Glacier National Park America’s Crown Jewel Story by Emily Fagan, photos by Emily and Mark Fagan
Glacier National Park is known as the “Crown of the Continent,” and that is a perfect description of this spectacular park. Located in northern Montana, it encompasses nearly 1,600 square miles of majestic alpine scenery filled with towering mountain peaks, crystal clear lakes, sparkling rivers, and a whole host of animals of every shape and size. And a true crown it is. Not only do the jagged mountain peaks form a crown atop North America but it’s a crown jewel in the National Park system. On our first visit, we dashed up and down the famous Going to the Sun Road and got a quick glimpse of the park in a day or two. But Glacier National Park deserves much more time than that, and we’ve found ourselves returning again and again. Tackling this park takes some forethought, however. Access to it is split between distant entrances on the east and west sides of the park. The West Entrance is fairly close to a few big towns and is the most popular way in. However, on the east side, the entrances at Two Medicine, St. Mary, and Many Glacier take you to more intimate settings and, in our experience, it’s the more beautiful side.
Lake McDonald with snow capped peaks in the background
Going to the Sun Road The most RV-friendly way to get from West Glacier to East Glacier is via the highway US-2 which runs along the southern edge of the park. This trip ranges from 75 to 111 miles depending on which of the three eastern entrances you are heading to. Far more scenic, however, is to embark on the 50 miles of tight switchbacks on the Going to the Sun Road. This road is most easily navigated by passenger cars, although RVs and truck/trailer combos less than 22 feet long and 10 feet high can traverse it. However,
Mountain Goats at Logan Pass
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025 | 24
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