Page 17 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

flora and fauna of the Park. The historic Belton Depot
houses the Glacier Natural Park Conservancy and
greets Amtrak trains twice a day. The 1910 Belton
Chalet is a National Historic Landmark, the first of the
Great Northern Railway hotels in Glacier, providing
excellent Montana fare dining.
Glacier National Park
Please be advised, unless legislation reverses
this situation, that travelers wishing to use Going-
to-the-Sun Road or the inside North Fork Road
in Glacier will need to apply in advance for a two-
dollar “temporary ticketed entry system pass” for the
summer season, in addition to the standard per car
entrance fee. Exceptions are those who can show they
have lodge, campground etc. reservations within the
Park, or have reserved activities there. These entry
passes are only available at www.Recreation.gov
and are released periodically. They apply to the West
Glacier and St. Mary entrances between 6am and
4pm and the Polebridge entrance from 6am to 6pm,
from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more
information visit the Glacier National Park website.
Glacier National Park is a must see when traveling
to Montana. Established over one hundred years ago
in 1910, the Park is l600 square miles of astonishingly
beautiful backcountry wilderness with more than 730
miles of hiking trails.
In the early 1900s, Americans began regarding
natural resources in a different light, recognizing
the value of spectacular scenic beauty. Facilities
for tourists started to spring up. In the late 1890s,
visitors arriving at Belton (West Glacier) could get
off the train, take a stagecoach ride a few miles to
Lake McDonald, and then board a boat for an eight-
mile trip to the Snyder Hotel. No roads existed in the
mountains, but the lakes allowed for boat travel into
the wilderness.
Soon, people like early explorer and author George
Bird Grinnell pushed for the creation of a national Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park
park. The area was made a Forest Preserve in 1900,
but was open to mining and homesteading. Grinnell
and others sought the added protection national park East Glacier Accommodations include the historic St. Mary
status would provide. He saw his efforts rewarded in Location: Hwy 2 and 49; 56 miles east of West Lodge and Resort and the Rising Sun Motor Inn.
1910 when President Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier, 32 miles from the entrance to Glacier
Glacier as the country’s 10th national park. National Park at St. Mary. Population: 250. Browning - Blackfeet Country
The construction of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Visitor Information: Chamber of Commerce, Location: Hwy 2 and 89; 13 miles east of East
which traverses the Park was an immense undertaking. PO Box 260, East Glacier, MT 59434; Phone: Glacier, 120 miles from Great Falls. Population:
The final section over Logan Pass was completed in (406) 226-4403. 4,133; Reservation Population: 8,851.
1932 after 11 years of work. This engineering feat Visitor Information: Phone: (406) 338-7181;
and National Historical Landmark is one of the most In East Glacier the traveler will find motels Website: wwwblackfeetcountry.com and www.
scenic roads in North America, forever changing the accommodation, fine restaurants, a laundromat, blackfeetfishandwildlife.com.
way visitors would experience Glacier National Park, gift shops, lounges, service stations and the historic
enabling a few hours travel time to replace days of Glacier Park Lodge. Horseback rides are available Browning is the largest community on the
horseback riding. and scenic boat cruises operate on park lakes. Blackfeet Indian Reservation, situated near the eastern
Waterton Lakes National Park lies just across the Only seven miles from East Glacier, Two Medicine gateway to Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes
Canadian border. In 1931, Rotary Clubs members Lake is surrounded by majestic peaks separated by International Peace Park in Alberta, Canada. It is
suggested joining Glacier and Waterton as a symbol deep, glaciated valleys, laced with hiking and saddle connected to the world by two major highways, the
of peace and friendship between the two countries. horse trails. A boat trip across Two Medicine Lake east-west Montana “Hi-Line”US 2 and US 89, which
In 1932, the US and Canadian governments voted to leads to a short trail through dense evergreen forest to runs from Great Falls north to the Canadian border.
designate their parks as Waterton-Glacier International the foot of spectacular Twin Falls. Within the 1.5 million acre Blackfeet Reservation the
Peace Park, the world’s first transborder park. While traveler will find campgrounds, hotels and restaurants,
visiting Waterton, be sure to see the Prince of Wales St. Mary an outstanding museum and visitor center, as well as
Hotel and enjoy the traditional British atmosphere a multitude of recreational opportunities. Browning
complete with Afternoon Tea. Location: Hwy 89; 32 miles northwest of and the outlying communities are well known for the
Browning. Eastern terminus of Going-to-the- limitless pursuits they offer to outdoor recreationalists.
Essex Sun Road. The reservation is dotted by over 20 lakes and hundreds
Located midway between East and West Glacier of miles of streams and rivers. Hunting and fishing
on Hwy 2. One of the eastern entrances to Glacier National are complemented by golf, camping, hiking, rodeos
Park, St. Mary is located at the foot of shimmering St. and two major annual native celebrations during the
Essex is home to the historic Izaak Walton Inn that Mary Lake, providing breathtaking views. summer and fall seasons. Snowmobiling, ice fishing
once housed winter snow removal crews for the Great The St. Mary area offers numerous recreational and cross-country skiing dominate the winter months.
Northern Railroad. Essex is a popular year-round opportunities, including hiking, fishing, camping, The North American Indian Days celebration in
stop for visitors, especially railroad buffs and cross- mountain climbing, boating or just relaxing and Browning is always held the second week in July.
country skiers. enjoying the view. Tipis are pitched on the powwow grounds for four
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