Best of Glacier National Park

by Alan Leftridge

Overview

A detailed guide to the best of all that Glacier has to offer. From the best photography spots to the greatest day hikes and best wildflower meadows, this book contains all the don't-miss features of Glacier National Park (and Waterton too!). The perfect size to slip into a daypack, don't visit Glacier without it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781560375609
Publisher:	Farcountry Incorporated
Publication date:	08/25/2013
Pages:	136
Sales rank:	459,461
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.40(d)

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Glacier National Park Fast Facts 1

Ten Things You May Not Know About Glacier & Waterton 3

An Extremely Brief Geologic History of Glacier-Waterton 4

A Short Cultural History of the Glacier-Waterton Area 5

Best Scenic Drives 8

1 Going-to-the-Sun Road 8

2 Two Medicine Valley 14

3 Many Glacier Road 14

4 Red Rock Parkway - Waterton 15

Best "Leave-the-Driving-to-Us" Options

Glacier's Red Bus Service 16

Glacier National Park's Free Shuttle System 16

Best Roadside Picnic Areas 17

1 Apgar 17

2 Avalanche Creek 18

3 Rising Sun 18

4 Lost Horse Creek - Waterton 18

Best Nature Trails 19

1 Huckleberry Nature Trail 19

2 Trail of the Cedars 20

3 Hidden Lake Overlook 22

4 Baring Falls 23

5 Running Eagle Falls 24

6 Swiftcurrent Nature Trail 25

7 Red Rock Canyon-Waterton 26

Best Day Hikes 27

1 Avalanche Lake 27

2 The Garden Wall 29

3 St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls 30

4 Scenic Point 31

5 Iceberg Lake 32

6 The Bear's Hump - Waterton 34

7 Crypt Lake - Waterton 34

Best Backpack Trips 37

1 Quartz Lake Loop 38

2 Logan Pass to Many Glacier 39

3 Jackson Glacier Overlook to Lake McDonald 40

4 Dawson-Pitamakan Loop 41

Best Bicycle Rides 43

1 Going-to-the-Sun Road 43

2 Snowshoe Trail - Waterton 44

Best Horseback Rides 45

Easy One-to Three-Hour Rides 46

All-Day Rides 46

Best Boat Tours 47

Best Boat Tours in Glacier

1 St. Mary Lake 48

2 Two Medicine Lake 48

Best Boat Tour in Waterton

3 Waterton Lake 49

Best Places to Raft, Kayak, Canoe, and Boat 50

Best Large Lakes, Waterfalls, and Other Features 51

Best Large Lakes

1 Lake McDonald 52

2 St. Mary Lake 52

3 Two Medicine Lake 52

4 Swiftcurrent Lake 53

5 Waterton Lakes 53

Best Waterfalls

1 McDonald Falls 54

2 Bird Woman Falls 55

3 St. Mary Falls 55

4 Virginia Falls 55

5 Baring Falls 56

6 Running Eagle Falls 56

7 Swiftcurrent Falls 57

8 Redrock Falls 57

9 Cameron Falls 58

Best Other Water Features

1 McDonald Creek and Sacred Dancing Cascade 58

2 Weeping Wall 59

3 Sunrift Gorge 59

Best Places to Fish 60

Best Lake Fishing

1 Quartz Lake Chain 61

2 Harrison Lake 62

3 Trout Lake 62

4 Bullhead Lake 62

5 Otokomi Lake 62

6 Two Medicine Lake 62

7 Upper Two Medicine Lake 62

Best Stream Fishing

1 Bowman Creek Below Bowman Lake 63

2 Lower McDonald Creek 63

3 Belly River 63

Best Historic Sites 64

1 Going-to-the-Sun Road 65

2 Lake McDonald Lodge 65

3 Sperry Chalet 65

4 Granite Park Chalet 66

5 Two Medicine Store 66

6 Glacier Park Lodge 66

7 Many Glacier Hotel 67

8 Prince of Wales Hotel 67

Best Wildlife 69

Mammal Checklist 69

Chipmunk 70

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel 70

Red Squirrel 71

Columbian Ground Squirrel 72

Northern Flying Squirrel 72

Hoary Marmot 73

Pika 74

Beaver 74

Mule Deer 75

White-tailed Deer 76

Rocky Mountain Elk 76

Moose 77

Bighorn Sheep 78

Mountain Goat 79

Coyote 80

Gray Wolf 81

Black Bear 81

Grizzly Bear 82

Visiting Bear Country 83

Mountain Lion 85

Best Places to See Wildlife from the Road 86

Best Birds 88

Clark's Nutcracker 88

Gray Jay 88

Steller's Jay 89

Black-capped Chickadee 89

Western Meadowlark 90

American Dipper 90

White-tailed Ptarmigan 91

Harlequin Duck 91

Bald Eagle 91

Osprey 91

Important Insects 94

Best Wildflowers 96

Beargrass 96

Fireweed 97

Glacier Lily 97

Harebell 98

Paintbrush 98

Prickly Rose (aka Wild Rose) 99

Silky Lupine 99

Sticky Geranium 100

Best Places to See Wildflowers 100

Best Huckleberries 103

Best Trees 104

Western Valleys

Western Redcedar 105

Western Hemlock 105

Douglas-fir 106

Eastern Parklands

Quaking Aspen 106

North Fork Valley

Lodgepole Pine 107

Ponderosa Pine 107

Western Larch 108

Subalpine Forests

Subalpine Fir 108

Engelmann Spruce 109

Whitebark Pine 109

Best Names of Natural Features 110

Best Activities for Children 113

Best Places to Watch Sunrise and Sunset 119

Best Honeymoon Suite 120

Best Things to Do on a Rainy (or Snowy) Day 121

Best Places to Photograph 122

Best Places to People-Watch 124

Best Places to Read a Book 125

Best Books about Glacier

Photography Books 125

Good Reads 126

Kids' Books 126

Resources 127

About the Author 130