Glacier National Park Maps & Directions

Get to Glacier NP

By train

If you have the extra time and want to see the more of the country, the train is a good alternative for travelling to Glacier National Park. Since much of the early development of the park was led by the Great Northern rail company, the railroad is an integrated part of the park's history (and vice versa). Amtrak's Empire Builder train service runs from Seattle and Portland through northern Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to Chicago. A single train arrives from each direction daily at the three stations serving the park:

• West Glacier Park Station (Amtrak station code: WGL) - This historic railroad depot has a small historical museum but no ticketing office or automated ticketing machines.
  Hwy 2 and Going-to-the-Sun Rd., West Glacier, MT 59936
• East Glacier Park Station (Amtrak station code: GPK) - This station is open from mid-spring through mid-fall.
  400 Highway 49 North, East Glacier Park, MT 59434.

In addition, trains will stop at the Izaak Walton Inn at Essex Station (see under Sleep, below), by request.

The train ride from Seattle/Portland is overnight and arrives in Glacier National Park in the morning; the train from Chicago arrives in the evening. The seats' ample legroom and lack of seatbelts make them far superior to their airplane counterparts, and in combination with the train's observation car and reasonably-priced dining car contribute to a relatively comfortable journey. Delays can sometimes occur on the train due to construction or freight trains, which now get first priority for use of the tracks.

A full-service Amtrak terminal (and one of their busiest) is available at Whitefish, west of West Glacier, and north of Kalispell.

By air

Visitors to the park may fly to Calgary on the Canadian side with an optional closer destination of Lethbridge, Alberta (IATA: YQL), and on the American side to Glacier Park International Airport near Kalispell, Montana (IATA: FCA) (25 mi/40 km from West Glacier). Calgary has a few non-stop flights from Europe. It's possible to rent cars at the airport or take a shuttle (inquire first before making reservation to a particular airport if you do not wish to drive). Also, the destination of Missoula, Montana (IATA: MSO) is possible, though an additional 120 miles (190 km) must be driven.

U.S. Airlines and their connection cities include Delta Air Lines (Salt Lake City); Northwest Airlines (Minneapolis & Seattle); United Airlines (Chicago -- summer weekends only & Denver); America West Airlines/US Air (Phoenix); and American Airlines/Alaska Airlines via Horizon Airlines (Seattle). Calgary and Lethbridge are served by Air Canada. Also, the discount airline WestJet is based in Calgary and has flights to both Canada and the USA.

Those already residing in the Inland Northwest have few options besides driving or taking Amtrak, although there is one small turboprop flight from Spokane, Washington (the largest city in the region) to Kalispell via Big Sky Airlines. Airline service to Calgary from the Inland Northwest has been suspended since 2001.

By car

From the East: Take I-90 freeway to about 8 miles west of Missoula, then exit at US Hwy 93 north (Exit #96). In Kalispell, turn right at US Hwy 2 East (Idaho St.) From there it's 32 miles to the West Glacier entrance.
For East Glacier there are various routes including the I-15 Fwy (see From the South below). However, from the freeways East Glacier via West Glacier is about the same time and distance. The best route for those wanting to avoid Montana's freeways and save over 250 miles is to follow I-94 just inside Montana from North Dakota and exit #211. State Hwy 200S becomes 200 (no turns) and later becomes shared with US Hwy 87. On the west side of Great Falls where the highway merges into the freeway, take I-15 North for 12 miles and Exit #290 in Vaughn. On US Hwy 89 go 105 miles to Browning in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. At the museum, turn left and take US Hwy 2 into East Glacier. (If using I-90 you can join this route via Billings. Follow State Hwy 3 at Exit #450, which is later shared with US 12 & 191. Turn left at the end of the highway at "Eddies Corner" and follow as above going to Great Falls.)

From the West: Take I-90 freeway to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (Exit #12, turn left) on to US Hwy 95. Where US Hwy 2 and 95 split north of Bonners Ferry, turn right to get US Hwy 2. From there, it's 167 miles to the West Glacier entrance. Don't forget to set clocks an hour ahead when entering Montana.
A slightly more ambitious (though fully paved) short cut is to stay on the I-90 freeway up to St. Regis, Montana (Exit #33). Then turn left on State Hwy 135 and go 21.6 miles, left on State Hwy 200 for 8.3 miles, right on State Hwy 28 for 46.7 miles, and left on US Hwy 93 in Elmo on Flathead Lake. In Kalispell, turn right at US Hwy 2 East (Idaho St.) This is a very scenic route along the Clark Fork River and Flathead Lake (which both contain all the waters of Glacier Park west of the Continental Divide) with farmlands in between. However, gas (petrol) and other services are limited between the freeway and Elmo.

Note: Using Hwy 200 east from Sandpoint, Idaho is not recommended, as all north-south connections with US Hwy 2 in between Libby and Kalispell are NOT paved! There's just no quick and easy way to get through the Cabinet Mountains.

From the North (Canada): If first visiting Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, take Canada Hwy 2 south to the junction of the Crowsnest Hwy 3. Then go west (towards BC) 43 km and turn left at Pincher Station on Canada Hwy 6 for another 50 km. Turn right at the junction of Hwy 5 to enter the park. Upon leaving to get to Glacier, make two right turns just after exiting the park, and follow Canada Hwy 6 for 22 km to the U.S. border. This becomes State Hwy 17; turn right in 23 km onto US Hwy 89. The first park entrance is Many Glacier in 7 km (just after Babb).

Note: The international border is closed overnight between Waterton and Glacier, so via Cardston is only way in (see below). Bring US/Canadian birth certificate with government photo ID or passport.

If bypassing Waterton, take Canada Hwy 2 south to Cardston and cross the U.S. border. This becomes US Hwy 89. The first park entrance is Many Glacier 17 km from the border.

From the South: Take freeway I-15 North to Shelby, Montana (Exit #363) and turn left onto US Hwy 2. From there it's 70 miles to East Glacier. A short cut would be to exit I-15 in Vaughn, Montana (Exit #290) and take US Hwy 89 to Browning in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. At the museum, turn left and take US Hwy 2 to East Glacier.

For West Glacier, transfer to I-90 West from I-15 (Exit #121) just before Butte, Montana and see From the East above.

By Foot

The Continental Divide Trail, a 3,100 mile United States National Scenic Trail, has its northern trailhead in Swiftcurrent Campground, accessible by car from Babb, MT on Glacier Route Three. An alternate route starts from the Apikuni Trailhead, also located along Glacier Route Three. This trail exits the park at Marias Pass to the south and runs south along the Continental Divide to Mexico.

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