Montana: Glacier National Park

The true meaning of “spectacular” and “scenic” is restored in Glacier National Park in Montana. Its
dramatic beauty was formed between 70 and 150 million years ago when pressures of the earth’s
tectonic plates caused a slab of seabed sediments several miles thick to be thrust gradually upwards some 50 miles to the east. Glaciers made their majestic entrance later, sculpting the park into elegant U-shaped valleys and matterhorns.
    All this work by Mother Nature left whitewater rivers cascading into teal-green lakes reflecting mountain upon mountain in these upper reaches of the Rockies. The walks here take you to the mountain habitats of bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, and raptors. You walk to glacial, trout-filled lakes in dramatic cirques and find vistas that open generously over the heart of the Rockies. Nights are spent in historic lodges where trout and local game provide sustenance for the next day’s adventures. The majesty of the Western spirit informs each step.