Visit Glacier National Park with kids

Last year was our first year on the road as full-time RVers. We explored Yellowstone and the Tetons, but we didn’t know if our, then 3.5-year-old, twin girls or we were ready to hike Glacier National Park. Glacier is probably the most majestic national park. With more than 1 million square miles to explore, it’s easy to be overwhelmed in planning a trip to Glacier, especially if you have small kids in tow. Our guide on how to visit Glacier National Park with kids will give you the confidence to make a trip of a lifetime.

Taking your kids on an adventure in Glacier National Park is the stuff family memories are made of. I once had a friend who said her family bought a condo near Glacier so they could spend all the holidays in Glacier. After visiting Glacier National Park with our kids, I can see why there are so many families keep coming back to Glacier National Park.

Watch our video on How to How to Visit Glacier National Park with kids

Ride the Red Bus Tour

The famous Red Bus Tours of Glacier serve as an ideal way to Visit Glacier National Park with kids. The vintage 1930s buses are part of the human history and heritage of the park. The Red Bus has roll-back tops that are perfect for providing total views of the stunning mountains and Montana’s Big Sky. In addition, the guides, or Jammers, give history and park details you will miss if you drove yourself.

Having worked at Ford Motor Company, John was familiar with the Red Buses of Glacier after Ford restored 33 of the Red Buses. Did you know the fleet of 33 buses in Glacier is widely considered the oldest touring fleet of vehicles anywhere in the world? Because of the historic nature of the vehicles, they cannot fit as many people or give ample legroom as modern tour busses. I encourage you to book early as buses do sell out. (We booked in May for late August and only had one time left in the whole week for us to go.)

Our girls loved riding the Red Bus. We had the perfect Jammer, or Driver, Rebecca, who was young, enthusiastic, and could really relate to the girls. She gave them Jr. Jammer books, and they could stay entertained on the road trip, completing their booklets and earning a Jr. Jammer pin!

Become a Junior Ranger when you Visit Glacier National Park with kids

I have mentioned the National Park’s Junior Ranger Program before, but it’s worth repeating. There is no better way for kids to learn about history, science, and the outdoors than the Junior Ranger programs. The junior ranger booklets can be picked up at a visitor center early in your visit. Then, the kids have a goal to spend the next couple of days learning about the park, glaciers and leaving no trace. Then, when they finish their way through the booklet, they can turn it into a ranger badge. What kid would be excited by earning a gold ranger badge?

Pack a Picnic

Packing a picnic is more for necessity than just viewing the pleasure of the scenery when you visit Glacier National Park with kids. Unfortunately, food supplies are few and far between, besides the Mercantile at West Glacier Entrance or Lake McDonald Lodge. And little hikers get tired (and BORED) unless supplied and bribed with constant snacks.

We had two picnics in Glacier. One was at the trailhead of Trail of Cedars/Avalanche Lake, and then another one at the Hidden Lake Overlook. The picnic at Hidden Lake Overlook was probably the best view I have ever had while eating. Just remember, keep your kids fed and hydrated, but don’t leave anything behind for those cute squirrels.

Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Gorge

For an easy hike that anyone can do (it’s even stroller-accessible), follow this easy .08-mile trail through ancient cedars. About halfway, stop and enjoy the stunningly narrow Avalanche Gorge with a waterfall. From here, you can take the loop back to the car or continue to Avalanche Lake.

Hike to Avalanche Lake

Avalanche Lake is a beautiful alpine lake with cascading waterfalls that flow out of the hidden Sperry Glacier. The hike is a moderate 4.5-mile roundtrip hike that gains about 730 feet of elevation. We stopped stop once we reached the lake, but if you want a little more privacy, keep following the trail to the head of the lake.

This hike was the longest hike the girls had ever experienced. And it rained, making for damp, cold, and muddy conditions. But they loved it! They liked the steps; they loved waving to everyone (as Avalanche Hike is super popular and can be crowded). We only heard a little bit of whining, and that was steps away from the lake.

When we arrived at the lake, we were able to take a little break. There are a couple of benches or a rocky beach as a place to rest, relax and snack up for the hike back. This reprieve gave the girls (and Mama!) a break they needed to recharge. They did the return hike like champions!

Take Your Time on Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road is a bit stressful since the road is small and you are right on the edge of the rocky mountains, but it is also beautiful! We attempted this drive in our Ford F450, which is right at this road’s length and width limits.

There are so many great stopping points along The Going To The Sun Road, and I can’t even begin to list them all. My best advice is to take your time and stop as often as you can! There are multiple pullouts where you can stop to take pictures. Make sure the driver keeps their eyes on the road!

The girls recognized sights from the Red Bus tour, such as the Weeping Wall, multiple waterfalls, the tunnel with windows, and the three arches.

But the sight that brought the most squeals was snow sightings. We were there in late August, and there were still small piles of snow on the mountainside.

On the way back, we drove further east to the St. Mary’s entrance as we wanted to spend a little more time exploring Glacier. (We didn’t want to risk being catching our mirror or dually fenders on the rock wall side coming down the Going-to-the-Sun Road).

Logan Pass and Hidden Lake Overlook

At the top of Going-to-the-Sun-Road is the 6,646-foot Logan Pass and Continental Divide. If you can find a parking spot (it took 40 minutes), get out and hike to the Overlook behind the visitor center. We heard this is the best place to see wildflowers, mountain goats, and Bighorn Sheep. (Sadly, we only saw butterflies, prairie dogs, and a Marmot.)

The Hidden Lake Overlook is one of the most popular hikes in Glacier. The overlook is 1.5 miles (one way) and has an elevation gain of 500. The trial is a mix of boardwalk and steps (big steps for little hikers!). This hike can be crowded, but we found a few large rocks to catch a breather.

Remember, you are at the top of the world, so that the weather can be much cooler than in other parts of Glacier. Please dress in layers so mama can end up carrying all the jackets when it gets warm! (Are all moms the designated pack mules?)

Eat huckleberry ice cream

No trip to Montana is complete without trying huckleberries. Just about everywhere you turn, you can find some huckleberry tasty treats. We grabbed a huckleberry milkshake on our way out of the park in Hungry Horse. Guess we were so hungry and excited for our huckleberry milkshake, we didn’t get a picture!

Advice from one mama to another:

Always check the Glacier National Park website for any closures and confirm the Going To The Sun Road is open. The best time (and the most crowded) is to go to Glacier when the road is open, and it normally doesn’t open until later in the summer (July/August).
NOTE – Glacier National Park has started requiring a reservation and a ticket to travel the Going To The Sun Road. This will impact your trip. You can check out more details here: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/gtsrticketedentry.htm
Glacier is busy and populated from July to August. Most blogs you read warn you to arrive at Glacier early. This is a great strategy if you are all early birds, and it works for your family. We tended to go around lunchtime and hit the in-between times when the early risers were leaving the park.
Parking is a problem at the big attractions like Avalance Lake and Logan Pass. However, a quick prayer to parking angels and a little patience with a few parking lot circles found a spot in about 30 minutes.
Pack for summer and winter. The weather can change quickly. We had the girls in sweatshirts, and it ended up raining. I probably should have had rain jackets too.
We mentioned snacks, but don’t forget water too. We brought 4 water bottles to one hike, and with the elevations and heat, we drank all our water halfway there.
Throw a few bandaids in your pack or a small first aid kit. There are lots of opportunities to trip and fall. Strangely enough, the only one who needed a bandaid was mama from a blister!

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