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| I went mid August in 2011. I went to the antique power show at Albert City IA first, then went west as I described above. When I got to the St. Mary vicinity, the government campgrounds were full, and the commercial one I picked was twice the price for a senior. But the commercial campground had hot water for the shower that I needed. No hot water in the toilets in the government campground. The government campground computer was down so they couldn't make a reservation. I had to park at the gate house for an hour the next morning until they manually found a space a let me it. There was a KOA nearby with outrageous prices. I didn't check those premises to see if it was luxurious. Plan ahead and meet your schedule, your best route is US2. The free shuttles or the Red buses are better rides past Logan Pass because from those you get to see more instead of concentrating on a very crooked narrow two lane road. I did the road both ways and I am certain I saw a lot more riding than driving both directions. The shuttle stops often at visitor spots and trail heads to drop off hikers and pick up hikers, so its better and allowing seeing places you can't park at and the red bus won't park at. There's no guide on the shuttle bus like there is on the red bus.
The middle of August is the busiest time in Glacier so parking especially at Logan Pass is difficult most of the day. The roads in the park and approaching the park are among the crookedest in the USA, though I found one in southern WI through a state park that was at least as crooked going cross country between Sparta and North Freedom. Probably in Wildcat Mountain State Park.
The apparent shortest road from Browning to St. Mary is so crooked its faster to go north on a state highway past Duck Lake and then back south on US 89 to St. Mary. 20 miles extra but 55 instead of 25 mph between the white knuckle curves. There are almost no curves on the alternate route.
There are several campgrounds in East Glacier I saw from the Empire Builder when I rode it from Seattle to Fargo in 2008. I'd rather not be that close to a busy main line unless all I wanted was to see and hear trains. It was much quieter at St Mary.
Gerald J. | |
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Trip to Glacier National Park
