Glacier National Park and Whitefish, MT

 

First full day! Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road into Glacier National Park from the East side just after 6 AM.

Our first hike: Hidden Lake at Logan's Pass

Marmots

These furry mountain goats were not afraid of getting up close to hikers.

'

Bighorn sheep

Many Glacier Lodge

View from the deck of Many Glacier Lodge where we enjoyed coffee before our hike!

Favorite flower of this area: Bear-Grass

We kept seeing these cars through Glacier National Park. Originally built in the 30s for tourists, these "gear jammers"  have been refurbished and continue run between the lodges. Alex was obsessed with riding in one! 

We spotted a moose wading in lake ....

Because 8 miles wasn't enough... we took a break for ice cream and rest and then venture back out on the trails for a 4 mile hike see Barring Falls and St. Mary's Falls.

Met some wildlife along the way...

Our third big day of hikes took us on the Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake...

The water was frigid but that did not stop the boys!

Afternoon at Lake McDonald Lodge.... 

We rented canoes at Lake McDonald...made it all the way to the treeline and back!

Most afternoons ended with ice cream :) 

Whitefish! On our first full day, we took the ski lift to the top of Whitefish Mountain Resort for summer tubing and alpine coasters. 

Boys learning about bears from a park ranger...

That night, we headed to the rodeo!

No pictures, but we did a raft trip on the Flathead River and then did some mini-golfing in West Glacier...

Marcus won a Sunday for getting his golf ball in center hole at the end!

Marcus was sworn in as a Junior Park Ranger after filling out a booklet on his knowledge of GNP.

He earned a badge...

Whiskey tasting for the grown-ups!

Final day with a boat ride on Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.

There were some beautiful homes around the lake... 

Spotted some bald eagles...