She wants to go to Glacier ....

[miisterwright]

Sounds great, doesn't it? But camping on a 9'X9' pad is not my idea of a good time. Also, we're going into Canada, so there goes the pistol.

I haven't had a chance to speak with the ranger yet about hanging there, but I don't have high hopes.

Anyone have any advice for surviving the IMO over-regulated type areas? I tend to avoid the big name parks and such, but the wife is set on seeing Glacier/Waterton.

[ikemouser]

Glacier national park is one of my dreams, i would not miss it because i couldn't carry a hammock or a gun. I would love to be in your shoes.

[Walking Bear]

Glacier National Park is a great park to visit. My first backpack hike was there. However, we stayed in one of the chalets at night. The wind was blowing about 50 mph that night. Snow and sleet the next day in July. That was in 1996. I don't know what the backcountry regulations are. Both are great parks to visit.

[cooldays]

I went there 10 years ago. It is huge and 99 percent of the visitors visit the same popular areas less than a mile from the road. If you back pack there are plenty of beautiful places to go/camp by rivers straight out of a river runs through it. The park has some great history as well. I would just skip the popular areas and go straight to the back country if I did it again. I remember having to make reservations for campsites and they sent us 12 miles in. We had huge packs and didn't quite make it but the "full" campsiites closer in were half empty so it was not a big deal even though we didn't plan it that way. THey warn you about the bears quite a bit or at least they did when I went.

Have a great trip!!!

cooldays

[questtrek]

I too want to go there ... I had a trip planned there on the Empire Builder from Chicago via Detroit. But it didn't happen last year. Oh well .. Would love to go there and backpack the backcountry and then take my family there. Pretty much the first national park I want to visit other then Yosemite!

[MedicineMan]

its worth the risk

[Connie]

I know in the Lewis and Clark National Forest and The Bob Marshall Wilderness tying a rope around a tree is not allowed. Even horses 'high line' must be attached with webbing.

The National Parks have to allow a gun, now. Compliance with state and local regulations are the rule. I purchased the approved bear spray, instead, Counter Assault $50, at the St. Mary's Visitor Center, because it is the only one approved for Canada. Be sure to offer to show the bear spray at the border crossing. Do not make a joke about leaving your guns home: they have absolutely no sense of humor on that subject. Take passports. New rule. No felonies, never. Not when you were young and stupid. No drunk or "pot" charges. This surprises many traveler's.

For the most part, 5 minutes from the car, you will hardly see anyone.

I recommend campsite reservations. It is possible to get "no-shows" reservations at 8 AM, something like that. I hike thru or out-and-back, so I can't tell you more. I do know the backcountry ranger does a "shakedown" and has to approve your backpacking gear. I know, because one time I was asked to catch up with two european "kids" to make sure they were okay, because a big storm was comming in.

I have met hikers, who managed to link backcountry campsite permits to get 4-5 nights "loop" hike or "thru" hike. I am not sure how they did it, perhaps inquire of the backcountry ranger.

Don't neglect the Falcon Press "Easy Day Hike's Book" because some of those hikes are "gems". Ride the boat tours: Upper Lake St. Mary and Two Medicine. Hike from the other side. Take lunch. Catch the next scheduled return trip back. Camp at Two Medicine or Rising Sun campgrounds on the East side, Kintla or Bowman Lake on the West. If you drive up that long gravel road on the West side, Polebridge grocery store and a hot meal at the licensed premises is well worth it. If you are camping on the East side, Two Medicine "Pray Lake" is my first choice. But you can't go wrong. I have mentioned how to avoid the crowds.

Drive Going-to-the-Sun Highway or ride in one of the red cars.

From West Glacier, take the all-day "float" on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, well worth the $79 each when I did, with http://www.glacierguides.com/ Have breakfast at the restaurant across the street (famous).

In East Glacier, Thimbleberry Restaurant is excellent.

Waterton has the best huckleberry ice cream. It is fun to walk the town.

The huckleberry ice cream at Two Medicine store is very good.

Many travelers take the boat ride over the border and hike thru. Some start the CDT at the trailhead near the Chief Mountain border station.

My property is on Chief Mountain Scenic Highway 1/2 mile from the road and 1 mile from the park.

The forest burned from Hudson Bay Divide down to St. Mary. Still, it is a beautiful place. If you are in St. Mary, I recommend the "pie restaurant" or the "burrito shack" for best food.

Babb, MT has tha famous Cattle Baron steak house, at the junction of the road into Many Glacier.

Many Glacier campground is a good basecamp for trails.

If you have loads of money, get a helicopter tour and a fly fishing float trip on the North Fork of the Flathead River.

If driving slow, take the secondary highway 89 along The Rocky Mountain Front or the secondary highway along the famous fly-fishing Swan, between Lake Flathead and the mountains.

In Waterton, the small lakes are worth the drive up. The hikes are good.

If you stay at St. Mary, I recommend the St. Mary KOA. It is around the end of lower Lake St. Mary, the road is at the "pie restaurant". The accomodations are quite good. They own all that. The beach is very nice. Two eagles live at that end of the lake. St. Mary Lodge has stores worth looking into. However, that Lodge is nothing special.

[mbiraman]

quote; I know in the Lewis and Clark National Forest and The Bob Marshall Wilderness tying a rope around a tree is not allowed. Even horses 'high line' must be attached with webbing. Quote

So does this mean that a hammock that uses webbing suspension is ok??

[WeTommyD]

Just got a call back from Glacier National Park & Ellen said there would be no problem with hammocks as long as they do no damage to the trees (drilling holes). She added there would be no problem if the hammock was just roped to the tree. Some campgrounds it may be hard to find trees but at Many Glacier it should be all right.

I'll be going late August.

[Trout]

Excellent Park! My wife and I spent two days there driving around. Wished I could have spent time backpacking Glacier.