Glacier National Park is often referred to as the Crown of the continent. And it’s no wonder. Visitors will be wowed when they experience Glacier’s pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, it’s an explorer’s paradise. But with that comes crowds.
Want to experience it away from the masses? Well, mostly. A night at the Granite Park Chalet is just the thing. The chalet offers a way to stay in the backcountry with some of the luxuries of home.
Granite Park Chalet was built in 1914 and 1915 by the Great Northern Railway to provide comfortable backcountry accommodations inside Glacier National Park. It was the last of the chalets built by the railroad and one of the only two backcountry chalets that have survived. Today this rustic lodge is listed as a National Historic Landmark. The lodge can be reached only on foot.
Most people tend to arrive at Granite Park Chalet via the Highline Trail.
This trek is famous as both the trailhead and the lodge sit roughly at the same elevation. Typically hikers will have a strenuous climb to get the kind of views that greet you the moment you step on the trail. Over the next seven and a half miles, we saw deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, and a grizzly bear! Don’t worry. He was far away and concerned only with flipping rocks to get at the moths and insects underneath.
The lodge has a rustic, propane kitchen where guests can cook meals. If you don’t want to carry all your food, prepackaged dried meals and water are available. A water cistern is available about a quarter of a mile away on a steep and rocky path famously known for grizzly sightings. My husband and I chose to purchase food, water, and bedding rental to lighten our load carrying only snacks, water for the day, clothing, and a few personal items in our daypacks.
After dinner, staff members give talks about the lodge’s history and the park, answering questions.
The inevitable guitar makes its way out of the case. Views from the wraparound balcony are magnificent. And with zero light pollution, the stargazing is incredible.
After a breakfast consisting of instant coffee and oatmeal, we gather our belongings from our private room. NOTE: All guests of the Granite Park Chalet get private rooms, furnished with two bunk beds and a small table and chairs. Staff will warn guests that the walls are thin. This is an understatement. Think non-existent, as in there may as well be no walls. We had quite a snorer next to us and regretted that we’d forgotten earplugs.
Many visitors choose to return the way they came or take the shorter but steeper Loop Trail.
We opted to use the Swiftcurrent Pass trail through Swiftcurrent Valley. We crested the mountain after a short climb and saw four blue-green lakes shimmering in the valley. By the end of our hike, we had passed them all, along with waterfalls, vertigo-inducing ledges, and more wildlife.
At the conclusion of our feat, we waited for the hiker shuttle that would take us on the hour-long drive to the car, treating ourselves to some of the famous huckleberry ice cream at the general store and planning our next adventure.
As always, thanks for reading! XOXO
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