Glacier Park in the United States, borders on Canada's Waterton Park in a marriage of rugged beauty forming the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. One of the asphalt highlights of the park is the 52 mile long Going-To-The-Sun Road, considered one of the most scenic highways in North America. It weaves a trail traversing towering mountains with active glaciers, and dips gently down into valleys with crystal clear lakes.
During the summer season the park is as active as a live volcano of outdoor sports and activities from kayaking, whitewater rafting and canoeing. Terra Firma fans can enjoy over 700 miles of hiking, biking, backpacking and horseback riding trails. The undisputed Godzilla of trails in the park is the one hundred mile long Continental Divide Trail that will take you trekking on the top of the world! Scenery is a mixture of altitude with attitude from high country alpine to deep conifer forests and magnificent mountain peaks that wear a crown of snow year 'round.
The rugged terrain is home to a variety of wildlife so don't be surprised if you have a chance up close and personal experience with bears, mountain lions and mountain goats in the backcountry of the park, so exercise caution when confronted by wildlife. This is their home and they are wild creatures who act and react on instinct.
The crown jewels of this rugged country are the ancient active glaciers left over from the Great Ice Age when mastodons roamed the region. The mastodons are long gone, but when the winter snows begin to fall, head to Glacier National Park as it is the winter sports destination of choice and challenge. It's time to grab your snowshoes and get ready to experience one hell of a Rocky Mountain Snowshoe High in the high country of Montana. Along with snowshoeing, you can also take to the many trails on cross country ski's. Either way the swarms of summer tourists are gone, so the park is quiet and less traveled and ready for snow, serenity and solitude in one of the most exciting environments in the United States.
There are many trails for snowshoeing from one end of the park to the other, but, the undisputed rock star of this Rocky Mountain retreat is the Going-To-The-Sun Road. In winter you can snowshoe it, and you won't have to dodge massive gas guzzling RV's or SUV's, and there will be no traffic jams to contend with. In fact there will be no traffic at all as the road is closed to vehicular traffic from October to the snow melt which usually occurs in June. The road itself has short hiking trails that branch off from the road so side trips are easily accessible to take you deep inside dense fir forests for the ultimate in peace and solitude, and a damn near Zen experience.
Gearing up for this winter wonderland of purely orgasmic proportions can also be an education. Take a guided snowshoe trip with a park naturalist who will discuss the history and geology of this natural paradise of rugged back country beauty. You can also Lewis and Clark it on your own personal exploration of discovery. Snowshoe trails vary in length and ability from novice to advanced, so everyone can get their Rocky Mountain rocks off in this playground of winter pleasure. For a complete list of park trails visit the trails website at www.glacierparkinformation/wintering/trailinfo.html
Lodging in the park is an adventure in luxury. Many of the lodges also have seperate cabins to stay in with trail heads outside your door. There are other lodging options available in nearby Kalispell and Whitefish.
There are also acres of public lands, where can you snowshoe and try your hand at dog sledding or snowmobiling. The downhill skier and snowboarder can tackle the powder at one of the ski resorts in the area. The nearby towns have a variety of microbreweries and wineries to unwind at after a challenging day in the mountains where you treat yourself to a steak or seafood, or a simple thick and juicy burger and beer. The Glacier Sun Winery in Kalispell features live music and entertainment in a dinner theater setting to go with your favorite Zinfandel.
Outdoor shops are as abundant as a Montana snowfall, and there are esoteric art galleries to enjoy after a day in deep snow and forests. The health conscious can grab a granola bar at one of the health food stores and some restaurants feature vegetarian menus if carnivorous meals aren't your cup of tea.
What other park offers outdoor activity that can take a snowshoer from the United States into Canada in a single day. Be advised if you are an American, when re-entering the United States you must have a passport or other I.D. to prove you are a US citizen. Otherwise you'll have to apply for Canadian citizenship and start speaking like one of the chacters in the film "Fargo" eh? Check with border officials before you leave the US side to make sure you follow all the rules so you can get back in without a lengthy hassle.
Glacier National Park is more than a pleasant rugged experience. It's the adventure of a lifetime all year round for winter activity on snowshoes, skis, and snowboards, and in summer a whitewater paradise for the kayaker and whitewater rafter. It has it all...altitude and attitude combined for a true Rocky Mountain High adventure.