On our recent western road trip, the farthest point we reached was the breathtaking Mt Rainier National Park in Washington. After soaking in the views of that majestic peak, we began our journey back east, but instead of retracing our steps, we opted for a northern route. Though we had already seen parts of the Rocky Mountains, we didn’t want to miss one of its most stunning regions: Glacier National Park in Montana (map), often called the Crown of the Continent. Known for its towering peaks, deep valleys, alpine meadows, pristine lakes, and of course its rapidly vanishing glaciers.
We arrived early afternoon with plenty of daylight to explore the park’s most remote section: the North Fork region. This rugged area, with its rough gravel roads and minimal services, sees far fewer visitors than the main parts of the park, perfect for the kind of quiet adventure we love. After a quick stop in the tiny off-grid community of Polebridge (where we picked up some of their famous pastries for dinner), we made our way to Bowman Lake to catch the sunset. Although the lighting wasn’t ideal for photography, the peaceful lake and towering mountains gave us a moment of pure serenity. The real surprise came on our drive back: we spotted three young grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis), our very first sighting of this iconic brown bear subspecies. It was already too dark for photos, and they quickly vanished into the trees, but just seeing them in the wild was an unforgettable experience.
The next morning, we set out to drive the legendary Going-to-the-Sun Road, a historic route that winds through the heart of Glacier’s most awe-inspiring scenery. It’s one of the park’s biggest attractions, and the crowds proved it, we had trouble finding parking at most overlooks. Eventually, we managed to find a spot at Logan Pass, where some of the park’s most thrilling hikes begin. We chose the trail to Hidden Lake, hoping for epic views and maybe some wildlife encounters, and the trail did not disappoint. The lake itself, nestled beneath the massive Bearhat Mountain, was absolutely spectacular (as seen in the opening photo). I also managed to capture a few other landscape shots I’m proud of, and along the way we encountered golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus saturatus) scavenging for food, hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) lazing around on sun-warmed rocks, and even a busy American pika (Ochotona princeps) gathering vegetation to store in hay-piles for winter.
But what we really came to see were the mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), the iconic residents of the Rockies. With their thick white coats and quirky expressions, these sure-footed animals have long been a dream sighting for me. As we continued past the main overlook, where the trail was quieter, we were lucky enough to find one grazing right beside the path. The goat didn’t mind us, and I was able to capture several close-up photos of this amazing creature. It was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of our entire trip.
On our final day, we tried to visit the Two Medicine area, but parking was impossible to find, so we had to leave the park earlier than planned. Although we didn’t get to see everything on our list, Glacier National Park left us with unforgettable memories, incredible wildlife encounters, and a deep appreciation for the wild, rugged beauty of the northern Rockies.
Gear: Canon EOS 5DsR + Canon 24-105mm L lens, Canon EOS 5Ds + Canon 100-400mm L lens.
