If majestic mountain scenery with lakes, waterfalls and snow capped peaks are your thing, then you can’t do better than Glacier. Mike, Ben, Cary and I compiled this list of tips.

Advanced planning is everything: whether you’d like to travel within the year, or years from now, know before you go. Do your research on the official Glacier National Park website. Watch YouTube videos. Look up the weather for the time of year you prefer. Know what parts of the park you want to visit and where you want to stay. Understand current government policies that will affect park entry, staffing and parking.

DO book your preferred accommodation and activities well in advance, seven to twelve months at least. Back in January we got the last rooms available in the park. It worked out great for us. But if you want an ensuite bathroom, or a room with a view, book much earlier. Same with activities such as Red Bus and boat tours. Most of these bookings had free cancellation up to two weeks before arrival date, so there is not too much risk. Of course if you are flexible with your travel plans you might be able to get a room just a few weeks in advance. But if you really want to go at a specific time, best to book as soon as you possibly can.

DO plan on a four night stay, minimum. Sure you can drive through on your way to Seattle or Vancouver, or before or after Yellowstone, but this is a big park. And we only explored a small portion of the east side of it. There is a great deal more to see. Spend as much time as you can.

DO decide on the kind of nightly accommodations you prefer within your budget, because there are a lot of options. The cabins at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn suited us perfectly. Each cabin was $185.00 per night. This was a bargain compared to rooms at Many Glaciers start at $300.00 and Glacier Park Hotel at $400.00. Besides, Cary said, staying here was a lot like 4-H Camp. If you like the alpine atmosphere of the other hotels and it’s within your budget, go for it. There are also plenty of campgrounds in and around the park.

DO stay within the park: we always recommend this because you will be surrounded by the sites you want to see. Still, talk with park staff to understand the best times to get to certain site parking lots, which can fill up very early on summer mornings (this is especially true of sites on the west side of the park).

DO get up and out early. You will get a better parking space, avoid some crowds, and experience the parks in a more peaceful state. You traveled all this way and you’ll want to make the most of the time you have. Getting up early gives you greater flexibility. If you find yourself tired after the morning, you can chill out, eat and nap before doing something else in the afternoon or evening. Staying in the park makes all of that easier too.

DO stay at Swiftcurrent and hang out at Many Glaciers. Swiftcurrent was renovated last year and is very comfortable. Just remember…..

DON’T expect the Many Glaciers Campground to be next to the Many Glaciers Hotel. It is actually across the Swiftcurrent Inn parking lot. Likely because the campground was there first, before the motor inn. But it is confusing.

DON’T eat at Many Glaciers Hotel (until they change chefs). Go to Nell’s at Swiftcurrent instead.

DO take advantage of the many and varied free ranger-led talks and hikes. There are no better guides in the park. And if you have a chance to take one led by a member of the Blackfeet tribe, do it. (Not doing so is my one small regret of our trip)

DO travel to Glacier in June early July: from our research and experience, it’s the best time. The peaks are still snow covered, the waterfalls plentiful and the roads, for the most part, open.

DO dress for all kinds of weather: rain, wind, snow, cold, sun. We were mostly cold there in mid June, so dressed in layers. But if you haven’t packed something you need, the hotel gift shops are well supplied. Ben bought a windbreaker. Mike a comfy t-shirt and hat. I, a thick woven “hippie hoodie”. All served us well.

DON’T stop in the middle of the road to watch wildlife otherwise you will create a traffic jam. Find a place to pull over and then watch from a safe distance (two bus lengths for moose, twenty five bus lengths for bears).

DO bring binoculars! Really wish we had. It would have made wildlife viewing so much better. Fortunately, visitors and staff are generous in sharing their telescopes, binoculars and long lenses for a moment or two. Still, much better to bring your own.

DO the Red Rock Falls and Grinnell Glacier Hikes. There are many more within the park to be sure, but we can recommend these hikes because they offer great views with little change in elevation.

DO prepare for elevation: Swiftcurrent sits at almost 5000 feet (1500 meters). If you are a sea-level person, it may take time to adjust, making you tired and giving you a nasty head ache. Ben and I recommend drinking lots of water and taking aspirin daily.

DON’T expect decent cell service or internet anywhere in the park. Limited WiFi and cell reception is available in the lobbies of the hotel, but not outside them, even in the rooms. The lobbies were a popular gathering place in the evening. As we used the lobby restrooms just before bed, there were always people on the sofas, chairs and floor using their phones and tablets. Use your visit as a time to unplug.

DO talk to people! Staff and fellow tourists are happy to chat. You may make a new friend for an hour or a lifetime. In the very least you will find out what they are enjoying about the place you are visiting. A great way to start is by simply saying “Where are you from?” . If you don’t recognize it or are struggling to find something nice to say about that place Mike discovered that the phrase “____? It’s the heart of America” works well every time.

DO your research on flights and airports. If you have family in Bozeman, or are including Yellowstone on your itinerary, fly into Bozeman. Remember it is a minimum of five and half hour drive Glacier from there. Most people, however, fly into Glacier Park International airport in Kalispell Montana, a thirty minute drive from the west entrance.

DO take some quiet time. This is a very special place, sacred even. Take a deep breath. Look at every detail around you. Listen. Feel.

And with that we end another portion of Kiwisandfairybread. We thank our few but loyal readers for taking the journey with us. Whether life takes you across the street or across the world, may you smile widely. And always enjoy the journey.