Train tours are a leisurely, comfortable way to travel, affording time to take in the scenery and relax. Travel by train to Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana on the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains. Known as the “Crown of the Continent,” this national park features glaciers, alpine meadows dotted with lakes and wildflowers, and wildlife from acrobatic mountain goats to wild grizzly bears and wolves.
Train Travel Vacations to Glacier National Park
Travel by rail through the Northwest U.S. to Glacier National Park through scenic country on tours offered by three different companies:
- Vacations by Rail and Great Train Escapes offer 6-day, 5-night, round-trip tours from Seattle, Washington, to Glacier National Park during July.
- Train vacation packages include tours of Seattle, sleeper accommodations, deluxe motor-coach transportation, lake cruises, multi-media shows and professional guides.
- Lodging and dining in Seattle and Glacier National Park, as well as on the train, are also included.
- Amtrak rail tours and trips on the Empire Builder line vary from 3-day, 2-night round trips to 4-day, 3-night round trips from Seattle, Washington, or Portland, Oregon, to Glacier National Park from the end of May through September.
- Accommodations in Glacier Park, tours of the park and some dining and cruises are included in Amtrak train tours.
- Train trips to Glacier Park via Amtrak afford travelers more independent itineraries.
- All trains stop at the West Glacier Park station and East Glacier Park station.
Highlights of Activities at Glacier National Park
Summer is the best time to vacation in Glacier National Park, when outdoor activities are best enjoyed. The 1,000,000-acre park affords scenic vistas of rugged country, unusual wildlife and elusive glaciers. Must-do activities at Glacier include:
- Driving the 50-mile-long Going to the Sun Road on historic red “jammer” buses for a “top down” view of spectacular scenery enroute to the Continental Divide.
- Hiking from Logan Pass, at the top of the Continental Divide, where visitors find information on many hikes to alpine meadows and lakes.
- Picnicking or hiking at St. Mary Lake, on the park’s east side, and nearby St. Mary and Virginia Falls.
- Exploring Swiftcurrent Lake or Lake Sherburne, at Many Glacier, by boat, kayak or canoe, with rentals and tours available.
- Horseback riding from Many Glacier through the forest to Grinnel Glacier.
- Lazing on the beach at Lake McDonald, near West Glacier, the perfect spot for picnics or taking a quick dip in its icy water.
- White-water rafting with outfitting and guide companies in Apgar and West Glacier.
- Fishing in Lake McDonald, Lower McDonald Creek, the Middle or North Fork of the Flathead River for native trout.
- Biking the relatively flat 2.6-mile Apgar Bike Trail, the 10-mile round trip to the Old Flathead Ranger Station or mountain biking the 37-mile Apgar Mountain Loop.
Lodging in Glacier National Park
Four historic lodges in Glacier National Park offer accommodations:
- Many Glacier Hotel, sitting on the edge of Swiftcurrent Lake, looks like it’s straight out of the Swiss Alps. The 5-story lodge includes rooms with balconies and lakeside rooms as well as separate chalets.
- Glacier Park Lodge, in East Glacier, is within walking distance of the train station. The lobby is comfortable yet impressive, with its massive Douglas fir pillars and immense stone fireplace.
- Lake McDonald Lodge, on the eastern shore of glacial Lake McDonald, is designed as a Swiss Chalet hotel, featuring a main lodge, duplex-style cabins and a motor inn.
- The Izaak Walton Inn, at Glacier’s southernmost tip in Essex, is another historic lodge that even has converted cabooses as accommodations. The inn, near the train station, serves rail passengers.
Traveling by train to Glacier National Park affords a leisurely paced vacation. The park’s glaciers, soaring mountain peaks, alpine meadows, rivers and lakes offer many outdoor activities – from hiking and boating to horseback riding and fishing.
Vacation in other U.S. national parks, such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Mt. Rainier, featuring more wilderness experiences. Train tours are also available to five U.S. National parks. Or travel from Anchorage to Fairbanks and the Arctic with Alaskan train tours or along the U.S. West Coast or in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Susan Lynne Hamilton - Award-winning writer Susan Lynne Hamilton is the Topic Editor of Suite 101's Northwest U.S. travel section, showcasing its rich ...
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