Glacier National Park is absolutely breathtaking, boasting towering peaks, pristine turquoise lakes, and awe-inspiring glaciers. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a first-time visitor, steering clear of common mistakes will enhance your experience and ensure memories that last a lifetime. Join us as we explore the top mistakes to avoid in Glacier National Park.
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Mistake #1: Not Securing Vehicle Reservations In Advance
This is by far the biggest mistake you can make when planning your trip to Glacier National Park. Between May 26th to September 10th, vehicle reservations are required to enter Glacier National Park between the hours of 6:00am and 3:00pm. If you do not have the mandatory vehicle reservations, you will not be able to even enter the park during those hours. Which means you will have to arrive at the park every day either before 6:00 am or after 3:00pm. Arriving after 3:00pm means you won’t be able to do most of the hikes before dark. Vehicle reservations go on sale either February 1st, March 1st, April 1st or May 1st, depending on the dates you are visiting. If you are unable to secure vehicle reservations, booking a boat shuttle or tour will give you a vehicle reservation for that whole day. Check out my post 10 Things To Know Before Planning Your Glacier National Park trip for more information on obtaining vehicle reservations for Glacier National Park.
Mistake #2: Planning Your Trip To Glacier Too Early or Late In The Season
The best time to visit Glacier National Park is in the summer or very early fall. Going To The Sun Road, which is the only road that goes through Glacier National Park, is closed due to snow during the winter. Depending on how much snow there is, it could be July before all of the snow melts and the road fully reopens. Don’t make the mistake of planning a trip to Glacier National Park in May or early June. You may be disappointed when you arrive to find out you can only go halfway into Glacier National Park.
Mistake #3: Only Staying ON One Side of The Park
Another common mistake people make when visiting Glacier National Park is only staying on one side of the park. It takes about 2 hours to drive from West Glacier to East Glacier and even longer to drive from West Glacier to Many Glacier. With several must-do hikes in each side, if you only stay on one side of the park you will spend hours in the car every day. Stay in accommodations in West Glacier for half of your trip and accommodations in East Glacier for the other half. Click here for our Glacier National Park Itinerary which includes switching accommodations mid-trip.
Mistake #4: Booking non-Refundable Lodging Prior to Vehicle Reservations
Accommodations sell out well in advance in and around Glacier National Park. You will need to book your lodging before the vehicle reservation release date. The mandatory vehicle reservations sell out within minutes on the release date so there is a chance you may not be able to secure vehicle reservations. If you are unable to obtain vehicle reservations, you may want to change your vacation dates or cancel altogether. Be sure to book refundable accommodations before obtaining your vehicle reservations.
Mistake #5: Trying to Find A Parking Spot at Popular Trailheads Mid-Day
Don’t make the mistake of arriving at the trailhead parking lots any time between 9:00 am and 3:00pm and expecting to find a parking spot. The parking lots will be completely full by 8:00am and most people are parked there for the day. You could get lucky and find a spot, but most likely you will have to wait for a long time and there will be other cars waiting for that same spot. Plan to arrive before 8:00 am, but if you arrive later, take the shuttle to avoid the parking stress.
Mistake #6: Not Printing Out Vehicle Reservations
There is no cell service in any part of Glacier National Park. Trying to pull your vehicle reservations from your email upon arrival is a big mistake. You will not be able to access your email without cell service. Print out your vehicle reservations prior to your trip. Taking a screenshot of them is another option.
Mistake #7: Not Using The Guide Along Audio Guide
The Guide Along (Formerly GyPSy Guide) is both a GPS and an audio tour. This audio guide gives you background information on the sights as you drive, while also telling you where to go. It really adds to your experience and I highly recommend it! We also used it on our trip to Hawaii.
Mistake #8: Hiking Without Bear Spray
You are almost guaranteed to spot wildlife while hiking in Glacier National Park. The most common wildlife to see are big horn sheep, mountain goats, moose and grizzly bears. Hiking with bear spray is a safety essential. Remember that bear spray is prohibited on all commercial flights-even in checked bags, so if you are flying to Montana, plan to buy the bear spray once you arrive. Click here to learn about the best places to spot wildlife in Glacier National Park.
Mistake #10: Not Bringing a Raincoat
In the summer, there is a chance of rain almost every day in Glacier National Park. It could be sunny one minute and raining the next. It is so important to pack a lightweight rain jacket in your backpack each day! My daughters and I have this raincoat and my son loves this Columbia rain jacket.
Mistake #9: Not Dressing In Layers
If you are visiting Glacier National Park in the summer, it is essential to dress in layers. You will likely be arriving at the trailheads early in the morning, when the temperatures are low. The overnight temperatures in the height of summer can dip down into the 40s! By mid day it will be well into the 80s or even the 90s. Layering is key! I wore these Baleaf joggers over my shorts for bottoms, and for tops I wore a tank top with a long sleeve quarter zip. For the cold mornings, I would wear my rain jacket on top of the quarter zip. We also had ear warmer headbands and gloves for the early morning hikes in the 40s. Be sure to check out my post on What to Pack for Your Glacier National Park trip.
Mistake #10: Hiking Grinnell Glacier Without Using the Boat Shuttle
It would be a big mistake to visit Glacier National Park without hiking to Grinnell Glacier. With the breathtaking neon-turquoise Grinnell Lake and the once in a lifetime opportunity to stand in a glacier, Grinnell Glacier is one of the top must-see sights in Glacier National Park.
Grinnell Glacier is located in the Many Glacier portion of Glacier National Park. You need separate vehicle reservations for Many Glacier.
The hike to Grinnell Glacier is 11 miles roundtrip. However, you can shave off 4 miles by utilizing the boat shuttles that take you across the two lakes, rather than having to walk all the way around the lakes. It would be a big mistake to hike Grinnell Glacier without the boat shuttles.
We have done both with and without the shuttle and I can tell you that the shuttles are unequivocally the way to go. When walking around Swiftcurrent Lake, (the first lake) you are in the woods the entire way around the lake, so you don’t have much scenery. Walking around Lake Josephine (the second lake) is scenic, but you would have the same scenery on the boat shuttle. Hiking 7 miles is so much better than 11!
Explore my post on The Hike to Grinnell Glacier for more information on boat shuttles, including the important waiting list!
Mistake #11: Not Bringing Hiking Poles
Don’t make the mistake of hiking without poles in Glacier National Park, especially for the Grinnell Glacier hike! They will save your knees in the ascents and descents. We used these Trail Buddy hiking poles from Amazon and saw a lot of people with the same poles on the trail.
Mistake #12: Letting Your Fear Of Heights Stop You From Experiencing Highline Trail
I have a pretty significant fear of heights and was hesitant to hike the famous Highline Trail. Everything I read about Glacier included Highline Trail as a must-do hike, and I knew I would regret not trying to experience it. The entire Highline Trail hike is almost 15 miles out and back. However, you can hike in as far as you would like before turning around. From the trailhead to Haystack Butte is a 7 mile out and back hike and a popular turn around point for many hikers not wanting to hike the whole 15 miles.
Highline Trail runs along a cliff, offering breathtaking panoramic views and scenery. The scariest part of the trail for those with a fear of heights is the Garden Wall. Located at just a quarter mile into the hike, this narrow section of the trail has the drop off on one side and the mountain on the other. There is a cable built into the mountain to hold onto on this section. The good news is that it only lasts for about 1/8 of a mile. Once you get past this section, it is pretty smooth sailing in regards to heights.
I am so glad that I didn’t let my fear of heights stop me from experiencing this epic hike. The scenery is something that will stick with me forever!
Be sure to check out our close encounter with rams on the Highline Trail!
Mistake #13: Only Seeing One Side of Avalanche Lake
Many people make the mistake of stopping their Avalanche Lake hike once they reach the lake. While that view is beautiful, there is an even more stunning view from the other side of the lake. Once you reach the lake, keep walking on the trail until it ends at the opposite side of the lake. The two lake viewpoints are very different and you should definitely experience them both! Check out my post The Hike To Avalanche Lake for more detailed information on this hike.
Mistake #14: Not Having a Camera With A Good Zoom Lens
There is so much beautiful scenery in Glacier National Park, it truly is breathtaking. In addition to the majestic views, you will also spot a lot of wildlife throughout the park. Having a camera with a good zoom lens is essential for capturing the wildlife that you see from a distance. We used my Canon Point and Shoot and the zoom lens was fantastic. I actually used my camera as binoculars!
Mistake #15: Flying Without an AirTag in your Suitcase
If you are flying to Glacier National Park, most likely you will not be on a direct flight. Don’t make the mistake of not having an Apple AirTag in your checked luggage. Last summer, I was on a direct flight from Nashville to Washington DC and my luggage was lost. They didn’t find it for 6 weeks! The very first question on the lost luggage form was “Did you have an AirTag in your suitcase?” Unfortunately the answer was no.
The Apple AirTag is a tracking device that allows you to see the location of your AirTag from your phone. So if your luggage doesn’t arrive with you to the airport, you will easily be able to locate it!
Learn from my mistake and never check a bag without an AirTag in it!
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