Roam
Glacier National Park in June
Overall trip
Pro
Frequent wildlife encounters: deer, marmots, voles, bears
Equipment rentals and dining are high quality
Stunning and diverse scenery: lots of waterfalls, lakes, high altitude gain,
Dark, non-light polluted expanse makes for stunning night skies on clear day
Child friendly, activities for all ages and abilities
Con(sider)
Hotels and equipment rentals inside the park are expensive
Limited food options inside the park, unreliable wifi, minimal cellular network coverage
Bear spray (must have) is expensive and can't go in either carry-on or checked bags
Pets not permitted in many areas
Narrow roads and small parking lots that fill up quickly
When to visit
June: fewer crowds but limited hikes in June (due to snow!), and as a result many accessible hikes are longer and border multi-day trips. Rain is also more common, but temperatures at night are cooler.
July, August: more trails become accessible but crowds and congestion follow
September: shorter days but less crowds
Where to Stay
Based on experience from the two places below
Village Inn at Apgar
Beautiful views of Lake McDonald and the mountains, right from your room
Watch the night sky reflected on the lake without leaving your bed
First floor rooms have a kitchenette
Launch kayaks and paddleboards right from your doorstep
Walk to café, ice-cream, and Glacier Outfitters in under 1 minute
Clean rooms
û No air conditioning, gets warm at night even in June
û Musty smell in rooms
û No fridge or microwave in non-kitchenette rooms, although not unique to properties in the park
Lake McDonald Lodge
Historic lodge with a rustic lobby that looks out onto the dock where visitors used to arrive by boat
Variety of different room and cabin options
Deer running in front of the hotel, probably where they get elk for the restaurant's burger
Right across the road from Sperry Trailhead (which goes to Mt Brown lookout or Gunsight Pass and Sperry Chalet/Glacier) and the start of many other trails like Mcdonald's creek, Snyder Lake, John's Lake and Lincoln Lake Trails
û No views from rooms, no fridge or microwave or air conditioning
û Small crowded rooms (even the deluxe rooms, albeit with beautiful furnishing) with old windows that let in a lot of noise
û Maintenance issues with a leaky toilet delayed check-in and kept the bathroom damp
û Lower value vs Village Inn
Getting Around
By car
Variety of rental companies and vehicles at Glacier International Airport
Lots of gas stations near park entrance
Campgrounds and picnic spots with vehicle parking (e.g. Avalanche Creek)
Rental prices above average
By bicycle
Bike rentals available in and near the park
Rentals include hardtail offroad, city
No bike lanes or road shoulders
Long distances to many trailheads from park entrance
Need to reserve e-bikes 1-2 days in advance
By foot
By red shuttle: closed by covid temporarily (link to usual route on NPS website)