Glacier National Park

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Glacier National Park
One of the greatest U.S. National Parks, featuring Going-to-the-Sun Road and Many Glacier, celebrates its 100th anniversary this month.

Inside Track
Country	United States
State	Montana
Area	1,013,322 acres
Established	May 11, 1910
World Heritage site	1995
Currency	U.S. Dollar
Time Zone	Mountain Time
Popular Trains	Empire Builder
Vacations By Rail to Glacier Park	8

Glacier National Park includes two mountain ranges and incorporates more than 25 glaciers, over 130 named lakes, 200 waterfalls, and more than 1,000 different plant species. Wildlife is abundant from mountain goats, wolverines, and lynx to hundreds of different species of birds and more than a dozen fish species.

While the Park’s mountains, plants, and wildlife had its humble beginnings millions of years ago, its discovery and subsequent status as a National Park are far more recent.

In 1891, the Great Northern Railway crossed the Continental Divide along the southern boundary of the Park. In an effort to increase passenger use, the railway soon started promoting the many activities and benefits of this beautiful area. The company lobbied the U.S. Congress and in 1897 the area was designated as a forest preserve. In 1910, a bill was introduced to reassign the area’s designation from a forest preserve to that of National Park in order to protect the land, and on May 11, 1910, President William Taft signed the bill into law making the area the nation’s tenth National Park. After the park was established, the Great Northern Railway constructed hotels and chalets to generate tourism. These properties are now listed as National Historic Landmarks.

This month Glacier National Park celebrates its 100th anniversary. There is no better way to get back to nature and explore some of the most pristine untouched ecosystems in the country than through a visit to Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park Must-See’s

Glacier National Park is home to hundreds of lakes and waterfalls, thousands of different plant species, and hundreds of animal species. This extraordinary ecosystem is the cornerstone of the “Crown of the Continent Ecosystem,” which is comprised of over 16,000 square miles of protected land.

Exploring the Crown of the Continent—and some of the most beautiful parts of Glacier National Park—is made easy through “Jammers,” a fleet of restored 1930’s era open-air red tour buses. A Jammer tour through the heart of Glacier National Park along the Going-to-the-Sun Road is a must.

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road that travels over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass and into the heart of Glacier National Park. The road was created to provide greater access into the Park for visitors traveling by car. It was completed in 1932, named for the nearby Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, and was later designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Many Glacier, located on the east side of Glacier National Park near Lake Sherburne, is surrounded by the peaks of the Lewis mountain range. The area is known for its assortment of hiking trails, lakes, waterfalls, and dense forests.

10 miles long and more than a mile wide, Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park. The water is exceptionally clear, making the reflection of the surrounding mountains that much more stunning.

How to Get There
An economic and efficient means of traveling to Montana—and the Park—is via Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which stops at East and West Glacier. Vacations By Rail offers 8 exciting rail vacations that include Glacier National Park. Travelers can also arrive by air. The closest airport to Glacier National Park is in Kalispell, MT.

Entrance Fees
Nominal entrance fees start at $12 per person and are required to enter the Park.

When to Go
While Glacier National Park is open year-round, the very best times to experience its many splendors are from May to September when the weather is most reliable and travelers can take advantage of all of the many activities the Park offers. For instance, the National Park lodges are open from late May to September. Lower portions of the Going-to-the-Sun Road route remain open year-round, while the Alpine section over Logan Pass opens in mid-June; some portions of the road close in mid-September.

Monthly Averages (in Fahrenheit)

	High / Low		High / Low
January	28 / 14	July	79 / 48
February	34 / 18	August	79 / 47
March	41 / 22	September	70 / 39
April	52 / 29	October	52 / 31
May	65 / 38	November	37 / 24
June	71 / 44	December	30 / 18

Taxes
Montana is one of the few states that does not have a state sales tax, with the exception of some tourist destinations where a nominal 3% tax is instituted.

Tipping
Gratuities are rarely included on restaurant bills with the exception of large parties. It is customary to tip 15% of the bill; 20% if service was exemplary. Tipping is also expected for valets, bellmen and porters, and taxis and car services. It is acceptable to tip for maid service, concierge, and tour guides.

Trains to Glacier National Park
Travel by train to Glacier National Park is the very best and most comfortable way to see some of the most stunning parts of the U.S. Leave the “driving” to someone else and sit back and drink in the scenery, meet your fellow travelers, and enjoy the magnificence of train travel.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder travels daily between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest passing along the route many pioneers took to settle the West. A highlight of the train includes the Sightseer Lounge car, where you can marvel at sights like the Minneapolis skyline, the spectacular Gassman Coulee Trestle, the Columbia River Gorge—and of course, Glacier National Park.

Vacations By Rail & Glacier National Park
Vacations By Rail offers a variety of rail vacations to Glacier National Park. Packages range from 5 to 14 days and start at $1,100 per person. A selection of rail vacations incorporating Glacier National Park includes:

	Empire Builder with Glacier National Park Discover the scenic wonders of Glacier National Park on this 7-day adventure. Highlights include the Swift Current Lake Boat Cruise and the Crown of the Continents tour along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
	Best of the West - This 14-day tour takes travelers to five National Parks including magical Glacier National Park where you will enjoy a night in Glacier Park Lodge—the largest log structure in the world—and a Jammer tour along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Additional highlights of the trip include Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park.
	Glacier National Park Adventure – Your 5-day journey begins in Chicago or Seattle, where you will board the Empire Builder headed for Glacier National Park. This “at your leisure” vacation offers unlimited possibilities as you take in breathtaking scenery on your way to the ice-carved terrain of Glacier National Park. A highlight of the trip is the Big Sky Circle tour, which includes wildlife viewing at Goat Lick, a visit to the historic Izaak Walton Inn, and Going-to-the-Sun Road.
	Glacier National Park & Canadian Rockies – This 8-day tour combines the majestic Canadian Rockies with the stunning Glacier National Park. Highlights include Whitefish, Banff, and Waterton and Glacier National Parks with the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road over the Continental Divide.

Visitor Information
Glacier National Park / National Park Services
http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

Call 1-877-929-7245 today to book your Glacier National Park Adventure or
browse all Glacier National Park trips.


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