Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park with Women Traveling Together

     Snowball fights in July while wearing shorts and sandals! That was a real treat during the nation’s midsummer heat wave in 2012. Glacier National Park, The Crown of the Continent, was the perfect place to be for all of us:  perfect weather, beautiful mountains, invigorating hikes, a refreshing boat ride on the lake, and a group of 12 cheerful travelers.  

     There is nothing quite as energizing as spending time outdoors in the fresh mountain air. No shopping malls or fine dining for this crew. We were out for a good time in the mountains, and that’s exactly what we got.  The boat trip on Two Medicine Lake was just the beginning of a grand adventure for us. We stepped off the boat and into the woods, then hiked to Twin Falls. The trail was filled with an array of wild flowers, including Montana’s state flower, Bear Grass, which has nothing to do with bears, and looks like a white globe of fluff on the end of a tall, sturdy stalk. Once we reached our destination, we were delighted with the beauty of the water falls, rushing into a mountain stream. On the way back, we heard from our park ranger about the Blackfeet legend as to how Two Medicine Lake was named.

     Our drive on Going-to-the-Sun road twisted and turned around some of the most stunning mountain views I have ever seen. Our driver/guide took us to glorious vistas where we could hike and observe the wondrous beauty inside Glacier National Park. This 50-mile road took three years to build, up and over the Continental Divide, and was completed in 1932. It is still considered to be an engineering marvel. Near the top, at Logan’s Pass, we were rewarded with our snowball fight…on July 5^th!

     Our dinners together in the evenings were the perfect complement to our days spent outdoors.  We ate at small, family-run restaurants where we were we met by the owners who were all too happy to make sure that we were having a good time. Home cooked foods and specialties of the area were the norm for our dinners. My absolute favorite place was Two Sisters. Run by two Blackfeet sisters, it was perfect for unwinding!

     Glacier National Park is actually part of a bigger park:  Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park.  It was the world’s first international peace park, established in 1932, and represents two countries working together to preserve the ecosystem that straddles the border of Canada and the United States.  We couldn’t make this trip without visiting the Canadian side, and we made the drive along the Rockies up through the prairies of Alberta into the mountains of Waterton. We drove to the end of Akamina Parkway to Cameron Lake for another breathtaking, lakeshore hike. We were deep in bear country, and were lucky enough to see three of these beautiful mammals on our trip! We saw bison in the paddock and big horn sheep along the road! We all felt so fortunate to view these beautiful animals in their natural habitats.

     As outdoorsy as we all are, we couldn’t resist one night at the famously beautiful Prince of Wales Hotel, overlooking Upper Waterton Lake. It definitely has an alpine chalet feel to it with its soaring roofs, gables and balconies. We were also treated to an elegant dinner in the Royal Stewart Dining Room….we did indeed feel like royalty, but only for one night! The next day we were back in our boots, hiking at Red Rock Canyon and Blakiston falls! 

     At the end of our trip, we all wanted just one more day in the mountains. We weren’t yet ready to give up the fresh air, hiking, snow-covered scenery, and the wonderful camaraderie of our group. I'll be back!

  I encourage you to visit Glacier National Park, the Crown of the Continent, before the glaciers are gone, by some predictions, around the year 2020.