Welcome to Americanparks.info - Information on State Park Lodges

DESCRIBED AS POSTCARD PERFECT too many times to count, Montana's soul-inspiring Glacier Country really is. But even those picture postcards can't do this pristine setting justice. There's simply no way to capture on film the hugeness of the sky overhead--there's a reason "Big Sky" is inscribed on the state license plates--or the smell of pine-tinged cool air from national forests that blanket the region.

Likewise, a photograph will never evoke the grandeur of these snow-capped mountains--six peaks over 10,000 feet in Glacier National Park alone--nor the sound of a just-caught trout splashing in one of the prime trout rivers.

No doubt about it, you've got to visit this region personally to appreciate its cinematic landscape. But locals are quick to point out that the state's westernmost region is more than just a pretty place. Welcoming towns throughout the area serve up lots more: everything from homemade huckleberry pie to award-winning theater productions, museums, and art galleries.

Glacier National Park--the most famous feature of the region--covers the northernmost boundary of Glacier Country. More than 700 miles of trails meander among its crystal blue lakes, waterfalls, and mountains. This means there's a hike for just about every age and ability level--and there's nothing like a hike that ends at a lake so remote you feel like you're the first to discover it.

Hiking is also a good way to score some wildlife viewing--including mountain goats, and on rare and exciting occasions, bear. Truth be told, I've still got the leather necklaces of "bear bells" from the first time we hiked in Glacier with our sons--and heard that wearing the bells was a way to warn the animals that people were approaching. (Much to the boys' disappointment, we saw no bear.)

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Going-to-the-Sun Road is another must experience at the park. While driving your own car over the harrowingly spectacular 52 miles of this engineering marvel is certainly do-able, a much more fun and less stressful option (ask my husband) is viewing the incredible vistas on a "jammer" tour.

These 1930s-era buses earned their nickname from the sound heard as drivers continually jammed the gears in the old standard transmission vehicles. Today the "jammers" handle the grades fine, and knowledgeable guides fill passengers in on geography, park history, and lore. The roll-back canvas tops afford plenty of photo opportunities as well.

Staying at one of the historic lodges is always a park pleasure. The oldest and most recognizable is Glacier Park Lodge, its lobby supported by giant Douglas fir tree trunks. Awesome views of Swiftcurrent Lake framed with towering mountains make the Swiss chalet-style Many Glacier Lodge a photographers' favorite (at sunrise, the peaks glow almost raspberry pink). Lake MacDonald Lodge is undoubtedly the most casual property. Its signature rocking chair-filled back porch is a great place for sipping fresh huckleberry daiquiris while gazing on Glacier's largest lake. Reservations at all three are a must.

Outside the park, the Western-style town of Whitefish is another place to indulge in more of Glacier Country's (and grizzly bears') favorite Montana berry--the tart wild huckleberry. At LouLa's Care, approximately 3,000 to 4,000 made-from-scratch fruit pies are baked annually. This is definitely where to sample a slice (try the huckleberry-peach) before or after exploring Whitefish's wide main street, loaded with boutiques, shops, and galleries displaying local artists' works. At the town's historic depot, trains still arrive and depart, and a 36-hole golf course nearby is a favorite with avid golfers.

Not far away from Whitefish is Big Mountain Ski & Summer Resort, Winter means skiing and snowboarding, but in warm weather there's hiking, mountain biking, or riding the gondola to the peak. Or experience Big Mountain's newest adventure--a "Walk in the Treetops." Traversing this canopy boardwalk suspended almost 70 feet above the forest floor is a highlight, literally!

South of Whitefish is Kalispell, the county seat and a mandatory stop for folks wishing to purchase wearable regional souvenirs. At Western Outdoor Store, visitors find some 4,000 pairs of cowboy boots (baby sizes to big and tall) plus silver belt buckles and countless cowboy hats (our hats now hang on the family room wall). After shopping, stroll next door to Norm's News and Soda Fountain for a malt (try huckleberry, of course).

Kalispell is also home to the Buffalo Hill Golf Club--considered the most popular of nine championship golf courses in the Flathead Valley. In fact, Golf Digest magazine ranked the valley as one of the 50 greatest golf destinations in the world--which probably has something to do with the gorgeous views from courses like Eagle Bend Golf Club, located on the north shore of beautiful Flathead Lake.

Covering 188 square miles, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. In summer it's filled with sailboats, kayaks, canoes, and outboards. On shore, family-friendly opportunities reflect this area's rich history--check area schedules for public powwows held on both the Flathead and Blackfeet reservations.

Driving along Highway 35 at the northern tip of the lake during mid-summer, be on the lookout for roadside stands like Bigfork Orchard's bright red building with its sign promoting "SWEET CHERRIES." Buying a box and driving along the lake, car windows down, eating cherries and spitting seeds into the breeze is almost a local tradition.

In the charming town of Bigfork, life is more civilized. Designated as "One of the 50 Great Towns of the West" and "One of the 100 Best Small Art Towns in the Nation," Bigfork offers a wealth of art galleries, inviting B&Bs, and exceptional dining. At La Provence Restaurant, order fine French Mediterranean classics for dinner or visit its deli and fill your picnic basket for lunch. For evening entertainment, head to Bigfork Summer Playhouse; it's been producing Broadway musicals for the past 46 summers.

South from Flathead Lake, a drive through the National Bison Range gives visitors a chance to truly experience the place "where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play." Established in 1908 to protect the American bison, it hosts 350 to 450 of the huge furry beasts on the 18,500-acre range, which also is home to elk, deer, black bear, coyote, and more than 200 species of birds. (Tip: Go early in the day for best viewing.)

Missoula--home to the University of Montana--is Glacier Country's largest town. Located at the head of five scenic valleys and the junction of three rivers, Missoula offers visitors the chance to not only appease their outdoor appetites (rafting, hiking, biking, fishing) but nourish their cultural cravings (concerts, plays, poetry readings). If you're still looking for some Wild West action, the annual Western Montana Fair is held here every August. It's a perfect place to witness what authentic rodeo and bull riding are all about.

For a personal look at another regional vocation, visit Missoula's Smokejumper Visitor Center. Filled with dioramas, photographs, and videos of those brave souls who risk their lives fighting forest fires (especially meaningful after the 2003 fires that swept the region), this center is also where Forest Service smokejumpers train.

Afterwards, cool off like the locals do at the town's popular Big Dipper Ice Cream shop with--what else?--a huckleberry ice cream cone. Like Glacier Country, it's big, it's unique, it's served with a smile--and a picture will never, ever do it justice.

Contact: Montana's Glacier Country, (800) 338-5072; www.glacier.visitmt.com.