Explore Glacier National Park with Toddlers
Glacier National Park was at the top of our list when it came to our travels, even though I knew our activities would be limited with younger kids.
The best time of year to go to Glacier NP is July through September. We were there at the beginning of July, and the best pass opened the day before we left in mid July.
Every day had its own adventure that was paced just right for our five and two year old. So know that while there are MANY ways to do Glacier, this is what we did and had great success with it with our littles as we juggled nap times and tired legs.
Remember to grab your America the Beautiful pass as it pays for itself in just a few visits to National Parks,
My biggest piece of advice for visiting Glacier:
Check out the vehicle registration system ASAP and plan to get online at 8 am MST three days leading up to your trip to try every morning until you secure a pass.
Also, try at 8 am, but then if you don’t get a pass, try again at 8:15 am when people who successfully added passes to their cart have it expire and it becomes available again. That’s how we got our pass to North Fork! For the Going-to-the-Sun Corridor, we never got a pass. But that just meant we drove it after 4 pm. We LUCKED OUT in that we were exploring the area around the St. Mary entrance, and not only did we hit the road right at 4 pm, but that day (mid July) Logan Pass opened! They can never really predict exactly when the pass will open and the snow will be fully cleared, but getting there mid-July and later will be your best bet.
Do Logan Pass. Take the Going-to-the-Sun Corridor road. It will take your breath away.
Visiting a National Park with toddler tips:
Find and use a comfortable hiking backpack. Our (then one-year-old) was carried on all of the trails with our REI backpack. We both traded off since we weren’t really use to hiking with the backpack, and even we did just fine with it.
Bring snacks. So many snacks. We brought an “exciting” snack that the kids don’t usually get, it used it as an incentive for the hikes.
Choose an exciting destination. Toddlers often don’t want to walk just to walk. They’re not very good admirers of spectacular views. So hike somewhere: a summit, a waterfall, a snack. This is great incentive, and more rewarding for the kids!
Play games. Any time my son starts to complain about a hike, we play a game. Sometimes we’ll just sing a song, or play “I spy.” It can be simple, but makes the hike more fun and distracts them from their woes!
Be flexible. You know just as well as I do that doing anything with a toddler requires flexibility of expectations! Visiting a national park is no exception. Your best laid plans will change. They’ll cry and throw a fit at the worst time. And you’ll have to find contentment in what you did get to do, without dwelling on everything you didn’t!
Do the National Park Jr. Ranger program! When we first started exploring the National Parks, our son was too young and uninterested in the Jr. Ranger Program. But we knew at the very least, he needed his passport book to keep stamps of everywhere we travel. And over time, he’s come to find it fun! Plus, the stamps are always located in the Visitor Centers, which means it gives them opportunities to ask for stuff.
Where We RVed near West Glacier
This campground was one of my favorites! Mostly because we got a massive end spot that allowed us to have a ton of space for playing and putting the pups outside. It was grassy, and cool, and we loved loved loved it.
Only downside? It was by the Glacier NP WEST entrance, and we needed a pass to get in that way. Because we couldn’t secure a vehicle registration pass right away, we had to drive nearly an hour to get to the east entrance to hike and explore. This made for longer days and more time in the truck, but wasn’t necessarily a deal breaker because the campground was so nice and fairly affordable.
North American RV Park
Submit a form and book it early for the year you plan on going.
What We Did with our Young Kids in Glacier National Park
This should go without saying… but just know that 90% of the most epic hikes in Glacier will be off limits if you have little kids that are too big to carry in a pack, but too small to hike up treacherous trails.
That being said, there are still plenty of options. I recommend checking out this site for a full list of kid-friendly hikes!
We did the following:
Hiked Two Medicine Lake and Aster Park Overlook trail (continue to the Falls for a longer hike, but our kids were done!)
This was a beautiful, easy trail with plenty of spectacular views! We did end up at one waterfall without going to the bigger falls, and that was a perfect destination for us for a rest and a snack.
Drove North Fork Road to Bowman Lake (Kintla Lake has better views, but the road was too rough to keep going)
Note: You need a pass for North Fork Road!
This was ONE ROUGH DRIVE! The road was awful, especially in our tight suspension truck. It was a miracle we made it to Bowman Lake! But the North Fork area really is beautiful and less crowded than other areas of the park.
This lake was so much fun to play in! It was COLD, but that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the incredibly clean waters. We found a log on the shore to sit on, and enjoyed lunch. (With toddlers, everything has to do with food!)
Took a St. Mary Lake boat tour (short hike to St. Mary Falls, perfect for kids) or Many Glacier boat tour
The St. Mary Lake boat tour was short enough for our kids’ short attention spans. They thought it was just neat being on a boat! The quick walk to the falls was unique and beautiful, and a good break from the boat. The ride home was a little more boring and they were growing restless, but we made it!
Arrive for the boat tour EARLY! Its marina was difficult to find, mostly because we were worried about driving too far, and needing a pass for the Going-to-the-Sun road. But it’s on the LEFT (after entering the park on the St. Mary’s side) and right before the road entrance.
Drive Logan Pass via Going-to-the-Sun Road , stopped at glaciers along the way and visited the beautiful visitor center.
This was AMAZING. Views are hard to appreciate for kids, but even our five-year-old son thought the snow was fun! We explained what glaciers are, and he couldn’t get enough of it (neither could we)! For our two-year-old, we played a lot of the Frozen soundtrack. :) It’s a longer drive, so be prepared!
Also, if you don’t turn around and go back the way you came (up and over the pass all over again), you’ll be spit out on the other side of the park. PREPARE for this detour!
Other things to go do and see with toddlers
We didn’t make it to these, but they were on our list if we had the time!
Lake McDonald Valley (we drove by, but didn’t get out and explore!)
A note about boondocking around Glacier:
One of the most popular ways to stay near Glacier NP is to boondock close by. There are LOTS of boondocking options, and most full time families’ favorite ways to stay!
We were nervous about snagging a spot, so we opted to make a comfortable reservation nice and early.
To find a great boondocking location, visit Campendium for reviews and to snag a good boondocking place that fits your rig comfortably.
It’s very possible, and beautiful! So if you’re adventurous, give it a go!
Glacier National Park is a great destination for families with young children and even toddlers. Plan to be in the car a lot, but also out in nature on some of the most epic trails just as much. Bring lots of snacks and comfortable hiking back packs, be flexible, and take it slow!
