20 May Glacier National Park on a Budget: 10 Tips and Tricks

Glacier National Park is full of incredible scenery, for example the Avalanche Lake Trail. This is the #1 rated hike on All Trails for Glacier. It leads to a lake of green and turquoise-colored waters with a mountain looming just behind the lake. When the sun hits just right, the mountains reflect in the water. I want you to be able to focus on experiences like Avalanche Lake during your trip. That being said, let us go over some of the best ways to visit Glacier National Park on a budget now so that you are not stressing about them later. More specifically, I do not want you to stress over anything budget-related when you are in the park.

How can I visit Glacier National Park on a budget? Is it possible to plan a cheap trip to Glacier? I have listed out ten tips and tricks below for you to make your dream of visiting Glacier National Park on a budget become a reality.

Contents:

1) Plan Your Trip in Advance

2) Visit on a “Fee-Free” Day

3) Travel With a Group

4) Fly Into a Cheaper Airport and Drive

5) Use Your National Park Annual Pass (If You Have One)

6) Book Lodging at a Campground

7) Pack Food for Snacks and to Cook Meals

8) Ride the Free Park Shuttle

9) Enter Outside the Required Times for Vehicle Reservations

10) Engage in Free or Virtual Park Activities 

1) Plan Your Trip in Advance – Glacier National Park on a Budget

My first tip for visiting Glacier National Park on a budget is to plan your trip well in advance of your travel dates. Why?

The entirety of the park does not open until late June or early July due to snowy conditions. It then closes again around October. Therefore, most people plan a visit between the months of July and September. Probably 90 to 95% of the park’s visitors within a year visit during those prime months. You should thus plan the logistics of your trip (flights, rental cars, lodging, etc.) well in advance.

First, you might benefit from a good deal, for example a cheaper flight ticket, if you book months in advance. Second, you risk the cheapest flights, cars, lodging options, etc. selling out if you wait until the last minute.

I started planning my trip to Glacier more than six months in advance. That way I could secure a campground reservation and ensure my plan to visit Glacier National Park on a budget would not fail.

View of Iceberg Lake from the trail

Winter Weather Conditions

Due to Glacier’s location in northern Montana, it receives a lot of snow in the winter. Moreover, the snowy weather often begins in mid or late fall and remains through spring. That being said, the majority of roads within the park close for the fall, winter, and spring seasons.

If you visit in the winter, you will not be able to drive along the majority of the Going to the Sun Road. Moreover, the portion of the road that leads to Logan Pass usually closes in mid-fall, specifically October, due to weather conditions. It then reopens in the early summer, specifically around late June or early July.

Nevertheless, the one road that (usually) remains open the entire year (because it is plowed by park officials) is the portion of the Going to the Sun Road from West Glacier to Lake McDonald Lodge. While this is not a large section of the park, it is still better than nothing. Maybe you can only visit during the winter. Or maybe you love the snow and want to take advantage of some winter skiing and snowshoeing.

Best Time to Visit Glacier

The best seasons to visit Glacier National Park are the summer and fall. More specifically, the best months are from July through September. Snow can sometimes remain on roads and trails until late June or July. If you wait until late July, August, or September, you are likely to be rewarded with a mostly or completely snow-free visit.

We visited in early August and did not encounter any snow on either the roads or the trails. For example, we got to enjoy our hikes to Running Eagle Falls in Two Medicine and St. Mary and Virginia Falls along the Going to the Sun Road without having to worry about trekking through snow or slipping on ice.

Usually the winter months would be the best months to visit Glacier National Park on a budget. Unfortunately, visiting during that time is not really feasible due to the weather conditions.

View of Iceberg Lake from the shore

2) Visit on a “Fee-Free” Day – Glacier National Park on a Budget

Second on the list for tips to visit Glacier National Park on a budget is to plan your visit on a fee-free day. Wait, did you read that correctly? Yes! There are certain days throughout the year when entrance into Glacier National Park is free.

Every single year the National Park Service declares a couple of fee-free days for national parks. These days apply to every single national park in the US that requires an entrance fee, including Glacier National Park.

The list of days can change from year to year. However, past fee-free days have included Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the first day of National Park Week, Great American Outdoors Act anniversary, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.

Check out the Glacier NPS page for a list of fee-free days for the current year.

Disclaimer – Vehicle Reservations Still Required

A fee-free day means that there is no entrance fee required to enter Glacier for that day. There is no better way to make sure you visit Glacier National Park on a budget than to enter the park for free. However, you still must purchase a vehicle reservation, no matter whether you visit on a fee-free day or any other day of the year.

More information on vehicle reservations (and how to avoid the fee associated with them) is in section nine.

Light rays from sunrise just starting to hit the mountains and valleys behind Hidden Lake

3) Travel With a Group

My third tip for visiting Glacier National Park on a budget is to travel with a group, whether that be a group of friends or family. While you can enjoy making unforgettable memories with the people you love, you can also enjoy splitting the cost of gas, lodging, etc. I traveled to Glacier with my partner, so we were only able to split costs between two people.

Let’s do some simple math. Imagine you pick up a rental car at the airport and it costs $600 for the week. If you travel by yourself, you have to pay the entire $600. If you travel with three other people, then you only have to pay $150. That is quite a big difference if you ask me. Moreover, you might have to visit Glacier National Park on a budget due to your financial situation, and thus traveling with a group of people is paramount.

The same kind of thinking goes for gas. You might be driving the same amount no matter whether you travel by yourself or with others. However, the amount of money you spend on gas will differ significantly if you can split the cost with others.

If you do not have a group of friends or family to travel with, then I recommend doing some research to see if there are any Glacier travel groups out there. You might be able to sign up for such a group and then make a bunch of new friends as you travel around the national park together.

Panoramic view from Hidden Lake Overlook

4) Fly Into a Cheaper Airport and Drive – Glacier National Park on a Budget

Most people are unable to drive directly to Glacier from their hometown. Therefore, my fourth tip for visiting Glacier National Park on a budget is to choose to fly into the airport that offers the cheapest flights and rental cars.

Closest Airports to Glacier 

Glacier National Park is located in northwestern Montana, just under 30 minutes from the Canadian border. The park can therefore be a bit difficult to access due to its location. There is no nearby, convenient airport like there is in Jackson Hole for Grand Teton.

Instead, the closest airports are the Kalispell City Airport at two hours southwest, the Great Falls International Airport at three hours southeast, and the Missoula Montana Airport at three and a half hours southwest. (I used Logan Pass as a calculation for the time from each airport to the park. Be aware that the driving distance can be longer or shorter depending on your final destination in Glacier.)

Sunrise behind the mountains near Logan Pass from the Hidden Lake Trail

Which Airport is the Cheapest? – Glacier National Park on a Budget

Unfortunately I cannot give you an exact answer on which airport has the cheapest flights. The prices for flights will vary depending on the month as well as your departure location. For example, flying into Missoula Montana Airport might be the cheapest option if you are flying from Seattle but flying into Great Falls International Airport might be the cheapest from Chicago.

That being said, I recommend you do some research. Compare flight prices (as well as the convenience of flight options) from your home airport to each of the three airports listed above.

Nevertheless, the Kalispell City Airport is often a bit more expensive than the Missoula Montana Airport or the Great Falls International Airport. Why? It is a smaller airport and thus does not have as many flight options.

Consider Rental Car Options

If you are flying to one of the three airports mentioned above, you will then need to rent a car to drive to Glacier. Therefore, I recommend you also research the price of rental cars at each airport.

One airport might have cheap flights but expensive rental cars. Add the price of a flight + rental car together to get a total estimate of how much transportation will cost. Then compare the total cost from each airport to determine which is the cheapest so that you can stick to your plan of visiting Glacier National Park on a budget.

View of the western side of Hidden Lake

5) Use Your National Park Annual Pass (If You Have One)

Fifth, I recommend you use your national park annual pass (if you have one) to visit Glacier National Park on a budget. You do not have to pay the entrance fee if you have a national park annual pass. That being said, you can visit Glacier again and again to make sure you check off all of the easy hikes within the park, for example the Fishercap Lake Trail in Many Glacier. However, you do first have to purchase the annual pass.

Otherwise, you have to purchase a standard entrance pass for $35 for a private vehicle. The entrance pass for a motorcycle is $30. Moreover, it is $20 for a person traveling by foot or bicycle. All of the entrance passes for Glacier remain valid for seven days.

Check out the Glacier NPS page for more information on entrance fees by vehicle type.

Disclaimer – Vehicle Reservations Still Required

Please keep in mind that you still must purchase a vehicle reservation, no matter whether you use a standard entrance ticket or a national park annual pass. More information on vehicle reservations (and how to avoid the fee associated with them) is in section nine.

National Park Annual Pass Information

The National Park Service offers a variety of annual pass options, which can greatly decrease the total amount spent on entrance fees. Most people will need to pay $80 for an annual pass, but there are other options for less or even for free. Not only can you use an annual pass to visit Glacier National Park on a budget, but you can use it to visit all national parks on a budget. 

I listed out the different annual pass types below for convenience. You can also find them on the NPS Pass page. General information about acceptance and other concerns is available on the annual pass FAQ page.

All of the passes below have some general information in common. First, passes are available for purchase online or at one of over 1,000 federal recreation sites. Second, the passes allow free entrance for you PLUS an additional three people in your car (with those under 16 able to enter for free at all times) when per person entrance fees are charged. Third, the passes cover entrance to all parks with entrance fees in the National Park Service, Forest Service, etc.

Fallen tree split in two along the Avalanche Lake Trail

U.S. Citizens – Glacier National Park on a Budget

First, there is an $80 annual pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Two people can be “owners” of the pass. This means each person can use the pass individually (instead of separately, if they wish) to gain entrance. The annual pass pays for itself after a visit to only three parks. I have purchased this pass multiple times (since it only lasts for one year). It has been 1000% worth it as I have saved a lot of money on entrance fees. 

U.S. Military

The second option is a free interagency annual military pass. This pass covers current military members and their dependents. It has been expanded to also include veterans and Gold Star families. What is the best thing about this pass? It is FREE. 

U.S. Citizens Over 62

Third, there is a $20 annual senior pass or $80 lifetime senior pass. The pass is available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents over the age of 62. The lifetime senior pass pays for itself after a visit to only three parks, and thus it is an incredible deal if you love exploring. Think about it…you could visit the same park over and over again or visit all U.S. national parks for only $80.

Reflections off the water at Avalanche Lake

U.S. Citizens with Permanent Disabilities – Glacier National Park on a Budget

The fourth option is a free access pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability.

Federal Agency Volunteers 

Fifth, there is a free volunteer pass for individuals who have volunteered 250 hours or more with federal agencies that participate in the interagency pass program. These agencies include: Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers. 

Walking along the logs at the first viewpoint of Avalanche Lake

6) Book Lodging at a Campground – Glacier National Park on a Budget

My sixth recommendation to make your trip to Glacier National Park on a budget become a reality is to stay at a campground within the park.

A campground spot to pitch your tent or park your RV will be a lot cheaper than a hotel room. For example, campsites at Glacier tend to run anywhere from around $20 to $75 per night. 

Furthermore, camping within Glacier allows you to remain inside of the park for the night. This generally means that you will be saving a lot of time on driving, for you do not have to drive in and out of the park from your hotel. Less time driving = more time available to explore the park.

Campground Options in Glacier

Let me start out by saying there are a lot of campgrounds within Glacier. Some are first-come, first-served while others require reservations (and reservations become available six months in advance). I will not go into detail about each campground here, for that could be a post in and of itself. Instead, head to the Glacier Campground NPS page for detailed and current information.

I can personally recommend St. Mary Campground since we stayed here for three nights during our trip to Glacier. It is located within a short drive of a bunch of park attractions, and it is also located pretty close to some good food options in the town of St. Mary. The only thing to note is that we had hot showers around 5pm but ice cold showers around 8pm.

I can also recommend Fish Creek Campground since we stayed here for one night during our trip to Glacier. It is located on the western side of Glacier. Moreover, it is fairly close to Apgar Village, which includes a visitor center, gift shops, and restaurants.

Our campsite at St. Mary Campground

Tips for Securing a Campground Reservation

First, if campground reservations become available six months in advance, then you need to be ready to book exactly six months in advance. Glacier campgrounds are more popular than you can imagine, and it is quite a fight to secure a campsite from July through September. All campgrounds sell out within minutes. That being said, I recommend you are ready to reserve a campground the exact second it becomes available for your trip.

Second, I recommend you have multiple people try to reserve a campsite. Both my partner and I tried to reserve campsites for our Glacier trip at the exact time the reservations opened. Fortunately he secured a campsite. However, I struck out.

Third, I also recommend that you have multiple tabs open on your computer with different campsites selected. Then you can quickly move from tab to tab as you try to secure a campsite. Refreshing one tab and trying to find another campsite will take too much time, and all campsites might then be gone.

Fourth, you can check the campground reservation page every day if you do not succeed at reserving a campsite when they first become available. It is possible people will change their reservation dates or even cancel their reservation entirely. There is a bit of luck involved here, but maybe a campsite will open up for the exact dates you need it.

I highly recommend you follow the four tips above, for your dream to visit Glacier National Park on a budget might come crumbling down if you cannot secure a campground reservation.

Our campsite at Fish Creek Campground

Recommended Items for your Campsite – Glacier National Park on a Budget

I can personally recommend all of the below items as I (plus my partner) used them during my week-long camping trip in the Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. Moreover, none of the below items should break the bank, thus allowing you to still visit Glacier National Park on a budget.

1. Amflip Pop-Up Camping Tent: If you do not want to spend time fighting with poles to set up a tent, then just buy this pop-up tent. My partner and I could set up the tent in around five minutes, and it was incredibly easy to do so. Moreover, the tent held up pretty well in the rain, for we experienced multiple hours of downpours during our trip. No rain ever entered from the top, though some did seep in from the bottom (mainly due to our campsite and the fact the ground was uneven).

2. AmazonBasics Waterproof Camping Tarp: We also brought a tarp to add a layer between our tent and the ground. However, you can also hang up the tarp so that you protect the whole tent from the elements.

3. Elegear Double Sleeping Pad: Our favorite thing about this sleeping pad is that it has a foot pump. We thus did not have to worry about bringing an extra air pump along. Not only was that a big convenience factor, but it also helped us maintain our goal of visiting Glacier National Park on a budget. Moreover, there is a built-in “pillow” section at the top.

4. Sleepingo Double Sleeping Bag: We would have been freezing at night without our sleeping bag. The national parks can get quite cold at night, even in the summertime. Moreover, we love how this sleeping bag comes with two pillows.

Another Option: Use Credit Card Points for a Hotel

Maybe you are trying to visit Glacier National Park on a budget while still enjoying a bit of luxury. My recommendation is to apply for a credit card that offers a good sign-up bonus as well as travel bonuses. What better way is there to visit Glacier National Park on a budget than to obtain your lodging for free?!

First, you can apply for a credit card specific to a hotel chain (or group of hotels). If you are hopelessly devoted to a specific hotel chain, then check out this article concerning hotel credit card criteria on which you can base your choice. I have the Chase IHG credit card, and I have only good things to say about my experience with them thus far.

Second, you can apply for a credit card with general travel bonuses. I recommend either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Capital One Venture. They both often include a large sign-up bonus. You can then use the bonus earned to book a hotel as well as a variety of other travel needs (such as flights, cars, excursions, and more). 

View of St. Mary Falls from a bridge along the trail

7) Pack Food for Snacks and to Cook Meals

Seventh, I recommend you skip eating out and instead pack food for snacks and to cook meals in order to visit Glacier National Park on a budget.

Eating inside or close to Glacier can quickly become expensive. This is especially true if you spend all day in the park and thus need to plan for three meals (plus snacks of course). If you are traveling with your family and need to feed four, five, six, or more mouths, one meal can eat into your Glacier National Park budget quickly (pun intended). 

However, I also have to mention that all food needs to be stored in either a bear box or a hard-sided vehicle within Glacier. The park is located within grizzly territory, so please obey all of their food restrictions and regulations. Check out the Glacier Bear Safety NPS page for more information.

Stocking Up at Grocery Stores – Breakfast, Lunch, and Snacks

To keep your budget and stomach happy, I suggest stopping at a grocery store either the night before or the morning of your planned day in Glacier. Depending on your situation, you can buy food for one day or multiple days. 

It is easy to stash up on breakfast as well as lunch and snack items. For breakfast, you can buy a package of breakfast bars, for example. Then for lunch, you can buy items to make sandwiches and some fruit. Lastly (but most importantly), stash up on snacks – take a look at this variety pack of trail mix. I recommend that you choose snacks that pack a punch – aka snacks that offer healthy fats, carbs, and protein to help you stay energized. 

If you save money on breakfast and lunch, you then might want to splurge for dinner by dining at a restaurant. There are a few restaurants within Glacier as well as some right outside of the park’s borders. A rough estimate for dinner for one person is around $30. You can likely still visit Glacier National Park on a budget and splurge by eating out once or twice. 

View of the mountains from Highline Trail

If You Can Cook at Your Campsite – Dinner

You can always make sandwiches again for dinner, but most people like to have a little variety throughout their meals. If you have a campsite and cooking gear, then you can easily cook your own dinners. Cooking your own dinners is how you can truly visit Glacier National Park on a budget, for eating out at dinner will generally be more expensive than eating out for breakfast or lunch.

Stop by the grocery store to pick up items for dinner. For example, we saw a few people cooking salmon at their campsites. Might I recommend that you add in a vegetable, such as asparagus or broccoli, to even out the meal?

However, please research if there are any fire restrictions in place during your visit to Glacier. For example, no open fires were allowed at campsites when we visited Glacier in early August due to the fire risk at the time. Fire restrictions can upend your plans to cook dinner, so always have a back-up plan just in case.

Additionally, you can buy pre-made meals for dinners even if you cannot or do not want to cook. For example, most grocery stores have platters of sandwiches (aka hoagies for those of you who speak Pittsburghese).

Beginning of the trail to Hidden Lake Overlook

Recommended Items for Campsite Cooking

While I could make an entire post on items for campsite cooking, I will narrow it down to some of the most important for now.

1. Everlasting Comfort Backpack Cooler: No matter whether you are driving or flying, you can pack this backpack cooler to make sure you keep your trip to Glacier National Park on a budget. Not only is it lightweight and water-resistant, but it is also insulated and leak-proof.

2. Coleman Portable Camping Stove: This stove has a singular burner, which means that it is the perfect size and weight for your next camping trip. However, just because it is small does not mean it is not incredibly powerful.

3. Butane Fuel Canisters: If you bring the portable camping stove mentioned above, then you also want to bring fuel canisters made for portable camping stoves.

4. MalloMe Camping Cookware Set: Do not forget – you need a pot and/or pan to actually cook on your portable camping stove. This cookware set contains 10 different items, yet it can still collapse into a small bundle for easy transportation.

5. Briout Roasting Sticks: A great and easy meal on a campfire is…hot dogs and s’mores. Pack these roasting sticks, grab the food supplies from the grocery store, and you are good to go.

For Those With Dietary Restrictions

One last IMPORTANT NOTE. Please plan ahead on food, including both snacks and meals, if you have a dietary restriction. Some parks have more food options available than others, especially if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have any other sort of dietary preference or restriction. Make sure you have food available that is suitable for you, whether that be at a park restaurant, at a nearby grocery store, or packed in your cooler. 

Wildflowers along the Highline Trail

8) Ride the Free Park Shuttle – Glacier National Park on a Budget

Eighth, I recommend you use the free park shuttle to get around for your visit to Glacier National Park on a budget. Riding around on the shuttle will save you gas money, for you will not have to fill up your car (or rental car) as often.

Check out the Glacier Shuttle NPS page for everything you need to know, including a list of shuttle shops.

Downsides of the Shuttle

However, I do also want to note a couple of downsides concerning riding the park shuttle. First, riding the shuttle around the park will likely take up more of your time than driving. You might have to wait for the shuttle and possibly endure multiple spots along the route to your final destination.

Second, the park shuttle does not operate 24/7. The express shuttle begins operating at 7am and stops around 8:30pm. The full shuttle begins operating at 8am and stops around 7pm. You are thus limited in exploring the park to those specific hours (unless you want to drive back into the park yourself). Due to the shuttle hours, you generally are not able to complete a sunrise or sunset hike.

Third, the shuttle only runs from July 1st through Labor Day. If you visit outside of that time period, you need to drive yourself around the park. However, sometimes reduced shuttle services are offered through the middle of September.

Fourth, the shuttle stops at specific locations. While the shuttle stops at a majority of the main attractions within Glacier, it is possible that you are trying to visit somewhere without a shuttle stop. If that is the case, then you are better off driving yourself.

Fifth, the shuttle only operates along the Going to the Sun Road. It thus does not provide service to the other regions of Glacier, for example Many Glacier or Two Medicine. You thus have to drive yourself to those areas if you want to prioritize visiting them.

Along the shore of Two Medicine Lake

9) Enter Outside the Required Times for Vehicle Reservations

You MUST have a vehicle reservation to access most sections of Glacier National Park between 6am and 3pm from around the end of May to the middle of September. The four sections of Glacier that require a separate vehicle reservation are North Fork, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and Going to the Sun Road.

On the other hand, one way to skirt around the vehicle pass regulation is to enter the park areas before 6am or after 3pm. You are able to enter freely at those times. Additionally, you can head to the one area of the park that does not require a vehicle reservation – Goat Haunt.

Unfortunately this tip for visiting Glacier National Park on a budget will not save you that much money. The vehicle reservations are only around $2 each for a day. However, that small amount can add up if you plan to visit the park for a week or more.

Disclaimer – Entrance Pass Still Required

Please keep in mind that even if you enter the park before 6am or after 3pm, you are still required to pay the entrance fee. Furthermore, do not think that you can sneak into the park without an entrance pass if you enter around 5am and there is no one at the entrance station. No matter when or where you enter the park, you are required to pay the entrance fee. If no one is at the entrance station, there will be a sign with information on how to pay the fee. Think about it this way – you are paying to help protect and preserve the park for years to come.

As a bonus, they now offer the option of purchasing digital passes in addition to the physical passes offered at the entrance stations and visitor centers.

Walking on a log along the shore of Avalanche Lake

What About Visiting in the Off Season? – Glacier National Park on a Budget

You might think – wait, can I just visit outside of the months of May through September since those are the only months when a vehicle reservation is required? Well, technically you can. However, as mentioned above in the first section, most of the park is closed outside of those months due to weather conditions.

Individual Reservations for Each Section Required

You cannot just purchase one vehicle reservation and be good to go for all areas of the park. Nope. Instead, you have to purchase a separate reservation for each area, though they are only $2 each. For example, you need to purchase a Going to the Sun Road vehicle reservation for the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail or a Many Glacier vehicle reservation for the Iceberg Lake Trail. Check out the nps.gov Glacier page for more information on vehicle reservations and the exact dates they are required for each area of the park.

I know, this sounds like a lot. But the park is doing what they can to protect the area for many years to come. They want people to be able to visit tomorrow. Nevertheless, they also want them to be able to visit 50 to 100 years from now.

View of Avalanche Lake from the logs

10) Engage in Free or Virtual Park Activities – Glacier National Park on a Budget

My last tip for how to visit Glacier National Park on a budget is to engage in free or virtual park activities.

You might encounter an entrance and/or vehicle reservation fee for Glacier National Park. However, there are SO MANY hikes, ranger programs, star gazing opportunities, and more that you can experience for free once inside the park. It might take some research to find these free activities, but do not worry as I will help with that. 

Free Activities in Glacier

First, you can complete the majority of hikes at no extra cost, thus allowing you to make sure you visit Glacier National Park on a budget. The only time a hike might require an additional fee is if it is a backpacking trail and you need a permit to stay overnight.

Second, you can visit one of the multiple visitor centers scattered around the park. The visitor centers often have informational and interpretive exhibits. Additionally, you can chat with park rangers about upcoming free activities in the park.

Hiking along the narrow path on the Highline Trail

Third, the majority of ranger-led activities are free of charge for all park visitors. Some examples of ranger-led activities include guided walks, ranger talks at visitor centers, astronomy programs, and more. The two ranger-led activities that might cost an additional fee are guided hikes that include a boat ride and certain Native America Speaks programs. Check out the Glacier page of ranger-led activities for more information.

Fourth, you can stand on the Continental Divide. In simple terms, the Continental Divide is the border between river systems. While the Divide runs through various points in the park, there is a sign beside the parking lot at Logan Pass.

Fifth, you can go for a swim. Glacier is full of lakes, many of which you can only access by hiking. For example, head out on the Iceberg Lake Trail if you want to swim in a lake that might still have icebergs in its waters.

Sixth, you can stop at overlooks along the Going to the Sun Road for magnificent views.

Virtual Park Activities – Glacier National Park on a Budget

Even if you cannot pack up and go on a road trip to Glacier National Park, you CAN still engage in certain park activities. There are multiple virtual park activities and virtual tours offered (for Glacier and other national parks). You do not even have to leave the comfort of your bed and snuggly blankets. Moreover, this is how you can truly visit Glacier National Park on a budget (aka for free!).

View of Running Eagle Falls from along the shore

Applies to Other National Parks As Well

For example, Zion has a lot of hiking opportunities, including one of the most difficult and dangerous trails in the U.S. Hint – it is Angels Landing. It also has a variety of other excursions besides hiking that you can experience at no cost. 

Here is a list of a few sites and articles that outline free activities across U.S. national parks:

• Free activities in national parks 
• Free and cheap activities in national parks
• Yellowstone free activities
• Grand Tetons free activities
• Yosemite free activities
• Joshua Tree free activities 
• Zion free activities
• Bryce Canyon free activities
• Arches free activities
• Acadia free activities

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