One Day Glacier National Park Itinerary

Glacier National Park in Montana is our favorite National Park in the US and we have been to almost all of the National Parks. It is magical, it will take your breath away, you won’t want to leave! In this post we share our 1 day Glacier National Park Itinerary recommendations so you can have an amazing trip.



There are so many awesome things to do in Glacier National Park we want to help you figure out what not to miss and how to see the most you can see in the time you have! From the Going To The Sun Road to Polebridge Mercantile and Bowman Lake to Many Glacier and all the best hikes in Glacier !



If you love National parks be sure to check out our National Park Road Trip ideas too!



When To Visit







We highly recommend visiting Glacier National Park when the Going-to-the-Sun Road is open. This varies each year based on the weather—and there is no set date when it opens—but it is normally open starting in July through sometime in September. But always check their site for the most up to date information. You can visit the park when it is closed but you definitely miss some of the best parts!



Entry Tickets



For 2024 you will need to have entry tickets for park. Dates and times are below:




Going To The Sun Road – May 24th – September 8th from 6am to 3pm.



North Fork (Bowman Lake) – May 24th – September 8th from 6am to 3pm.



Many Glacier – July 1st – September 8th from 6am to 3pm.




During these dates you will need:




Secure your vehicle reservation



Get your park pass or pay the entrance fee



Have your reservation ready to scan.




**Note: Visitors with lodging, camping, or commerical activity reservations (ex. boat tours and horseback rides) can use their service reservation to access the portion of the park for which they have a reservation.



Try to get these tickets for your trip ( click here ). However if you can’t you do have another option to go out after 3pm. It is light until 9/10pm at night so you still have a lot of time to get out and do some exploring!



But ALWAYS double check their site to make sure nothing has changed. You can do that here.



How To Get To Glacier National Park



Flying into Glacier Park International Airport FCA is an option. They have a variety of daily flights (some just in season) that can work. The airport is 12 miles from Whitefish and 30 miles from the West Glacier entrance.



Click here to start to plan your Glacier Park International Airport FCA trip.



You could also take the Amtrak into Glacier . We don’t recommend this unless you are looking for a guided tour.



You can drive to Glacier. A road trip is almost always a fun time! But note if you do this you will most likely have to add on an extra day and night for travel.



Do You Need A Car For Glacier?



The short answer and our recommendation is yes. The park spreads across multiple areas and you won’t be able to see all the places we recommend without a car. There is a shuttle service in the park and tours. But a car will give you more flexibility and allow you to visit Many Glacier, Polebridge and Two Medicine.



If you are just coming in for a day you could do without – if you are good with shuttles and tours.



Driving In The Park



Don’t believe Google Map drive times. The roads are windy on the Going-to-the-Sun Road so it takes longer. And the roads to Many Glacier, Polebridge and Two Medicine are bumpy with lots of pot holes and free roam cattle.



To drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the west entrance to the east entrance can take approximately 2 hours without stopping (which you will most likely want to stop for pictures.) Plus there are can be animal sighting traffic jams – that can make it take even longer.



Glacier National Park Hiking



Highline Trail


To truly explore this magnificent park you are going to want to get out and hike. If you aren’t all about hiking for miles that is OK. There are options that will work for almost anyone. But do yourself a favor and plan on doing some hiking when you visit.



Take note: Trails can be closed due to bear activity so always check with a ranger before you head out on a hike. If a trail is closed it will normally have a sign by the trail head that says closed. But we always like to confirm at the visitor center just to be sure!



Make sure to have your Bear Spray with you. We recommend buying it before you come. Or if you are flying ask at your hotel/campground to see where you can buy it in the area. The National Park normally sells it – but sometimes they run out so better to have a few options.



Related: The Best Hikes in Glacier National Park



Glacier National Park Map



Here is a visual overview of Glacier National Park. You won’t hit all of this in one day but will hit the big highlights.







I Want The Glacier National Park Itinerary




@crazyfamilyadventure We fell in love with this National Park the moment we drove through the gates. The mountains, the water color, the wildlife. Nothing else compares in the US. It’s Glacier National Park in Montana and here is our list of things to do there: