 11am. It's free to visit, per the signage I saw outside the door. Like other seasonal places in this area, I think that's only open till sometime in September or October, so keep that in mind.


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## Rasputin (Dec 8, 2019)

Link to an article on the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex which appeared in the Hungry Horse News:

https://www.hungryhorsenews.com/fro...e_housing_to_resort_izaak_walton_inn_turns_80


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## Matthew H Fish (Dec 8, 2019)

If anyone is looking for intercity transit out of Whitefish, the Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai runs a bus from Whitefish to Missoula, once a day. 

http://www.csktdhrd.org/transportation/flathead-transit

The problem as the schedule currently stands is that the bus leaves Whitefish at 4 in the afternoon, meaning its a long wait from when the train drops off. Also, since that leg is the second one, if you go south, you have to spend the night. 

Still, if you want to go to, say, Polson, spend the night or weekend, and then head back to Whitefish to get back on the train, this is a good way to do it.


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## Rasputin (Dec 12, 2019)

And another article on the Izaak Walton Inn, this time from the Flathead Beacon:

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2019/12/11/the-gem-between/


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## Willbridge (Dec 18, 2019)

Matthew H Fish said:


> If anyone is looking for intercity transit out of Whitefish, the Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai runs a bus from Whitefish to Missoula, once a day.
> 
> http://www.csktdhrd.org/transportation/flathead-transit
> 
> ...



I rode it in 2015 and was thankful that it did not leave till 4 pm, as Train 28 was delayed by a derailed freight between Pasco and Spokane. Departing SPK after 8 a.m., we enjoyed the great scenery that used to be covered by the _Mainstreeter_ and the _Western Star_, but a bit later and I would have had to use the print-out of Whitefish lodgings that I carried as a back-up.

Amtrak's station stayed open long enough to get luggage and then closed from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., meaning that I and another passenger had to wait outside. The bus was a noisy truck chassis conversion, but everything else went well. I had previously ridden Rimrock Trailways on the same route, but the scenery is worth another trip. (My complete trip was PDX - WFS - Missoula - Billings - DEN.)


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## Twin Star Rocket (Dec 22, 2019)

dogbert617 said:


> Speaking of Izaak Walton(and thanks for this earlier reply), do you know approximately when in September or October that leaf colors start to change on trees around Glacier, and also the Flathead National Forest? It'd be cool to see the leaf colors change, in the fall. Would be cool to revisit that area, and see leaf colors change out that way during the fall season.


We went in mid-September in 2018 and hit fall colors at their peak.


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## Siegmund (Dec 22, 2019)

If you have a rental car you can see great fall colors _some_where within an hour anytime in that timeframe.

The east side of the pass is both higher and more windblown/colder; the aspens between the summit and East Glacier can very well be done by the 3rd week of September some years. But between Whitefish and Libby, the larches are barely started the first of October, and peak in mid to late October depending how low down and how cold of a fall. On any given week the peak colors will push farther down and farther west.
A bonus of going from 2000 feet (Libby) to 3000 (Kalispell) to 4000 (hills above the Flathead Tunnel) to 5000 (Marias Pass).


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## Skyline (Jun 17, 2020)

dogbert617 said:


> So I was thinking eventually in a year or 2, I wouldn't mind doing an Amtrak trip to Whitefish, and of course from there go to Glacier National Park. Hadn't decided if I also should try to visit nearby Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta(and bring my passport), or not. I was thinking Whitefish over Essex, since it seems to have more local amenities(motels/hotels, car rental places, etc) vs. Essex(not sure if there's anything there, except the Isaac Walton Inn). I know I also could go from East Glacier Village into the national park, but am still leaning towards Whitefish.
> 
> Anyway, I have some dumb questions to ask(forgive me, lol!), based on early Googling and various message board threads I've read. Are there any free shuttles within this national park(i.e. Zion National Park), or is it better to rent a car and drive to the portions of Glacier National Park I was interested in? I was worried at first the best option would be to rent a car after arriving in Whitefish or East Glacier(though probably I'll do Whitefish), but I do wonder how extensive the shuttle system is within this park. And in the opinion of those who've gone here, what would be the best months to visit this park? It does seem like from road closures if you go in the winter, that probably the best time to visit would be sometime in the mid-late spring or early-mid fall. And perhaps, that you run into slightly less crowds vs. summer. But who knows? Back to the rental car question(I have a license, but just haven't actually rented a car before), do any of the rental car companies allow one to cross the border to Alberta(just for Waterton Lakes) and back? I assume they would, but won't be surprised if they charge an extra fee if you want to do that. Knowing how rental car companies(from what I've researched) can nickel and dime you, over certain minor things.
> 
> Also, any local things/points of interest worth stopping at in this immediate area surrounding Whitefish(and etc. with the towns nearby) besides Glacier National Park? And of course, any recommended nearby places to eat that are decent would be nice to hear about. I was still trying to do Tripadvisor/Yelp/Google research, to figure out what I can on this area. My bigger question mark I want to find out, is if the national park has any shuttles to get to various parts of this park. Or is it only that a few of the nearby motels/hotels, have shuttles that'll get you to various parts of this park? Thanks to someone, who can clarify my confusion on that.



I saw a YouTube recently that said shuttles were cancelled within GNP for 2020 -- including the red buses. Related to C-19. Best bet is to arrange for a vehicle rental well in advance and establish your own daily itinerary. You can do a lot more that way. Rentals can be arranged whether you stay at Whitefish, Kalispell, Essex, or within the Park.


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## dogbert617 (Jun 21, 2020)

Matthew H Fish said:


> If anyone is looking for intercity transit out of Whitefish, the Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai runs a bus from Whitefish to Missoula, once a day.
> 
> Flathead Transit
> 
> ...



I didn't realize there was a bus that ran, between Whitefish and Missoula. That is interesting to learn that such a bus runs, myself. That link shows the schedule, but weirdly doesn't mention what the fare is to each of the communities along that route. Wish I could find that info, somewhere. Plus with that schedule, it'd ensure for those coming east of Whitefish that you'd have to overnight there to use that bus, the next day. Lucky for those who are coming from west of Whitefish, since it wouldn't require an overnight stay to use that bus in Whitefish.



Skyline said:


> I saw a YouTube recently that said shuttles were cancelled within GNP for 2020 -- including the red buses. Related to C-19. Best bet is to arrange for a vehicle rental well in advance and establish your own daily itinerary. You can do a lot more that way. Rentals can be arranged whether you stay at Whitefish, Kalispell, Essex, or within the Park.



That's sad to hear, but doesn't totally surprise me considering so many things have been cancelled as a result of COVID. Also, the NPS website as of now(6/20/20) says that the eastern entrance into the park from Saint Mary, MT is still closed, due to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation not yet opening road access in that area to non-residents. The current status of things open at Glacier National Park, is shown on this page: Glacier National Park Status Update - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)


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## Siegmund (Jun 25, 2020)

East side of Glacier Park will not open at all for 2020: Blackfeet close eastern border of Glacier for remainder of 2020 season

Make plans accordingly if you intend to get off the Builder in East Glacier this year (will they even keep the stop at East Glacier rather than Browning?). The west side of the park remains open, though the Going to the Sun Road is a few weeks away from being open to Logan Pass. If you come to Whitefish/West Glacier/Essex, it will be in an in-and-back-out visit to the park from the west side.


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## lakela66 (Jul 30, 2021)

Be aware if booking to East Glacier that there are (1) no tour buses available from there this year, (2) the advance park shuttle tickets are sold out (you have to trust that when they open seats 48 hours out that you will get one), and (3) there are no rental cars available in East Glacier. So you can get off the train in East Glacier, but you may not be able to visit the park.

The only option I can see is to get off the train in Whitefish/West Glacier, get a taxi to the airport, and get a rental car there (limited availability). There are also some Turo cars in that area.

Then you have to hope you can get a ticket to enter the park, or plan on entering before 6am or after 5pm (no tickets required). Recommendation from others is to go early, as the lines at 5pm are long.

We canceled our trip and are going to try again next year, hoping tours more available. COVID really affected tour operations.


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## Northwestern (Mar 9, 2022)

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is worth a visit. The park straddles the border between the US and Alberta, Canada. About a 2 hour drive from the Amtrak stop at East Glacier Park, Mt. I visited the park in the early 1970's. Top attractions would be the village of Waterton, the Prince of Wales hotel, and a guided boat trip along the northern portion of Waterton Lake, where you can cross the border between Canada and the US along the way.









Waterton Village (Waterton Lakes National Park) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go







is.gd





Boat trip on Waterton Lake.



Prince of Wales Hotel





Richard


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