Glacier National park is also known as “the crown of the continent”. You may wonder Where the Glacier National park is located? It is in Northwestern Montana, in Canada- United States border. How glacier national park was formed? The park was first established by President William Taft on May 11, 1910. Glacier National park is the 10th National park of the country. The park is around 1 million acres and encompasses 1000s of different species of plants and animals. Let’s discuss the top 9 Glacier National Park facts.
- Mountain goats are considered the symbol of Glacier National park. The mountain goats have unique hooves that provide grip allowing them to climb and reach the top of the mountains easily to feed on vegetations. An adult mountain goat can climb up to 12 feet, vertically and horizontally. If you can reach the Logan Pass area, one of the highest mountain points that you can reach by vehicle in the park, you can spot mountain goats along with other animals like Pica, Marmot, etc. The place is also home to many mammals such as Bears, wolves, Grizzly bears, etc.
- Glacier National park had about 150 glaciers in 1850, but now it only has about 25 glaciers. This is mainly due to climate change. Already most of the glaciers have disappeared but this number is expected to shrink further if the carbon dioxide levels keep increasing. It has been believed that by 2020, most of the glaciers would disappear but recent studies say that 2030 would be the last year for the glaciers to disappear. But, surprisingly scientists have discovered that the trees are now growing faster than usual. This is the short Glacier National Park history.
- You will never be late to the Glacier National Park as it is open for 365 days and operates 24 hours a day. So, people can visit anytime. The best time to visit Glacier National park is in July and August. Both the east and west entrances are accessible to the visitors all the time but one of the easiest routes to explore the Glacier National Park is through Going-to-the-sun road.
- Going-to-the-sun road covers up to 50 miles of stunning glaciers, landscapes, waterfalls, etc. Going-to-the-sun road is one of the popular and breathtaking viewpoints connecting the east and the west entrances. So, in order to drive through the total 50 miles, it would take about 2 to 3 hours but you may also expect a delay in case of a snowstorm or snowfall.
- Black foot glaciers, one of the most popular glaciers in the Glacier National park. It is the second-largest glacier in the park and when it was most recently measured it was around 441 acres. It was once found together with the now separated Jackson glacier, together they covered around 1,875 acres. Now, the Jackson Glaciers is the 7th largest in the Glacier National park and now covers around 250 acres.
- The human occupation in the National Glacier park dates back to around 10,000 years. But, these mountains are still claimed to hold those spiritual significances of our ancestors who inhabited it namely, Shoshone, Blackfeet, Kootenai tribes, etc. This is the Glacier National Park Elevation.
- The area was officially designated as National park in 1910 and it allowed numerous tourists to visit the park. So, the Northern Railway officials decided to construct Chattels and hotels for the visitors to stay. These hotels mimicked the lodges that were built in Switzerland, they were made with the help of natural materials and called “parkitecture”. World War 2 destroyed many lodges and chattels. So, now around there are around 350 buildings within the park which includes visitor centers, hotels, etc. All of the buildings now appear on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Lake McDonalds is around ten miles long and 500 feet deep. It is the largest and deepest lake in the entire park. The lake is clear blue in color and there are different colored rocks like red, green, blue are present inside the lake that adds to its beauty. The lake is surrounded by Glacier National Park mountains providing a pleasing environment. It is against the law to take rocks, flowers, or literally anything from the park. Along with the lake, you can also find McDonald’s Lodge which was constructed in 1913. So, after a hectic day filled with fun activities, you can spend your nights here.
- The park also features trails that have wheelchair access. Trail of cedar is one of the shortest loop hikes which is less than a mile. The Trail of Cedar park is claimed as one of the best trails in the park with breathtaking views of Lake Gorge and Avalanche. This is also a great place to take a break or to have lunch or dinner with your loved ones. Additionally, you can also experience the pleasing fragrance of the red cedar forest.