I’m going to sound like a broken record, AGAIN, but there is no country more beautiful and diverse than the United States of America.  Driving through Montana was yet another visual treat.

We almost changed our plans to not visit Glacier National Park, because of the fires on the northeast side of the park.  Our reservations  were for Fish Creek Campground in the Apgar Village section of the park (Dry camping, $11.50 a night).  Fish Creek is a just a few miles south of the West Entrance to the park.  To give a perspective,  Glacier National Park is approximately the size of Connecticut.  If there is a fire in the Northeast,  unless it’s on the news the people in 3/4 of the state wouldn’t even know it.

So here we are and glad we came.  The big draw is that there are only 25 Glaciers left in the Park (down from well over a hundred).   It is expected that within the next 5 – 15 years the Glaciers will be gone due to warming.   Seeing a Glacier was actually anti-climatic for me.  I had somehow gotten Icebergs and Glaciers mixed up.  It was just O.K. looking up at a mountain top miles away and seeing dirty snow.

Going to the Sun Road is a thrilling ride.  Overlooks, overhangs, switchbacks and steep inclines and declines treat you to spectacular views.

Only about 2/3 of the road is open,  because of the fire.   We rode the FREE (30 person) shuttle bus from the Apgar Visitor center to Avalanche Trailhead and then transferred to a smaller   (10 person) shuttle van up to Logan Pass (Continental Divide).   There are narrated tours (Red Bus is one of the most well known and popular)  that you can take.  We decided to do the FREE shuttle first and then decide if we wanted to pay for a tour.  I’ve commented before in many of my blogs that the National Park Service does an amazing job of presenting there parks.  The Visitor Centers are full of information. There are FREE Ranger led talks and hikes  available.   One of the Rangers that I had talked to had recommended several hikes.  The Hidden Lake Trail at Logan Pass was not a disappointment.

Here’s a short Ricky, story.  The Hidden Lake Trail is 1.4 mile UP mountain hike.  There are boardwalks, bridges, steps, rock and hard packed dirt sections.  Ricky and Rowan are a LOT quicker going UP than David and I.   This trail is packed with hikers.  Ricky and Rowan were allowed to go ahead of us and stop and wait at “rest stops” along the trail.  At what I thought was almost the top of the trail, Ricky came walking back to me and said “Gramma, you going to be disappointed with the Lake, it doesn’t look good.”  Oh Man!  I walk up and over the ridge and … it’s a little dinky stream more than a lake.

Ricky started smiling.  Up and over yet another ridge is not only an emerald green lake,  but a spectacular view.   He’s funny 🙂

Our site is a short distance from Lake McDonald and E T has been able to enjoy a few dips.

Ricky and David are just about hiked out.  This morning Rowan and I are going to shuttle up to the  Avalanche Trailhead and hike two trails that a Ranger recommended.  David and Ricky are going to ride the shuttle up and down Going to the Sun Road.   In the afternoon we are going to take a tour boat ride around Lake McDonald.  Good Times 🙂

Note:  Our Hot Spot is working here,  but very slow, that’s why there are so few photo.   This is a photographers paradise.