{"id":27356,"date":"2016-05-03T13:34:09","date_gmt":"2016-05-03T20:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/?p=27356"},"modified":"2025-07-01T11:05:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T18:05:36","slug":"snowshoe-through-glacier-national-park-in-montana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/snowshoe-through-glacier-national-park-in-montana\/","title":{"rendered":"Snowshoe Through Glacier National Park in Montana"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Call me crazy, but I was a little nervous about snowshoeing through part of the almost 1 million acres of Glacier National Park in Montana. The shoes just seemed ginormous, especially for someone who is prone to tripping over her own barefoot feet. But a day prior to my snowshoe debut, while I was learning to be a dogsledding musher<\/a> in Western Montana, the guide told me that the difference between being a beginner and expert snowshoer was about five steps. Just five strides forward is all it took to become a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Snowshoeing Glacier National Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Many people opt to visit Glacier National Park in the Summer, when the weather is in the high 70s so they can hike the over 700 miles of trails, horseback ride along the treed paths and whitewater raft the Flathead River. But, we were here in the middle of the winter when the park is covered in a beautiful blanket of white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was an untouched vision of natural beauty.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We may not have been able to swim in the chilly waters or ride atop a pretty pony, but we still had the opportunity to enjoy the pristine forests and spectacular views with giant rackets strapped to our feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We arrived to the Apgar Visitors Center and were fitted with our snowshoes. It was a pretty fool-proof process, even for me. Simply slip your feet into the snowshoes while wearing whatever normal shoes you have on your tootsies that day (hopefully they are snow boots!) and then tighten the straps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ta da!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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After our fitting, the adorable park ranger and our hiking guide, gave us simple instructions about the 2 mile hike we were about to embark on. The most important part was that there would be little chance of running into a bear since they were in hibernation, but she did warn us what to do if we saw a mountain lion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It looked something like this:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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We then began to walk down an ungroomed trail lined with trees. My first step was a little wobbly, I tripped on my second and caught my balance by the third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By step number five, I was a pro.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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We explored the park for a couple of hours, ogling the flowing creeks, iced over ponds and large lakes, plus all the snowy mountains whose beauty reflected into the sea below it. We hunted for birds in the trees and watched as a beaver swam outside of his lodge, which you could see below the shallow water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was breathtaking beauty everywhere.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is why it turned out to be a great addition to my list of the top things to do before you die<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just before we finished the two mile trek, our charming chaperone asked us to stop, be still and just listen to the sound of winter. There was a peace that surrounded us; one bird chirping, snow falling off the branches of the trees and the light sounds of us breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why you come to Glacier National Park in the Winter.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Location\/Facts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n