My guess is Glacier National Park is going to be on any bucket list created of National Parks to visit and photograph. It definitely was on mine! This summer I finally had the chance to visit in July when the Going to the Sun Road was open but also kind of not…more on that later.
To see the most of the park you will want to stay in multiple locations. Glacier National Park is the 12th largest US National Park and the mountains you go to see make it difficult to get around. Therefore I recommend spending a few nights on each side of the park, east and west. On the east side the Many Glacier Hotel inside the park is amazing! The hotel is right on Swiftcurrent lake with beautiful sunset views but as you can expect it is popular and challenging to get a reservation. Fortunately nearby towns of Babb and St. Mary also have hotels and rental homes that are easier to book and only a short drive away. Similarly on the west side there is the Lake McDonald Lodge inside the park and the towns of Hungry Horse and Columbia Falls with many other options.
There are many photography options inside the park. Wildlife, stunning waterfalls, crystal clear lakes, and of course towering mountains. Many of these can be found right off the road or along moderate hikes. However those that like to really work for their reward will find many ~10 mile hikes to secluded glacial lakes.
The Going to the Sun Road is not to be missed but it is only open seasonally June to October. For these reasons it is very crowded and the park may have entry ticket requirements that can be difficult to obtain. To make it even worse when it is open many of the parking lots fill up before 7am! Therefore it is a challenge to get the most out of it. Photographers should be ok as we arrive before 7am for sunrise anyway and after 6pm it finally thins out to make parking for sunset possible. But if you are going to Logan Pass (the peak of the road) you can expect to wait 30 minutes for a parking spot to open up during the rest of the day.
It’s no help for me to say that there are great photos everywhere in the park…even if it’s true…so here is a list of some easy to photograph locations to get you started.
East Side
Many Glacier Hotel - sunset, no hiking required.
Wild Goose Island Lookout - anytime, no hiking required…but I highly recommend scrambling down to the lake shore.
Sun Point Nature Trail - sunrise, easy hike.
St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls - moderate hike.
Lake Logan Pass and Hidden Lake - anytime, easy hike.
Two Dog Flats - bears oh my!
West Side
Lake McDonald - sunrise when lake is calm.
Lake McDonald Lodge
Apgar Village
Apgar Amphitheater
Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake - moderate hike.
Enjoy! Questions, prints, or assignment needs please feel free to contact me.