Glacier weekend scene

Weekend itinerary

Two nights on Glacier’s west side

Stay west of the park, use Friday for Apgar and Lake McDonald, cross Going-to-the-Sun Road on Saturday when current conditions allow, and choose one short west-side stop before Sunday’s drive home.

By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary

This west-side itinerary pairs Apgar and Lake McDonald with one conditional Going-to-the-Sun Road crossing and one short departure-day stop.

Best length

2 nights

Arrive Friday and keep both nights west of the park; Saturday is the alpine road day and Sunday stays short.

Stay

Under Canvas Glacier

Seasonal safari-style tents with private bathrooms and an on-site restaurant in Coram. Choose it for…

Main activity

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road links Lake McDonald, Logan Pass, and St. Mary when the alpine section is open; keep both nights west of the divide for this two-night route.

Geography

One west-side stay

Apgar, Lake McDonald, and the west entrance remain close; St. Mary, Babb, and Many Glacier do not belong in the evening meal plan.

Boardwalk through the cedar forest along Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars is the shorter west-side woodland walk near Avalanche Creek.
Illustrated view of Wild Goose Island and mountain peaks above St. Mary Lake
St. Mary Lake opens the broad east-side half of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Bowman Lake shoreline and mountains in Glacier's North Fork
Bowman Lake is a separate North Fork day reached by long, partly unpaved roads.

Friday

Apgar, Lake McDonald, and a west-side dinner

Check in near West Glacier or Columbia Falls, walk the Apgar lakeshore, and eat west of the park rather than crossing to St. Mary.

4:00 PM

Saturday

Lake McDonald to Logan Pass and St. Mary

Check the active road alert first. Cross Going-to-the-Sun Road only when the alpine section is open; select one primary walk and return west before dinner.

5:30 PM

Afternoon

Return to the west-side lodging

The westbound return is part of the day. If fatigue, smoke, or weather makes a second crossing unwise, use the outside-the-park route or adjust the route before leaving St. Mary.

Sunday

One west-side stop before departure

Choose Apgar, Trail of the Cedars, a visitor-center stop, or a short Middle Fork viewpoint according to the drive home.