Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: June 22-24, 2022
Known as the “Crown of the Continent”, this huge 1,583-mile wilderness park in the Montana Rocky Mountains has glacier carved peaks and valleys, pristine turquoise lakes and streams, dense ancient forests, and wind-swept prairies.
Going to the Sun Road, the 50-mile scenic narrow, steep, winding National Landmark Road crosses the park from the west entrance to east entrance. Entering at the park west entrance, we could only drive the first 13 miles due to snow blockage. We concentrated our hikes around the Lake McDonald area. At the Lake McDonald Lodge we saw some of the vintage 1936 Red Jammer tour buses. The buses hold 17 passengers, and the canvas roof rolls back to give patrons visibility. Back at the west entrance at West Glacier Village, we bought huckleberry jam made from Montana, made from local wild huckleberries. We passed on the huckleberry pie as it was an outrageous $10 per slice. Rosie had a close encounter with a bear at the village gift shop. We camped at the West Glacier KOA about three miles from the park west entrance. This was one of the best KOA’s we have ever camped at as they had and adult only swimming pool and whirlpool, incredible on-site restaurant, outdoor seating by fireplaces and their own hiking trail.
