Photo by Nikolay Maslov on Unsplash
Six days in the mountains of northwest Montana: a lake town to start, then Lake McDonald, the high road over Logan Pass, and the two big valleys on the east side, Many Glacier and Two Medicine. One headline thing a day, trails and water, and a plan for bad weather.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
An easy day to start, in the lake town. A viewpoint on the mountain, a beach on the lake and a walk through town. The park comes tomorrow.
The ski mountain above town, with a wide view of the valley, the lake and the mountains of the park on a clear day. In summer you can walk or ride up to the top, so check ahead how the lifts run.
Go when Morning, on a clear day, when the far peaks are sharp.
Local tip Check ahead how the lifts run in summer, or walk up a trail instead. The view over the valley and the lake is the reason to go, so choose a clear morning.
Buy bread, cheese and fruit in town and eat on the shore of the lake, with the mountains across the water.
Local tip Pack out everything you bring, and keep your food closed up when you are not eating.
A quiet park on the southwest shore of Whitefish Lake, with a small beach and a path along the water. A good place to swim, sit and look across to the mountains.
Go when Afternoon, when the water is warmest.
Local tip Bring a towel and a sandwich, and sit by the shore. The mountains of the park are visible across the lake on a clear day.
A small mountain town with a wide main street, old wooden storefronts and the historic train depot. Walk it slowly, with the hills behind it.
Go when Evening, around sunset (about 8:50 PM), when the street fills with locals.
Local tip Walk the main street end to end, then look at the old depot at the edge of downtown before you pick a place to eat.
The main street has many places to eat, from pizza and burgers to steak and fish. Walk it once and choose by the menu in the window and the crowd.
Local tip Ask what is local and in season, and book ahead in summer.
The first park day, on the west side. A village at the foot of the big lake, a shore of colored pebbles and one lovely trail to a lake under tall cliffs.
A small village at the foot of Lake McDonald, with a long beach, a visitor center and views up the lake to the peaks. A gentle start to a park day.
Go when Morning, when the lake is calm.
Local tip Walk to the end of the beach and look up the lake to the peaks. The village is small, so a short stop is enough before you drive on.
Eggs, potatoes and coffee make it easier to enjoy a long day on the trail. Eat in town or in the village before you drive in.
Local tip Fill your water bottles and pack snacks before you leave.
The largest lake in the park, long, clear and cold. At the head of the lake the shore is made of smooth pebbles in red, green and blue, which show their colors under the water.
Go when Midday, when the sun lights the colored stones.
Local tip Look into the water, where the pebbles show their colors. Take nothing from the shore, because park rules ask you to leave every stone where it lies.
The long trail to Avalanche Lake is better with a sandwich in your pack. Eat at the lake and take your trash with you.
Local tip Keep your food in your pack until you stop to eat, and never leave any of it on the trail.
A mountain lake in a bowl of cliffs, with waterfalls running down the walls. The trail starts on a boardwalk through old cedar and hemlock forest, then climbs gently. This is the headline walk of the day.
Go when Morning, before the trail fills.
Local tip Carry bear spray where the park's trail advice says to, keep it within reach, and make noise on the trail. Keep a good distance from any animal you meet.
The huckleberry is the wild mountain berry of the region, dark and a little tart. Look for it in an ice cream, a jam or a pie near the park gate.
Local tip Try a small taste before you buy a whole scoop.
The big day: the famous road over the Continental Divide, with the pass in the middle. The road's opening, any vehicle reservation and the shuttle rules change, so check the park's notices ahead. Start early, because parking at the pass fills.
A tall rock wall beside the road where meltwater streams down the cliff and onto the pavement. Stop at the pullout, and keep out of the road, because the water can spray across it.
Go when Morning, when the sun lights the wet rock.
Local tip Pull over only where the road allows, and wait for traffic to pass before you step out. The spray can reach the road.
There is little to eat on the high road, so pack a sandwich, fruit, snacks and plenty of water before you leave the valley.
Local tip Keep food in the car except when you are eating, and store trash in a closed bag.
The high pass on the Continental Divide, with meadows, snowfields and mountain goats on the slopes in some summers. This is the highest point on the road you can reach in an ordinary vehicle.
Go when Early morning, before the parking fills.
Local tip The weather at the pass can differ a great deal from the valley, so bring a jacket and a hat. Check the park's notices on parking and the road before you set out.
A walk from the pass, across alpine meadows, to a view down over a blue lake ringed with peaks. The walk is short but at altitude, with a climb at the end, so take it slowly.
Go when Morning or early evening, in clear weather.
Local tip Snow can lie on the trail into summer, and the path is at altitude. Carry bear spray where the trail advice says to, and give any animal on the path plenty of room.
A pullout on the east side of the pass with a view across the valley to one of the glaciers in the park. Bring binoculars and look for the white ice among the rock.
Go when Afternoon, when the light is warm.
Local tip Bring binoculars. The ice is far away, so a short stop is enough.
It is a long day, and you will be hungry when you come down. Eat when you reach a village on the way, and choose something warm.
Local tip Check the park's notices on the road home before you eat, so you are not caught late.
A day in the most northern valley you can reach by road, ringed by high peaks. A car day to the east side, with one trail to a lake as the headline. Many people see wildlife here, so keep your distance and carry bear spray if the trail advice says to.
A lake in the heart of the valley, with a flat shoreline path and peaks rising from the far shore. A calm walk before the longer trail.
Go when Early morning, when the water is still.
Local tip The shoreline path is flat, so start here to warm up. Keep your voice down near the water, where animals may be feeding.
A smaller lake just beyond Swiftcurrent, on the path toward the head of the valley. The trail along its shore is level and easy.
Go when Late morning, on the way to the longer trail.
Local tip The path along the shore is easy. Check ahead how the boats on the lakes run, because that can shorten the walk to Grinnell Lake.
Pack a sandwich, fruit and snacks for the walk. Eat on the shore of a lake with the mountain in front of you.
Local tip Eat in a spot with a view, and keep food away from the trail where animals may pass.
A turquoise lake at the foot of a glacier, reached by a trail that is one of the favorite walks in the park. The lake gets its color from fine rock flour carried by meltwater.
Go when Morning, so you have the afternoon in hand.
Local tip Carry bear spray where the park's trail advice says to, keep it within reach, and make noise on the trail. Keep a good distance from any animal, and bring layers, because the weather can change.
The valley itself, where bears, moose and bighorn sheep are sometimes seen from the road in the early morning or evening. Watch from a pullout and stay far back.
Go when Early morning or around sunset (about 8:50 PM).
Local tip Pull completely off the road, stay in the car or far back, and let the animals come and go. Never approach or feed any animal.
A quieter day on the eastern edge, where the mountains meet the prairie. A waterfall, a lake under tall peaks and one short trail. The east side is a long drive from the west, so allow plenty of time.
A waterfall on the road in to Two Medicine, reached by a short, easy trail. In some seasons the water falls in two streams.
Go when Morning, on the way in.
Local tip The trail is short and easy. In wet weather the rocks near the water are slick, so stay on the path.
A long lake set below sharp peaks, with a shoreline and boat landing at the end of the road. Walk along the shore and take in the view of the range.
Go when Midday, with a picnic by the shore.
Local tip Walk a little way along the shore and look back at the peaks. Check ahead whether the boat on the lake is running, if you want to ride it.
A picnic on the shore of the lake, with the peaks above you. There is little to eat at the end of the road, so pack it before you set out.
Local tip Bring a warm layer, because the wind off the lake can be cool.
A small lake reached by a short, gentle trail from the Two Medicine camp area. A good short walk for the end of the day.
Go when Afternoon, after the main lake.
Local tip It is a gentle trail through forest. Make noise as you walk, because the trees can hide animals from view.
A small village at the edge of the park on the east side, by the train line. The mountains are close behind it and the prairie opens to the east.
Go when Evening, as the light turns warm over the prairie.
Local tip Walk the main street and look east to the open land. Check the park's notices on the drive back, because the road home is long.
The village has a few small places to eat. A plate of local trout or a burger is enough after a day of walking.
Local tip Check ahead for hours, because small places on the east side can close early.
A slow morning on the valley floor before you leave. A dam in the hills, a small town on the river and the old train depot in Whitefish. Nothing to rush.
A last big breakfast on the main street in Whitefish, with coffee and time to look back over the week.
Local tip Ask for a table by the window and take your time.
A tall concrete dam on the South Fork of the Flathead River, in a canyon between mountains. A short stop for a view of the reservoir and the dam wall.
Go when Morning, on the way out of the mountains.
Local tip It is a short stop, so look at the dam wall and the reservoir, then drive on. Do not climb on the dam or its railings.
A small town on the Flathead River, on the road between the park and Whitefish. A relaxed place for a coffee or a walk before the road home.
Go when Midday, as a break in the drive.
Local tip Walk the main street and look at the river, then drive on to the lake in Whitefish.
The historic train depot in Whitefish, an old railway building on the tracks at the edge of downtown. A good place to end the trip before you leave.
Go when Afternoon, on your way out of town.
Local tip Look at the old building from the platform side, then walk a block to the main street for a last coffee.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, July to August are the most comfortable months for walking around Glacier National Park. This plan is built for late August, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 6 days in Glacier National Park, planned for late August. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 6.0 to 21.3 miles between its stops, and 77.0 miles in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 big days in Banff and Lake LouiseAbout 210 miles away
Heart of the Canadian Rockies, 10 Days | Calgary to VancouverAbout 250 miles away
5 days in Yellowstone and Grand TetonAbout 330 miles awayAnother guide with a page about Glacier National Park. It opens in a new tab.
Photo: John David Stutts, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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