Glacier National Park Montana: Everything needed to plan a Glacier National Park vacation, including history, weather, webcams, helicopter tours, and animals in Glacier National Park MT
Glacier National Park in Montana is unlike any other place in the world.
Treasured as America’s little Switzerland, its remote location has allowed it to retain its amazing wildlife viewing opportunities, pristine alpine lakes, dizzying mountain vistas, and more–all without the crowds of Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks.
Here’s all the information you will ever need for planning a Glacier National Park MT vacation with your family:
History
The history of Glacier National Park, Montana goes back millions of years to when the mountains and lakes were formed by the massive pressures of the continental plates pushing together, then being carved by glaciers, wind, frost and rain.
First visitors to Glacier National Park in Montana were probably Native American Indians some 10,000 years ago, followed by the Blackfeet Indians in the 18th century. (although at that time Glacier National Park, Montana wasn’t called that—instead, it was known as The Backbone of the World).
There was very little exploration of the area before the building of the Great Northern Railway, which linked Seattle with St Paul and brought an influx of American visitors to the southern edge of Glacier National Park, MT.
Designated as a National Park in 1910, Glacier grew in popularity and almost 2 million visitors now enjoy this spectacular, natural wonderland annually.
Don’t be left out! 2010 marks the centenary of the Glacier National Park MT, one of the last untamed wilderness regions still ruled by nature, so make a promise to visit this summer.
Glacier National Park Weather
The only thing you can be certain of is the uncertainty of the weather in Glacier National Park MT!
During summer months, daytime temperatures average in the 60s and 70s, although occasionally highs in the 90s are possible. Nighttime normal temperatures are in the 40s, but can drop to freezing. Generally it is 10-15 degrees cooler at higher elevations and it is much, much colder at other times of the year.
The east side of Glacier National Park in Montana is generally drier and sunnier than the west side of the continental divide, which has rain forest like conditions.
The only way to cope with the range of weather changes is to dress in many lightweight layers and always have a rainproof outer jacket.
Webcams
Missing your last Glacier National Park Montana vacation? Ready to fantasize about your next trip?
There are a number of well-placed Glacier National Park MT webcams that capture the awesome scenery and the ever-changing climate. If you are really lucky you may see some local of the animals in Glacier National Park, too.
Glacier National Park webcams show live views of the scenery to viewers all over the world in real-time. Isn’t that amazing?
Coupled with YouTube videos and time-lapse photographs that are run together in a sequence, you can get a terrific sense of Glacier National Park Montana, beamed onto your home computer by the wonders of 21st century webcam technology.
One of the main purposes of creating Glacier National Park was to protect this area of scenic, natural beauty and the wildlife within it.
Although there is now an abundance of wildlife, such as mountain goats and big horn sheep, other species may have become extinct without the protection of their habitat and their lives from hunters.
Glacier’s wildlife includes:
- Grizzly Bears
- Black Bears
- Mule Deer
- Mountain Lions
- Grey wolves
- Cougars
- Wolves
- Wolverines
- Red Foxes
- Moose
- Lynx
- Bald Eagles
Grizzly bears are still threatened, along with lynx and grey wolves.
Success stories include the reintroduction of grey wolves and wolverines into Glacier National Park, Montana.
Come and enjoy the birds and wildlife of Glacier National Park in Montana–and don’t forget to bring binoculars and a camera, too!
Take a Glacier National Park Helicopter Tour
The best way to see Glacier National Park in Montana is with a bird’s eye view of Glacier National Park.
Even when snow is deep and roads are treacherous, helicopters have access to all the sights of this spectacular scenery. Lakes, rivers, waterfalls, craggy peaks and steep-sided valleys offer an ever-changing outlook which will take your breath away.
Helicopter tours are also invaluable for the elderly, handicapped and children and a one hour tour can cover most of Glacier National Park Montana’s scenery.
Blackfeet Indian Reservation Oil Drilling
Philip Anschutz and company are drilling on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation just outside Glacier National Park. Tony Bynum is documenting it. Read our interview with Tony on the oil drilling in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
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Glacier National Park Montana Overview
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