Help on a Glacier Vacation with Kids

[Carpet Capital Shyster]

I’m a long term lurker and sometimes poster and I am hoping to harness the collective wisdom of Rokslide. I’m looking at taking two trips to Glacier this summer. One is a family trip with my wife, 5 yr old and 9 year old. The other is a yearly backpacking/fishing trip that I do with my best friends from high school. I have a few questions:

1. On the family trip, we are flying into Missoula (it’s cheaper) from Atlanta and then driving to Whitefish. We have 7 nights worth of accommodations to book. I am inclined to book 4 nights in Whitefish and finish the trip with 3 nights in Missoula. I’ve never been to either. Is this a pretty good split? Is there so much to do in the Whitefish/Glacier area that I’m going to regret not spending more nights in Whitefish? I’ve heard Missoula is awesome and want to check it out.


2. Fly fishing is my biggest passion and I intend to book a guided trip while out there. Booking it in Missoula seems like a no brainer to me, but there is a fly shop in Big Fork that has already been real helpful by phone and seems like they guide the Flathead AND the rivers near Missoula, specifically the Blackfoot and Clark Fork. I’d be very happy to give them my business. The fishing date would probably be July 22 or 23. The fly shop I spoke to in Big Fork was very candid with me and said the end of July can be pretty dicey fishing depending upon snowpack. Does anybody have any input or comments on my scenario? Would I have a better chance of good fishing if I booked out of Missoula? Anyone have a guide that they particularly recommend?



3. Any absolutely must see attractions or restaurants in either town for my family trip? We are going to do going to the Sun Road but that’s all I have set in stone. Figured we would do a scenic raft tour down the Flathead. My kids can maybe do a mile each way hike, tops. They’re at the point where I can’t fit either in the Osprey child pack,anymore.

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Chesapeake173]

Get the book “Glacier Day Hikes”. Gives lots of really good ideas for trips.

Garden wall hike. Being a flat lander like me you might get freaked out about the first narrow part but you should be fine. If not turn around but it’s well worth it when you make it through.

Avalancha Lake. Easy hike, well worth it !

Go early! If you plan to do anything from Logan’s pass you won’t get a parking spot if you aren’t there by 7 AM. That’s about a 45 minute drive from the entry at west glacier.

Any more details shoot me a PM. We’ve done that the last couple years. Worth the trip.

Grinnel Glacier

Avalanche Lake.


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[2ski]

I don't know any guides in Missoula but I would look into fishing Rock Creek too. Thats the big one around Missoula. Then it would be the Blackfoot. When you hear Montana fly-fishing its Rock Creek, the Big Blackfoot, Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone. Not really the Flathead area. But great scenic floats to take with your kids. As far as whether to take a guide out of Missoula or Big Fork, these guys in Big Fork probably know the Blackfoot well if they guide down there too. They may just not have up to date info on hatches like the guys guiding it every day. And if its the place I'm thinking of, you're only a few steps from the Garden Bar, the most overrated bar in the whole state of MT and the service sucks. But I digress.

As to the other question, I would rather spend the bulk of the time in the Flathead area. Basing out of Whitefish,, you can day trip up into Eureka, down to Flathead Lake(cherries should almost be ready to pick when you're there if not being picked), into Glacier for multiple days, down to Thomson Falls, down the Seeley-Swan valley, ect. Check out the schedule for the Big Fork Summer Playhouse and see if there are any musicals that your kids would enjoy. Check out the Holland Lake Lodge for a night. You can day hike into the Bob Marshall probably if you wanted to and leave your wife and kids to relax at the lake. Hike to Holland Falls would be an easy kid hike right from the Lodge. If you're a fly-fisherman, you could make you're way up to the Yaak river where the only native population of rainbows in MT exists.

Missoula is a good place for Breweries. Spend a day out of Missoula and head to the Bitterroot for a day. But I think you'll be happier in the Kalispell area. Kind of like going to Maui first for 4 days and ending your trip in Honolulu for 3 days. Both nice places, but go to Pearl Harbor for a day and spend the rest of the time in Maui.

 

[_E_]

I second spending more time in the glacier area. Definitely check out the little town of Polebridge on west side of the park. There are a couple lakes out that way you can drive to and hike around which are incredible. The mercantile in the town is awesome as well. Be aware glacier is insane during the summer. If you want guaranteed parking at trailheads you need to get there very early. Also, the east side of the park was closed last summer due to covid and the Indian reservation not letting people in. I dont know if I would plan on it being open this summer.

For your guys trip, if your not set on glacier and are in decent shape I would recommend doing the Beaten Path. It is a trail that goes from Red Lodge to Cooke City. You can do it in 4 days and the backcountry fishing is outstanding. If you do your research you can have chance at Golden trout and huge brookies. Along with bows and cutty. I did this backpack trip a couple summers ago with my old high school friends and it was probably one of the better trips we have taken in the state.

 

[Wapiti1]

My 2 cents. I would stay on the east side of the park. You'll have to drive over every day to get to the better hikes. The McDonald side has some good hikes, but, IMO, the Many Glacier and St. Mary's areas are the better when you have kids in tow.

The McDonald side hikes tend to be long to get above treeline, or are mostly in the timber. It's a long drive every day to get to the classic hikes if you stay in Whitefish. Hikes like Grinnell Glacier, Iceberg Lake, Swift Current Lakes, Siyeh Bend are all on the east side. Even the Garden Wall is a good poke, but well worth it. Be aware that some trails might be closed due to bears. The last time I was there the Garden Wall was closed because of a dead goat the bears were feeding on.

That said, as other have noted, Missoula is an airport and car rental place and that's it. Get out of there and go to the fun places. Libby Dam, Polebridge, Whitefish, Big Fork, Flathead Lake.

Go to the National Bison Range by Charlo. Great place if you like to watch bison, elk, deer and antelope.

Rock Creek, or the Blackfoot are, IMO, your best bets on fishing. The Clark Fork will probably be high still. Heck, Going to the Sun road will only have been open from snowpack a few weeks at most by late July. Glacier Anglers in West Glacier will have good info and guides.

Jeremy

 

[bsnedeker]

Stop at a Mudman Burger for the best fast food burger you'll ever have in your life! If you are staying in Whitefish there is one in Columbia Falls on your way to the park.

 

[bruno59]

After you have left the park drive west on route 2 for a couple hours to libby outside of libby check out kootenai falls and the swinging bridge that goes all the way across the river easy hike from there drive south on route 56 right pass bull lake and there is a trail called ross creek nature trail easy hike and you can see 175 foot tall giant cedar trees that are over 500 years old second the mudman burgers

 

[2ski]

After you have left the park drive west on route 2 for a couple hours to libby outside of libby check out kootenai falls and the swinging bridge that goes all the way across the river easy hike from there drive south on route 56 right pass bull lake and there is a trail called ross creek nature trail easy hike and you can see 175 foot tall giant cedar trees that are over 500 years old second the mudman burgers

Second the Cedar trail. Fun for kids to be able to run through the truck of some trees because of how they grew.

 

[Carpet Capital Shyster]

I don't know any guides in Missoula but I would look into fishing Rock Creek too. Thats the big one around Missoula. Then it would be the Blackfoot. When you hear Montana fly-fishing its Rock Creek, the Big Blackfoot, Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone. Not really the Flathead area. But great scenic floats to take with your kids. As far as whether to take a guide out of Missoula or Big Fork, these guys in Big Fork probably know the Blackfoot well if they guide down there too. They may just not have up to date info on hatches like the guys guiding it every day. And if its the place I'm thinking of, you're only a few steps from the Garden Bar, the most overrated bar in the whole state of MT and the service sucks. But I digress.

As to the other question, I would rather spend the bulk of the time in the Flathead area. Basing out of Whitefish,, you can day trip up into Eureka, down to Flathead Lake(cherries should almost be ready to pick when you're there if not being picked), into Glacier for multiple days, down to Thomson Falls, down the Seeley-Swan valley, ect. Check out the schedule for the Big Fork Summer Playhouse and see if there are any musicals that your kids would enjoy. Check out the Holland Lake Lodge for a night. You can day hike into the Bob Marshall probably if you wanted to and leave your wife and kids to relax at the lake. Hike to Holland Falls would be an easy kid hike right from the Lodge. If you're a fly-fisherman, you could make you're way up to the Yaak river where the only native population of rainbows in MT exists.

Missoula is a good place for Breweries. Spend a day out of Missoula and head to the Bitterroot for a day. But I think you'll be happier in the Kalispell area. Kind of like going to Maui first for 4 days and ending your trip in Honolulu for 3 days. Both nice places, but go to Pearl Harbor for a day and spend the rest of the time in Maui.

Many thanks to all of y’all who responded on this thread. This was all very helpful information and I greatly appreciate it.

 

[HeavilyArmedHIppie]

Don’t know why ya’ll keep recommending Mudman burgers. That place was run by some whacked out religious freaks and forced to shut down for all kind of labor violations/public outcry. Mudman is no more. I think the best burger in the area Is a spit between The Bulldog in Whitefish and Hop’s Downtown in Kalispell.

 

[HeavilyArmedHIppie]

One thing I’d highly recommend for the kids is hitting the national bison range on your way north out of Missoula. It’s kind of like being on safari and you will see a lot of game animals up close. I don’t know what they are talking about with the end of July being dicey for fishing, that is a pretty reliable time of year for flows. One thing to think about is that the Blackfeet had the east entrance closed all year due to covid. It was really more of a F U to the rest of us, a big flex of their muscle. That means that all year you could not go to Many Glacier which is my favorite part of the park. We will have to wait and see if they keep it closed all of 2021. You in Dalton or Chatsworth?

 

[Razz]

Agree on the Cedar Trail at Ross Creek. Polebridge is interesting little town. Seems like more to do/access from the east side on the trips we made up there. Tamarack Lodge in Hungry Horse was our jumping off point before heading into the park and camping. Real nice place, hotel type rooms and small cabins with kitchen etc. Pretty affordable. One year we went late August. Was a dry summer and fires in and around the park disrupted some of our plans. Next trip we went late June. Wet, rain and some snow for part of the trip...weather was just like home! Kept the crowds a bit more confined. Were there the day Going to the Sun road opened. Iceberg Lake hike was spectacular, out and back about 10 miles as I recall.

 

[bsnedeker]

Don’t know why ya’ll keep recommending Mudman burgers. That place was run by some whacked out religious freaks and forced to shut down for all kind of labor violations/public outcry. Mudman is no more. I think the best burger in the area Is a spit between The Bulldog in Whitefish and Hop’s Downtown in Kalispell.

I live here man. They re-opened this summer. Yeah, they were run by some kind of cult weirdo and might still be but the burgers are delicious. I was talking fast food, not sit down restaurants.

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[danarnold]

if you take going to the sun road out of the park beware, its possible to come across blackfeet that REALLY don't like you. If you travel thru the res they have their own law.
been 20 years since I took my family, wont be back....browning had a reputation back then if you stop to eat your rig would be looted when you got back to it.
not trying to be negative, just cover your ass

 

[Backyard]

if you take going to the sun road out of the park beware, its possible to come across blackfeet that REALLY don't like you. If you travel thru the res they have their own law.
been 20 years since I took my family, wont be back....browning had a reputation back then if you stop to eat your rig would be looted when you got back to it.
not trying to be negative, just cover your ass

The wife and I went through there summer before last on the bike. No problems, 49 looked to be gravel for a stretch so we went thru Browning, North Browning was definitely a sh*thole, but we didn't stop. We planned on doing the Sun Road from east to west for reasons of less traffic heading west vs east. Was right, it was bumper to bumper heading east, and pretty free flowing in our direction. I suggest the same.

 

[bsnedeker]

They are still debating whether to open the east entrance this summer. Keep that in mind as anyone is making plans.

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[Marmots]

You don't need a license to fish within glacier itself because it's an international peace park, and there are some inexplicably DUMB cutthroat and grayling to be had there.

Those two things, combined with the scenery, make it a great place to get your wife and kids excited about fly fishing.

Avalanche lake is one of the most popular hikes in the park, with good reason. It's an easy hike and the scenery is spectacular. Even with the pressure Avalanche lake gets, I've managed to catch and release a few dozen pretty little cutthroats using a completely in appropriate mayfly pattern. It's a great place for someone curious about fly fishing to try a few high-odds casts without having to shell out for a license.


If it's open despite covid, it's also worth checking out the Nation Bison Range on your drive up from Missoula. There's a 1.5-2 hour loop you can drive that will provide great views of the valley, and you will most certainly see bison and antelope. Elk, bear, and sheep are also pretty likely.

 

[2ski]

if you take going to the sun road out of the park beware, its possible to come across blackfeet that REALLY don't like you. If you travel thru the res they have their own law.
been 20 years since I took my family, wont be back....browning had a reputation back then if you stop to eat your rig would be looted when you got back to it.
not trying to be negative, just cover your ass

I wouldn't hang out in Browning but I wouldn't be afraid to drive through it or stop at the gas station.

 

[vectordawg]

I didn’t read every post here so this might be repeat info. If you do get a parking spot at Logan Pass, the Hidden Lake trail is pretty easy for kids. Plenty of mountain goats back there. That was our first hike in Glacier because we were scared of bears, lol! Also, if your kids aren’t wild, the first half mile to a mile of the Highline has great views! I say that about the kids because it’s basically a cliff. It sounds bad but it really is fine. The Highline starts across the street from Logan Pass Visitor Center. If the east side is open and y’all make it to Swiftcurrent, check out the trail to Fisher Cap Lake. It’s a VERY easy hike and you are almost guaranteed to see a moose in the lake early in the morning or late in the afternoon. We struck out the first couple times but I think it was our third or fourth trip out that we saw two moose, one deer, and a griz. If you stalk the reservation page at Many Glacier you can actually get a room there. By stalk I mean constantly checking all day. Me, my wife and my daughter were all checking constantly and we got what we wanted. People are constantly cancelling their reservations. You can DM me if you have more questions and I can send you a few pics.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

I agree with others to hit the Bison Range on the drive up from Missoula. The kids will get a kick out of seeing bison, antelope and elk from the car.

If you really want to hit Glacier hard, you are going to have long days driving in from Whitefish every day. As others have mentioned, Avalanche Lake from the west side and Hidden Lake from Logans Pass are two of the easier, more scenic hikes in the park that are great for kids. For this reason, they are also the most crowded so get there early.

I prefer the east side of the park to the west side. Many Glacier and Two Medicine are neat areas with lots of great hikes. Most hikes are probably farther than your kids will want to do. If they are up for some longer distance though, Check out Cracker Lake or Iceberg Lake. Bring bear spray.

Take hwy 83 through the Swan on your way back to Missoula. Holland, Rainy, Alva, Seeley and Placid are all neat lakes to check out.

I wouldn't be too quick to decide which river you want to fish. Book a guide, and let them decide what river is fishing the best based on current conditions. They fish the area every day. The Blackfoot, Clark Fork, and Bitterroot are all good, but can vary based on water levels, temperature and hatches. Rock Creek is tons of fun, but no floating is allowed after June so your guide will most likely steer you towards a river that he can row you down. If you can ever swing a separate trip dedicated towards fishing, book a guide on Rock Creek first week of June during the salmonfly hatch. Blackfoot River Outfitters, Grizzly Hackle, Kingfisher and Missoulian Angler are all great fly shops to book through.

Missoula will be good for breweries and food. Notorious P.I.G. bbq and Big Dipper ice cream are what I would hit first. Tamarack Brewing or the Top Hat for good burger/pub food. Lolo Creek Steakhouse if you want to splurge for a nice steak. It has lots of cool animal mounts on the walls for you and the kids to check out. Kettlehouse, Draught Works, Great Burn, Missoula Brewing, Bayern... all good breweries to hang out and tell lies about your fishing trip. If you like dark beer, try Cold Smoke scotch ale by Kettlehouse. You'll thank me later.