How to Get Here

Glacier National Park and Whitefish are located in the northwest corner of Montana along the spine of the Rocky Mountains. Waterton Lakes National Park is located in southern Alberta, just north of Montana's Glacier National Park.

Getting to Glacier National Park is easier than you might think. Most visitors can fly to Glacier Park International Airport, or other nearby airports with only one stop. Also, Amtrak's Empire Builder stops in East Glacier, West Glacier and Whitefish. Of course, you can always pack up the car and make it a road trip! Glacier National Park is only approximately 10 hours from Seattle, 6 hours from Calgary and 4 hours from Spokane.

 

Driving


Visitors arriving by car will use U.S. Highway 2 to access Glacier National Park from either the East or West entrance. The Park is also accessible via Highways 89 or 17.

Near the communities of Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, the West Entrance is just past the West Glacier Village and provides access to Apgar Village Lodge, and Motel Lake McDonald. It is also the west entry point to Going-to-the-Sun Road. From Kalispell, take Highway 2 East to West Glacier.

St. Mary, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine are the three eastern entrances to the park and can be reached by taking Highway 89 north from Great Falls to the town of Browning (approximately 125 miles) then following signage to respective entrance. From the west, follow Highway 2 into Browning. Glacier Park Lodge, St. Mary Lodge & Resort, and Prince of Wales Hotel are all located on the east side of the park.

St. Mary Lodge & Resort

St. Mary Lodge is just east of the St. Mary entrance and is the east entry point to Going-to-the-Sun Road.

West Glacier Village

From Kalispell, take Highway 2 north to West Glacier, turn left toward Going-to-the-Sun Road and Glacier National Park (approximately 33 miles). Village is just southeast of Park entrance. The West Glacier Motel and Cabins are in the Village.

Apgar Village Lodge

From Kalispell, take Highway 2 north to West Glacier, turn left toward Going-to-the-Sun Road and Glacier National Park (approximately 33 miles). Proceed through Park entrance, turn left on Camas Road, and take first right onto Lake View Drive. Apgar Village Lodge will be on the left.

Motel Lake McDonald

From Kalispell, take Highway 2 north to West Glacier, turn left toward Going-to-the-Sun Road and Glacier National Park (approximately 33 miles). Proceed through Park entrance, turn right onto Going-to-the-Sun Road and proceed approximately 11 miles, turn left onto eastern and farthest end of Lake McDonald loop road. Motel Lake McDonald will be on the right.

Glacier Park Lodge

From St. Mary entrance, turn right onto Highway 89 south to Highway 49 south (approximately 19 miles), proceed on Highway 49 south to the Lodge (approximately 11 miles), Glacier Park Lodge will be on the right.

Prince of Wales Hotel

Located inside Waterton Lakes Park-Alberta, Canada. From St. Mary, proceed north on Highway 89 and turn left onto Highway 17 to Canadian customs (approximately 27 miles). Then, head north on AB Highway 6 to AB Highway 5 (approximately 31 kilometers), turn left onto Highway AB 5 east to Mt. View Road (approximately 9 kilometers), turn left onto Mt. View Road to Waterton Avenue, Prince of Wales Hotel will be on the left.

Grouse Mountain Lodge

Located in Whitefish, Montana. From Kalispell, take Highway 93 north to Grouse Mountain Lodge (approximately 17 miles), Grouse Mountain Lodge will be on the left.

Mileage Chart

  Whitefish West Glacier East Glacier St. Mary Waterton
Seattle 530 550 607 647 621
Portland 602 622 677 672 700
Spokane 253 272 329 368 351
Coeur d' Alene 221 240 295 336 324
Missoula 133 136 210 233 277
Butte 241 244 253 268 312
Bozeman 340 343 297 312 357
Billings 468 417 359 374 419
Helena 211 214 188 203 248
Great Falls 222 199 142 157 202
Browning 93 71 14 29 74
Kalispell 16 33 89 130 174
Calgary 286 277 220 204 169
Banff 284 310 296 280 232

All distances given in miles and based on the shortest available route. Remember to check your route for seasonal road closures.

Planes & Trains

Flying

The most convenient airport to Whitefish and Glacier National Park is the Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) located in Kalispell, MT. The airport is 30 miles from the West Entrance of Glacier National Park and 12 miles from the town of Whitefish. 

Other Regional Airports:

  • Missoula International Airport (MSO) -  140 miles from the West Entrance
  • Great Falls International Airport (GTF) - 200 miles form the West Entrance
  • Calgary International Airport (YYC) - 280 miles from the West Entrance

Train

Amtrak services East Glacier, West Glacier, and Whitefish train depots on the Empire Builder line. The train can be taken from as far east as Chicago or as far west as Portland and Seattle.

We provide a complimentary shuttle to Grouse Mountain Lodge from the Whitefish Train Depot and from the East Glacier Station to Glacier Park Lodge. Our vacation specialists can also arrange a rental car to be waiting for you at the train depot or at your hotel.


Pictured Above: Amtrak's Empire Builder travelling just west of East Glacier, MT. One of the most scenic stretches on the train is the 60-mile section between East and West Glacier.