Glacier National Park has two very different faces, the west lush green face and the east grassy plains face. Both are elegant in their own ways and deserve significant time to be explored in their entirety. East Glacier Park, Montana, is located within the Blackfeet Native American Reservation adjacent to the east side of Glacier National Park. There are some delightful East Glacier Park Hotels to make your temporary home at while exploring this exceptional territory. Seasonal area attractions include hiking, fishing, hunting, ice-fishing, (with permits), skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The famous Going-To-The-Sun-Road is always a must see, though is subject to closures due to weather conditions and road repairs from winter snows. The Two Medicine region is approximately 13 miles from East Glacier and has stunning high mountains and their cold, clear lakes.
Traveling to East Glacier can be reached by automobile and Amtrak has a stop within the town and most hotels in the area will pick you up. Their are three international airports nearby (Montana's definition of nearby is a very different definition then the rest of the country). Kalispell airport is 79 miles west, Great Falls airport is 132 miles southeast, and Calgary airport is 220 miles north of East Glacier. Browning is also only 13 miles/approximately 16 minutes and attracts people with the Museum of The Plains Indians, The Blackfeet Heritage Center and hosting the North American Indian Days every 2nd week in July.
With all that East Glacier has to offer, an extended stay is needed to enjoy all the sights. There are several distinguished East Glacier Lodgings that provide an extraordinary home away from home. Like most National Park Lodging, the historic East Glacier Hotels were built many years ago and were considered luxury accommodations in their day. Staying there today is like stepping back in time to a more simpler era that lacked such things as televisions and air-conditioning. Listed here are some of the more famous East Glacier Lodges.
Glacier Park Lodge was built 100 years ago by the Great Northern Railway in 1913. The hotel creators advertised Glacier Park as the “American Alps” in order to bring in tourists. The rival railroads had close stops in Yellowstone National Park, so the marketing of a “foreign” destination within the American States was a draw to people. Keeping to this theme, many facilities were built to resemble Swiss Alpine architecture. Sixty trees were specially cut to retain the bark and shipped into the site to create the signature three story lobby.
Izaak Walton Inn is approximately 30 minutes away (29 miles) at the charming town of Essex, Montana. One main attraction near Essex is the exceptional Walton Goat Lick Overlook where a large number of the delightful Mountain Goat gather to take advantage of the salts and minerals that naturally occur in the rocks. The historic Izaak Walton Inn was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1939 to house company workers. Open year round, the Inn will enchant its guests.
Glacier Haven is also near Essex and is 35 miles from East Glacier Park. This is a lovely family run inn that has a wonderful home cooking cafe adjoining the rooms. Clean and comfortable the owners of the inn will help plan adventures with the eyes of a experienced local.
Saint Mary Lodge and Resort is approximately 40 miles from East Glacier Park. Open from
June to September this splendid resort has two restaurants and a lounge located in the main hall. Order a delicious box lunch to take with you as the wonders of Glacier National Park are explored. This newer lodge features air-conditioning and Wi-Fi access in the main lobby. Other amenities include in room coffee and a laundry service.
Pinnacle Cottages are situated above Saint Mary's with spectacular views. The check-in for the cottages is 1 ½ miles away at the St. Mary Glacier Park KOA. All cabins have satellite television and Wi-Fi connectivity along with a deck and gas BBQ for evening cooking. Check out the family run Johnson's Cafe nearby in the town, local Montanans come from all over the region to eat here. Montana's Glacier National Park is far to expansive to really be seen in a few days. In order to appreciate all the glory the magnificent park has to offer plan time to spend at both east and west faces of this incomparable park. Enjoy all that the East Glacier Park Hotels have to offer.