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Glacier National Park is a ruggedly beautiful wilderness TO ENJOY THE PARK SAFETY PRECAUTIONS How to Reach Glacier famous for its glaciers, lakes, wildflowers, and wild National Park glacier animals. It is a land of sharp, precipitous peaks and . Utilize Its Interpretive Hiking and climbing pre­ The park is on U.S. 2 and The mountain goat—not a true cautions. Accidents in the knife-edged ridges girdled with evergreen forests and goat but an antelope related to Programs 89 and near U.S. 91 and 93. luxuriant wildflower meadows. Alpine glaciers lie in the the European chamois—is a Guided walks, campfire mountains, even minor ones, shadow of towering walls at the heads of ice-carved marvelously sure-footed programs, and other activ­ may have serious or fatal Airline service is available valleys. Streams flow northeast to Hudson Bay, south­ inhabitant of the crags ities begin in mid-June and consequences. Severe to Great Falls, Montana, 230 above tree line, where it east to the Gulf of Mexico, and westward to the Pacific. feeds on a variety extend through August; storms come quickly, even kilometers (143 miles) south­ of vegetation. some weekend activities in summer, with attendant east of the park and Visitors come to this park on the border of Canada to are usually conducted in The white-tailed ptarmi­ exposure to low tempera­ Kalispell, Montana, 32 kilo­ enjoy scenery, wildlife, and solitude. A vast network of late May and in September gan, here seen in full tures, rain, snow, sleet, and meters (20 miles) west. foot and horse trails invites hikers and riders to ven­ and October. Schedules are summer plumage against lightning. All hikers and at all ranger stations and a snow bank, feeds on the ture far from the roadsides to experience the pleasures leaves of willow and climbers should observe the Buses (connecting with of unspoiled nature. visitor centers. alpine fir above tree line. following precautions: transcontinental buslines at Great Falls and Missoula) A ROMANCE IN ROCKS See the orientation film and Never climb alone. Regis­ and Amtrak stop at East To understand the "personality" of Glacier, you must exhibits at the St. Mary Visi­ ter before and after the Glacier Park and West Gla­ look to the geological past. The rocks that now loom so tor Center (late May to mid- ... Stay In Its Campgrounds climb. Avoid steep snow- cier (Belton) Stations. Both loftily in Glacier were deposited as sediments more October) and exhibits at Ap- Paved park roads provide fields. Carry proper equip­ train and bus service is than a billion years ago. gar Information Center (late access to eight of Glacier's ment. Don't overestimate limited, and the stations are May through mid-Septem­ campgrounds—Apgar, Ava­ your physical ability. Start For millions of years thick beds of ooze solidified into ber) and Logan Pass Visitor lanche Creek, Fish Creek, early. Avoid open high Many Glacier, Rising Sun, limestone; later sediments covered the limestone and Center (mid-June to mid- . Fish Its Streams and ridges and peaks during St. Mary, Two Medicine, and became mudstone, and these in turn were overlaid with September). Lakes lightning. Turn back in ad­ Sprague Creek. Trailer sediments that compacted into additional limestone. If you are an angler, you will verse weather. Move cau­ space is provided in all These strata show as streaks on the sides of Glacier's ... Ride a Bicycle welcome the seclusion that tiously on steep or rocky except Sprague Creek. All 300-meter-high (1,000 foot) precipices. Bicycling in Glacier can be areas. Do not allow children One of the special things about a national park is the characterizes most of Gla­ have fireplaces, tables, sani­ fun, but some roads are to run downhill. opportunity to see wild animals in their native environ­ cier's lakes and streams. tary facilities, and cold run­ narrow and winding and About 70 million years ago, stresses in the earth's crust ment rather than in cages. Seeing a moose feeding in Twenty-two kinds of fishes ning water; there are no have little or no shoulder. acted on the deeply buried mudstones, sandstones, and a swamp or a bear foraging in a meadow is an adven­ have thrived here because utility connections. Pets are not allowed on limestones of the old sea bottom. As the tensions and ture for anyone. But in our excitement and desire for a As a result, the use of bi­ of the natural foods avail­ trails or in areas not acces­ strains became acute, the rock was warped and finally better look, we often forget that we are in a wild en­ cycles is restricted in some able and the nearly constant sible to automobiles. In broken; the western part, a thousand meters thick, slid vironment where the animals are not dependent upon areas. Details are available temperature of the waters. If you desire more solitude, areas where they are per­ over the eastern. The pressures continued for millions man for food—until we inadvertently make them that at all ranger stations. The most memorable ex­ consider a campground mitted, they must be kept of years until a gigantic 500-kilometer-long (300-mile) way. Think about it: every cracker tossed out takes periences are provided by along a gravel road where on a leash. section of the earth's crust had been moved more than away a bit of the wildness and freedom of an animal. angling for native cutthroat only fireplaces, tables, and pit toilets are provided— 60 kilometers (37 miles) to the east, capping young Whether squirrel or bear, an animal spoiled by visitors and Dolly Varden trout. Wild animals are unpredict­ River, Bowman Creek, Bow­ rock with strata more than 1 billion years old. This same is reduced to the antics of a caged animal craving some able and can be dangerous. man Lake, Cut Bank, Kintla process created other mountain systems throughout the attention. Did you travel all the way to Glacier just to Glacier has many good fish­ All wild animals will protect world; few overthrusts, however, have been as great as Lake, Logging Creek, and see another zoo animal? ing lakes and many miles of themselves, their young, and this—the Lewis Overthrust of Glacier. Quartz Creek. Because the swift-flowing streams. Rain­ their territories from danger. roads are narrow and rough, Some rules have been established to assure your safety bow, brook, and cutthroat Potential conflict between campers should inquire at The carving of the park's rugged landscape was princi­ and that of the wild animals and to protect park values. trout occur in Swiftcurrent, you and wild animals can a ranger station before at­ pally the work of glaciers during the last three million It is unlawful to feed or molest any animal. Hunting is Josephine, and Grinnell be reduced if you take the tempting to pull a trailer or years. The moving ice deepened the main valleys and not allowed; in fact, possession of any device designed Lakes, as well as in the following precautions: camper into those areas. cut back the base of the cliffs to form U-shaped valley to discharge missiles and capable of injuring or de­ lakes of Upper Swiftcurrent profiles. Tributary valleys were not worn as deep and stroying animal life is prohibited. All natural features— Valley in the Many Glacier Camping is allowed only in Keep your campsite and thus have become hanging valleys over which streams plants, animals, even the rocks—are protected by area and the Middle and designated sites. Build fires your equipment clean, and Rugged Red Eagle and Mahtotopa plunge, sometimes a hundred meters, to the floor of the law. There are no poisonous snakes in the park; and North Forks of the Flathead Mountains loom over St. Mary Accommodations only in the fireplaces pro­ keep all food sealed in con­ main valley below. Glacial ice, by plucking away the other animals are not apt to harm you, if you do not River on the park's south Lake and Going-to-the-Sun Road Hotels, lodges, and cabins vided. Make sure fires are tainers to reduce odors that east of Logan Pass. mountainside, has formed huge amphitheaters, called approach them. and west boundaries. would attract animals. are available, both in the cirques, at high elevations. In many of these cirques, out by pouring water on park and at locations ad­ recent glaciers can be seen still performing the same them before you leave. A jacent to it. Accommoda­ GLACIER'S HUMAN STORY A free folder on regulations digest of camping regula­ When photographing wild kind of work, on a smaller scale, as their predecessors. Legends of the Blackfeet and Kutenai Indian tribes Iceberg Lake nestles in a entitled Fish and Fishing in animals, use a telephoto tions in the park are basin below Mount Wilbur tions is available at Park operated by Glacier Park, indicate that they long held this area in awe and knew Glacier National Park is lens instead of trying to get outside the park. Transpor­ Thus, the mountains and valleys of the park tell a story and Iceberg Peak, near Headquarters, entrance sta­ Inc. Information on rates, of Lake McDonald and St. Mary Lake. Over present park available upon request. A close. tation to and within the park of great oceans millions of years ago; of gigantic forces Many Glacier Hotel tions, visitor centers, and opening dates, types of trails came western Indians to hunt bison on the plains, license is not required to for those arriving via public which elevated, crumpled, and broke the earth's sur­ information centers.

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