A Visit to Glacier National Park | Exploring West Glacier, Fish Creek, and Hungry Horse Dam

 

We spotted this new sign in West Glacier, and we had to get a photo! West Glacier is the dining and shopping area before the actual entrance to GNP. 

On our family trip this summer to MT, we visited Glacier National Park for one afternoon and evening. The park gets packed during the morning and the day in the summers, so the evenings make for a much more relaxing and less hot of a visit. This time we wanted to eat and shop in West Glacier and then just go to the lake to wade and hang out. We went into a few of the gift shops, where I bought some postcards for my scrapbook and a pin for my collection. 

Then we ate at Freda's, which I wrote about in my All of the huckleberry items I tried on my MT trip post where we tried a slice of Peach Huckleberry Pie. We also tried a BLT that was a little burnt and pretty pricey. My mom and my aunt weren't very impressed with their dinner, but my son loved his Cheeseburger. 

After dinner and walking around West Glacier, checking out the shops, we drove into the park and went to Fish Creek. Fish Creek an area on the northwestern shore of Lake McDonald. Here you'll find a beach, a camping and picnic area, and restrooms. It was a little smoky from the summer wildfires, so we couldn't see the mountains very clearly. The water was really cold and crisp on our feet, and we waded a while. The water felt refreshing after a few minutes. 

Then we drove back to Columbia Falls, stopping at the Hungry Horse Dam on the way back. My sons always like the views from there and it's a nostalgic stop for me. The views of the Southfork Flathead River are always nice and calming. We had a relaxing time in GNP, and the views were so pretty! 

The picturesque truck with pansies was so pretty in front of the Huckleberry Hut store in West Glacier.

My husband bought a Long Island Iced Tea from the bar next to Freda's. You can bring drinks into the restaurant since it's the same business. 

This was a solid slice of pie! Did you even go to NW MT if you didn't get a slice of Huckleberry Pie? 

They have live music in front of Freda's, and we happened to see this same performer the next night at Gunsight Saloon in Columbia Falls. 

One of the rivers at Fish Creek. We had to walk across this area to access the lake, and it was chilly! 

You can barely see the mountains in the distance because of the wildfires.

The Southfork Flathead River by the Hungry Horse Reservoir.

The Hungry Horse Dam is 564 feet tall. You can drive across the dam, but the speed bumps are really bumpy! The dam was built in 1953! 

I have so many memories of visiting the park during my childhood and as an adult, visiting with my husband and kiddos. I even worked two summers in Glacier when I was a teenager, one at the West Glacier Cafe (now called Freda's) and one summer at the West Glacier KOA Campground. I love visiting now and seeing what's new and visiting the classic parts like Lake McDonald and Going to the Sun Road on Logan Pass. 

Have you ever visited this area of MT? If you never have, add it to your travel bucket list! 

Thanks for checking out my Glacier National Park post!