Where to Stay inside Glacier National Park in Montana

We just returned from an epic trip out west and enjoyed almost a full week at Glacier National Park in western Montana, one of our most favorite parks to date. Glacier National Park, one of the most popular American National Parks with close to three million visitors each year, covers over a million acres across 1,500 square miles (with over 750 miles of marked hiking trails!) There are over 750 lakes inside Glacier National Park (about 130 of them are named), many of which are glacier fed (which gives the lake water the appearance of the vibrant turquoise color in some of our photos). In 2024, there remain approximately 26 glaciers, but each year that number shrinks as the glaciers melt. 

The land which is now Glacier National Park was originally the property of the Blackfeet, Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai tribes. Glacier National Park was established in 1910 as the eighth National Park in America, and was re-established as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in 1932, sharing land, facilities, and crews with Canada. Magazine editor George Bird Grinnell and the president of the Great Northern Railway, Louis Linnell, are credited with establishing Glacier as a National Park during President Taft’s administration. The National Park Service, established six years later in 1916, took over administration and preservation of the park, and in the 1930s with the establishment of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Civilian Conservation Corps helped create much of the (still in existence) infrastructure of the park.

Today, Glacier National Park is home to over 70 species of mammals, including bears (the park has one of the largest populations of grizzly bears in the continental US!), bighorn sheep, elk, lynx, mountain goats, mountain lions, and wolverines; reptiles, birds, and fish. Glacier National Park is a stunningly beautiful, special place that is a must-see…and hopefully, must-return many many times!

General Things to Remember: 

• The most important thing to consider when trying to stay inside Glacier National Park is to make reservations early- a full year before your visit. Reservations open on Xanterra (which operates many of the lodging options inside the park) at midnight on the first day of the month for the following year. Usually, most room categories sell out within the first hour, especially at Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge.  Check out reservation options here.  Xanterra operates all of the locations we’ve included except for Glacier Park Lodge.
• However, reservations (usually single, weeknights) will become available throughout the year and especially about two weeks out as people finalize their travel plans, so it’s always a good idea to check online frequently. We chose to move locations each night so we could experience more locations and see more of the park without having to spend more time driving through the park (which is still beautiful!). Most people will book two to three nights at the east side of the park and then another two or three nights at the west end of the park. 
• Guests can cancel a reservation up to 72 hours before arrival date without penalty, so that’s another reason why rooms sell out quickly, but can become available last minute. 
• There are several campgrounds located throughout the park. We are not campers, so we can’t offer much advice on camping, other than to book a site early- the day reservations open! Check here for up to date, accurate information on camping. 
• There are no televisions, air conditioning, refrigerators, or elevators in any of the lodging options inside the park. Guests can ask for ice from the front desk or the main dining room of the lodge.  There are water bottle filling stations located at each lodge.
• Check in times for all lodges is 4pm and rooms are rarely available before 3pm; check out time is 11am. Guests must request daily housekeeping if they want services such as fresh towels. 
• Each lodge has a designated concierge desk (in addition to the main lodge desk staff) who can help make reservations for activities and excursions and offer advice on hiking and biking in the park. 
• Each lodge area, often campgrounds near the lodges, will also offer park ranger led programs each week. Check here for the full schedule. 

Many of the park’s lodging can be credited to Louis Hill, the son of the Great Northern Railway’s founder, James J. Hill. Louis created Glacier Park Lodge, Many Glacier Hotel, and nine groups of chalets throughout the Two Medicine, St. Mary, Going-to-theSun Sperry, Granite Park, and Belton sections of the park. The park was a popular attraction in the 1920s and 1930s and more visitors arrived by car, leading to the building of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which started in 1922 and opened in 1933. The 50 mile road, which connects the western (Apgar) side of the park with the eastern (St. Mary and Many Glacier) side was built to be hidden in the mountain, so there are not a lot of switchbacks, although several parts of the road are windy and narrow; it usually takes about two hours to drive the full length of the road. 

Travel Tips:

• Visitors must have a reservation if traveling on the Going-to-the-Sun Road from west to east from 6am-3pm, in the North Fork entrance, and in the Many Glacier entrance, ALL from mid May through early September. While reservations (which cost $2) open 120 days ahead of time, the park does hold back about 40% of reservations until the day before. If you have a lodging reservation, you do not need a vehicle reservation- you can show you lodging confirmation as proof. 
• The Going-to-the-Sun Road does not traditionally open until late June due to snow clearing. Get up to date information here. 
• For estimations of travel times between various points in the park, see this link. 
• A free shuttle for Going-to-the-Sun Road is available (first come, first service) from the Visitor Center lots – see more info here.  Red Bus tours are also a great option.
• If you have a fear of heights, or steep drops, we strongly suggest traveling from the east side of the park to the west side, as you’ll be driving on the interior portion of the Going-to-the-Sun road for most of the trip (and you don’t need a reservation!)

Where to Stay Inside Glacier National Park:

Many Glacier Hotel was built in 1914 and 1915 by the Great Northern Railway on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake. The hotel opens in late May or early June and closes in mid September. Many Glacier Hotel has over 200 rooms and a few family suites and the last remaining working phone booth in the park. The hotel has a massive fireplace and large lobby for relaxing and beautiful views of Swiftcurrent Lake and several trails around the property. Note that the road to the hotel is unpaved for a few miles and very bumpy. The Red Bus tours do leave from Many Glacier Hotel for an east side loop. 
Location: The northeastern side of the park, with it’s own entrance. There is no direct access to the Going-to-the-Sun Road from Many Glacier.
Our favorite activity: Hiking the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail and Loop around the lake was easy and well marked (a good portion of it is handicap accessible) and offers beautiful views around every turn.
Dining: The Ptarmigan Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (no reservations accepted); the Swiss Lounge offers pub food from 11:30am through late night; Heidi’s Snack Shop (lower level of the hotel) has great grab and go options for drinks, snacks, and sandwiches.  
Perks: A lodging reservation at Many Glacier Hotel will allow visitors entrance into the Many Glacier part of the park without needing an additional timed reservation; decent wifi in the lobby and guest rooms; tons of board games and puzzles to borrow; plenty of indoor and outdoor  (huge deck!) areas and nooks to lounge, read, and relax while enjoying the views of Swiftcurrent Lake; guests can rent kayaks, rowboats, and canoes through Glacier Park Boat Company, as well as boat rides to Lake Josephine with Glacier Park Boats- more info here. 
Things to Consider: The hotel has very thin walls and small rooms- we could hear every word of the conversation in the next room- but some wings of the hotel may be quieter than the first floor of the main hotel, where we stayed; the parking lot is located up a steep hill from the main entrance to the hotel- best to drop off someone with all the luggage first. 

Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins, built in the 1930s and anticipating a renovation in 2025,  has 95 motor inn (first floor) rooms and rustic cabins, located right next to the trailhead for many popular trails.  The Inn opens in early June and closes in mid September, but will be closed in 2025 for renovations. The Red Bus tours have two loops from the Inn. 
Location: Swiftcurrent Motor Inn is located a mile past Many Glacier Hotel, between Swiftcurrent Lake and Fishercap Lake. 
Dining: ‘Nell’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 
Perks:  A lodging reservation at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn allows guests entrance via the Many Glacier entrance without a reservation; several popular hiking trails lead off from the Inn’s property, including Grinnell Glacier, Grinnell Lake, Fishercap Lake, Iceberg Lake, Ptarmigan Lake,  Ptarmigan Tunnell; there are popular, nightly ranger led programs on property. 
Things to Consider: Not all rooms have private bathrooms; wifi service is only available in the small lobby area where guests check in; ‘Nell’s is a smaller restaurant and the only dining option on property.

Rising Sun Motor Inn, built in 1940 and renovated in 2015, has 72 motor inn (first floor) rooms and separate cabins. The Inn is located on the eastern side of the park and is typically open from early June through Labor Day weekend each year.  The Red Bus tours do leave from Rising Sun Motor Inn for an east loop. 
Location: Rising Sun is located on the eastern part of the park, about six miles past the St. Mary’s Visitor Center, and six miles on the Going to the Sun Road. Rising Sun is about 12 miles from the Logan Pass Visitor Center in the center of the park. 
Dining: The Two Dog Flats Grill is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- no reservations accepted. 
Our favorite activity: Located just about diagonal from the Inn is the St. Mary’s Lake boat dock and the Little Chief boat tour of St. Mary’s Lake, the second largest lake in the park. Operated by Glacier Park Boat Tours, Little Chief was built in 1926, one of the oldest boats in its fleet.
Perks: A much calmer, quieter lodging location, but still on the Going to the Sun Road; most convenient parking (usually right in front of the room); close to the Rising Sun Boat Launch and Logan Pass.
Things to Consider: The only wifi spot is located in the registration building near check-in, but there are only a couple of chairs for guests to sit- no place to linger or work; most limited shopping and dining options of all of the lodging options inside the park (in our opinion). 

Lake McDonald Lodge was built in 1913 and includes over 80 guest rooms spread across the main lodge, two adjacent buildings, and several smaller cabins. The lodge, which was renovated in 2015, is similar to Many Glacier Hotel in its “swiss chalet” style and opens in mid May and closes in late September or early October. The main lobby features a massive fireplace, a piano which guests are welcome to play, and several seating areas with board games and puzzles.  The lodge is also a popular starting (or ending) point for the Red Bus tours. 
Location: On the western side of the park, about 11 miles into the Going to the Sun Road (via the west entrance) and a 20 minute (9+ mile) drive from the Apgar Visitor Center. 
Dining:  Russell’s Fireside Dining Room offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Lucke’s Lounge (with 8-9 small tables and first come, first serve) has a good bar menu; Jammer Joe’s Grill and Pizzeria is open for lunch through dinner and has an Italian buffet option.
Our favorite activity: We rented a motor boat from the Glacier Park Boats (right on the lake at the lodge) for an hour (at $33/hour, we thought it was a great deal!) to explore Lake McDonald, the largest lake (over 10 miles long, and over 450 feet deep in some sections) in Glacier National Park. The staff showed us how to operate the boat and we enjoyed seeing the area from a lake perspective.
Perks: Having a reservation to the lodge allows guests to enter the west entrance of the park without a reservation (which is otherwise required going west to east from 6am-3pm); the lodge is right on Lake McDonald; the grounds are beautifully maintained with hanging flowers and gardens at every turn; the General Camp Store has tons of gifts, supplies, and snacks; the back porch offers great rocking chairs; plenty of benches and picnic tables near the small beach and lake; a quiet Reading Room with couches and a library; an auditorium for larger gatherings and presentations; guests can rent kayaks, rowboats, paddleboards and motor boats from Glacier Park Boats- more info here.
Things to consider: Wifi is unreliable, but best in the main lodge area; parking is a little bit of a walk from the main lodge; there are no elevators in the main lodge, which has four floors; rooms  and bathrooms are very small.

The Village Inn at Apgar, located on Lake McDonald, was built in 1956 and renovated in 2015. The Inn usually opens mid May and closes in late September or early October. Some of the first floor rooms have separate bedrooms and full kitchens accommodating up to six people in one unit, with shared balconies right on Lake McDonald. There’s a large gift shop on site and a few dining options. 
Location: The Inn is just two miles from the west entrance to the park, on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Dining: Edie’s Café is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; The Cedar Tree Gift Shop sells fresh coffee, warm drinks, and pastries each day.
Perks: Guests can rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats, paddleboards, and motorboats with Glacier Park Boat Company; there is a small beach right on Lake McDonald.

Glacier Park Lodge, known as the “Big Tree Lodge,” was built in 1912-1913 by the Great Northern Railroad on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, on the eastern edge of Glacier National Park, near the Two Medicine entrance to the park. The lobby features 48 foot tall Dougles fir trees that are more than three feet in diameter. Originally guests would arrive via train, as the train station is (still today) located across from the front lawn. Today, the lodge has over 160 rooms spread across three buildings and offers stunning views of Dancing Lady Mountain from the back of the lodge. The Lodge is operated by Pursuit’s Glacier Park Collection, which also oversees St Mary Lodge (just outside the St. Mary entrance to the park on the east side), and several other smaller lodges throughout the western part of the park. 
Dining: The Great Northern Dining Room is open for breakfast (buffet), lunch, and dinner; the Empire Lounge is open for lunch and dinner with a larger bar and similar menu to the dining room; Triple Divide Coffee Company opens at 6am and has grab and go drinks, snacks, and prepackaged meals. 
Our favorite activity: Playing the nine hole, par 27 pitch and putt golf course (there is also a nine hole full golf course on site).
Perks: The resort is located across from the East Glacier Amtrak Station; there are tons of places to relax and enjoy the views, including a large lobby (with a huge fireplace and displays about the building and history of the lodge) and a connecting walkway with lots of tables and chair; plenty of puzzles and games to borrow and a scavenger hunt for kids to complete; Bellman’s nightly history walking tour of the resort (30 minutes).
Things to Consider: The lodge is a popular spot for weddings, which can make it a little noisier on summer weekend nights; the lodge is technically outside the park, so visitors will need a reservation to enter on the west end, but not for the nearby Two Medicine entrance. 

Looking for more National Park adventures? Check out our index of guides to almost a dozen parks here. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and X.