Dreaming of Glacier
After a short trip up from Flathead Lake, we arrived at our next stop the North American RV Park only about 5 miles from Glacier National Park. Glacier, with its Canadian neighbor Waterton Lakes National Park, called the Crown of the Continent,t is spectacular, amazing, awe inspiring and we have only seen a tiny corner.
Arriving in the early afternoon, we walk and fed the girls then took off for the Apgar Visitor’s Center to get our National Parks Passport Books stamped and talk to a ranger about travel in the park. That done we drove up the Outside North Fork Road through a section of the park that burned several years ago for views of the mountains and Lake Mcdonald.
Still with time and a beautiful afternoon on our hands we started up the “Going to the Sun Road" to McDonald Lodge the first of the hotels in the park.
The Lodge, built in 1913-14, is gorgeous. Designed to resemble a Swiss chalet, the exterior is timber and stone. Inside the visitor is greet by a massive 3 1/2 story hall built of huge timbers with a walk-in fireplace. Numerous animal mounts decorate the balconies above. The lighting is provided by hanging lamps with Indian designs on the shade.
McDonald lake is also spectacular, with the great rock wall of the mountains sliding into the clear blue water. I could have sat for hours just enjoying the scene.
The red vehicles in the photo are called Jammers. They were one of the early modes of travel in Glacier. They were completely reconditioned, the old bodies were put on new chassis and they continue to take tourists around the park.
It is now early Monday morning, after our talk with the ranger, we decided to get a late start on our journey across the “Going to the Sun Road" and hopefully avoid some of the crowds. We have three days!
August 22nd, 2016