Summer in Montana: Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, and Grinnell Glacier Review

I always dreamed of visiting Glacier National Park. Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road, with my hands out the window, feeling the northern mountain breeze between my fingers, smelling the alpine, and listening to all the animals step around in their home. The fear of grizzly bears kept me away for a while, but this past summer I finally felt ready to explore a new region of the US. Yellowstone and Glacier National Park are perfectly paired, as they both take you on long, scenic roads that make you feel truly off-grid. My review of the ever-so-popular Grinnell Glacier hike can be found at the bottom of this blog post!

Where to Stay

If you book early enough, you should consider staying closer to the park entrance. Whitefish Moose cabins are rustic and classic, and are right at Lake McDonald (just no dogs allowed). Another non-dog-friendly, but right by the entance of the park is this place. If you're looking for a cheap motel that allows dogs, the Mini Golden Inns Motel has great reviews, or you can be fancy and stay at the Stalls at Whitefish (no dogs).

We stayed around Kalispell, which wasn't bad. We just had to wake up early to enter the park without a timed entry permit since we missed that and bought the wrong one for hiking the Grinnell Glacier trail. Wherever you stay, if you're not camping in the national park, it is going to be a long drive in the morning! You'll have to wake up early if you don't have a park reservation (we didn't because we accidentally reserved the wrong entrance). You could even go glamping for a more unique experience. This non-dog-friendly place is a lot closer to the park and affordable.

I recommend just staying in Kalispell if you're with a large group! You can get an Airbnb, or you can get a hotel if you want a good return policy (I prefer this for planning purposes, but we had a large group and I had my dog, so I needed some more flexibility). The home we stayed at had a huge yard, which was perfect for getting Sora tired since I had to leave her there while we explored the national park! This cabin is around where we stayed, which was an acceptable distance for us from the park, given how late we booked.

Kalipsell was nice because we could be close to the grocery stores (there's even a Costco, which is great for filling up on gas!), rodeo shows, restaurants, and accessibility. It was much easier being able to get around than staying somewhere more remote. Don't forget to try the huckleberry milkshakes or smoothies, too, while you're there!

When to Go

Late July is better because the snow is more likely to have melted by then. August is good too, but you may experience some wildfire smoke. There was smoke when we went in mid-July, but it was still enjoyable, and we didn't notice it too much on the trails.

Must-Do Activities

Lake McDonald is a must! It was a perfect way to cool down after hiking. The water is so clear, and you can park right by the lake and easily carry your stuff to the shoreline. My favorite shoes to wear for paddleboarding are my Tevas; they're incredible! They stay on my feet, add height, and are super easy to clean after a day in the lake. I brought my own paddleboard, the Retrospec Weekender Inflatable. We brought some drinks and took them to the water to relax. All watercraft (including paddleboards) have to be inspected before you can enter on your own; it takes a quick 30 seconds, and they want to make sure it's clear of any visible signs of algae or other damaging toxins since this lake serves the drinking water of Montana residents.

Horsebackriding

This is a classic activity for Montana. The mountains are gorgeous and what better way to explore a trail than by horseback? There are so many options for horsebackriding, but this one is well reviewed on viator and they usually have great cancellation policies.

Attend a Rodeo

The rodeo was also such a unique experience that it was easy for us to pop in and go watch since we were nearby. The rodeo we went to was Blue Moon/ Brash Rodeo, and we just picked up tickets at the venue, same day. We were pretty shocked at how intense the rodeo was; they had children and adults performing for all the various types of shows they put on. It was definitely a unique experience and something you should try at least once! Bring your cowgirl hat and have fun!

Yellowstone National Park

This park is stunning, of course, but it's not one that requires you to go hiking. I've been a few times now, and I mainly stay on the popular sites and pull over for wildlife viewings and unique sightseeing spots. Grab a map when you're at the visitor center and definitely download offline maps, because the service is nonexistent. If you do hike, buy or rent 2 canisters of bear spray as the grizzly population is growing here.

Driving around Yellowstone is one of my favorite ways to explore the park. The roads are windy, but safe, and you have to drive carefully due to all the wildlife, especially at night when things get super dark. Be prepared to stop when you see some bison or elk, along with many other visitors. Wildlife is more active ready in the early mornings and evenings.

Some of my favorite spots to stop at are Grand Prismastic, Old Faithful geyser (though not as impressive after visiting Iceland), and . Next on the list, I'd like to see Mammoth Hot Springs and the boiling river for when I return! It's such a huge park, and I usually visit when I'm en route to somewhere else, so I'll eventually have to come back for just a Yellowstone trip at some point. I actually visited Biscuit Basin a few weeks before the giant explosion that happened in 2024, so just remember that anything can happen and you gotta be mindful!

Like I said, the drive is the best part, so just take your time, have some good roadtrip snacks, a cozy podcast or playlist, and bring your camera for the wildlife!

Grinnell Glacier hike

Ideally, you start this hike in the morning, as it's pretty long and exposed. We started around 4:52 AM and finished around 11:11 AM with enough time to enjoy some breaks and a lunch at the glacier. The parking lot was almost full and this was mid July at almost 5AM in the morning, there were maybe a few spots remaining.

The beginning of the trail starts in the forest, per usual, but then it quickly starts to open up with lots of wildflowers and expansive meadows. We saw wildlife pretty much the entire time, from the early morning hours until late morning.

Wow, this hike was up there as one of the most beautiful ones I've been on. We saw so many animals, but thankfully no grizzly bears (someone spotted them on the trail the day before, according to alltrails, so I was nervous), but we only saw Moose, mountain goats, marmots, and birds! The glacier was a little chilly, so even though the rest of the hike was pretty hot, I'd recommend a puffer or jacket for the top!

I personally found this hike to be pretty easy, despite the AllTrails rating. I do a lot of hiking in the PNW where we have decent elevation gain, so I felt prepared and just enjoyed the steady incline and workout! Peep the mountain goats below with their baby!