If you follow me on Instagram, you know that about three weeks ago I went to Kalispell, Montana to visit my grandparents. We had a lovely time! The mountains there are hard to beat and the sites are something out of a fairy tale. Northwest Montana offers a lot of great hiking and scenery. With Glacier National Park just a short drive away, you have to add this area to your bucket list!
The best time of the year to go is definitely late June/early July. This is when all the animals are still pretty active and not turned away by the surprisingly hot Montana summer. We went in August which is a nice time to go because it’s still hot outside and there are fewer crowds. But there is the danger of wildfires. We got super lucky this year that there were no wildfires nearby. Besides closing down areas, the fire smoke drifts and lingers, especially in the valley. This makes it hard to breath and will obstruct all those pretty views.
Iceberg Lake and West Glacier
The Iceberg Lake trail is a serious must for anyone visiting Many Glaciers in the western part of Glacier National Park. It’s about five miles to hike in but the trail is relatively flat and easy. We left early and made it to the pristine teal lake by lunchtime where we pulled out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and enjoyed the view.
The picture below is my favorite on this entire post! It’s just insane how beautiful the lake is tucked into the basin of mountains. There used to be actual icebergs floating in the lake all year round like ice cubes in a giant’s cocktail. But global warming has seen to them all melting during summer. There are still some patches of snow and glacier on the mountainside as you can see.
We finished the hike just in time because then it started to rain. As we were leaving the park left, the storm broke and it left us with this breathtaking view; the mountains seem to float among the clouds.
Flathead National Forest
Flathead National Forest is known for its abundance of lakes. Flathead Lake is a massive lake in the valley that stretches almost 30 miles long. A lot of Kalispell locals hike the Mount Aeneas trail that overlooks Jewel Basin. It’s my dad’s all-time favorite hike. And it does not disappoint!
Here is Jewel Basin from the top of Mount Aeneas:
And look! This wildflower is the same that I drew in my August bullet journal! I looked up some Montana wildflowers to draw in my mountain, pine, and floral bujo spread but I never imagined seeing the same flower in bloom while hiking.
All the snow-melt, glacier-filled lakes you can imagine lie tucked between the massive mountains.
We hiked down the other side of the mountain to get to the Jewel Basin lakes.
Kootenai National Forest
One day, we borrowed some ATV’s and drove through Kootenai National Forest where there are rivers where you can actually pan for gold! Yes, you can legally pan for gold in some of the rivers which seems like something from a bygone age. We didn’t try our luck but were observed all the gorgeous scenery driving on the back roads.
East Glacier
On the second to last day of our trip, we drove to East Glacier and hiked around Two Medicine Lake.
The hike around the lake took us to twin waterfalls tucked in the forest.
A small herd of big-horned sheep roamed the parking lot before we left. Here’s a cute baby ready to chase after its mama.
The lodge at Two Medicine is, in itself, a sight to behold. Here’s one of Glacier’s iconic red cars that shuttle people around the park.
Just driving around Montana gives such breathtaking views. There’s a reason they call it ‘big sky country’.
This trip was a great getaway and a nice detox from the hustle and bustle of suburban life. Nature is always relaxing and rejuvenating for me. How insignificant I feel compared to the glory of such sights.
Happy Traveling-
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