Best Glacier National Park Tours

Glacier is a park you mostly see from a road: one that climbs from the long blue trough of Lake McDonald toward peaks that hold snow into August, and in winter stops short where the plows give up. From every Glacier tour on GetYourGuide and Viator we handpicked six. Two guided driving days with hotel pickup, one for summer and one for the snow, plus a naturalist's walk, two trips on the Middle Fork and a drive that ends on snowshoes. What each one costs, how far into the park it really goes, and what the listings leave in the small print.

In a hurry? In summer we would book Tour Glacier's west side driving day: ~$250 with pickup in the valley, rated 4.9 on GetYourGuide. In winter, the same company's snowy run to Lake McDonald for ~$250, with 34 five-star reviews on Viator and not one lower.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator Compare all 6

Glacier tours at a glance

  • Five to seven hours by vanThe driving tours fill most of a day, with lunch. The river trips take about two and a half hours
  • The high road is a summer roadGoing-to-the-Sun Road crosses Logan Pass for only a few months. In winter it is plowed to about Lake McDonald Lodge, and the tours stop there too
  • Pickup in Whitefish and KalispellThe vans collect you in the Flathead Valley towns, 25 to 35 miles from the park gate. The river and walking trips meet in West Glacier
  • Wildlife some days, never promisedRecent guests met a bear with her cub, and a buck that wandered up to the picnic. Others saw nothing bigger than a squirrel

The park, photographed

The road into the high country
Snow along the Middle Fork
Sunrise over Lake McDonald
Colored stones at the water's edge
Fireweed in a high meadow
Snowmelt on a mountain river
Morning calm at the Apgar dock
A cirque lake fed by waterfalls
A turquoise lake far below the trail
Alpenglow on the last snowfields

If you only have a minute

Which Glacier National Park tour should you book?

If a friend staying in Whitefish asked us which Glacier tour to book, this is what we would tell them over a huckleberry milkshake.

For a first summer visit without the stress of mountain driving, book Tour Glacier's West Side Driving Tour, from ~$250. A local guide collects you in Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls, drives you through the West Glacier gate to Apgar Village and the shore of Lake McDonald, and lays out a picnic lunch on the way. It holds 4.9 out of 5 on GetYourGuide and 4.8 from 80+ reviews on Viator, and the park entrance is paid.

Coming between December and March? The Winter Driving Tour by the same team costs ~$250 and has never had a review below five stars on Viator. For the cheapest guided morning inside the park, take the nature walk with Glacier Guides at ~$70, if you can get to West Glacier. Want the river instead of the road? The scenic float and the whitewater half day both cost ~$77, and nearly 2,900 Viator reviewers give them 4.9. With energy to spare in winter, the drive and snowshoe day adds two hours on foot in the snow.

One thing none of them does is cross Logan Pass on the full Going-to-the-Sun Road; read how to see the big road before you plan around it. Then check what a Glacier tour really costs, see how long each tour lasts, then read what the listings play down before you pay.

Our picks

The Glacier tours we would book: one for each season

Glacier is two different parks depending on the month, so we chose twice. Both picks come from the same small local company, both include pickup and lunch, and both go as far into the park as the season allows.

Red, green and gold stones under the clear water of Lake McDonald with forested peaks behind Summer pick

Glacier National Park West Side Driving Tour with Lunch, Tour Glacier

4.9 / 5 from 43+ reviews on GetYourGuide · 4.8 / 5 from 80+ on Viator

The guide phones the evening before with a pickup time, then turns up at your hotel or rental in Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls around nine. The drive to the West Glacier gate is the warm-up, a running commentary on the valley and the people who live along it. Inside the park you stop where the light is good: the old Belton Bridge over the Middle Fork, Apgar Village at the foot of Lake McDonald, the lake shore where the famous colored stones lie under clear water, and the timbered lobby of Lake McDonald Lodge.

Lunch is a picnic from Park Provisions, ciabatta sandwiches with vegetarian and gluten-free options, laid out at a viewpoint rather than eaten in a crowded café. Guides such as Phil and Adam get named again and again in the reviews, and several guests say the guide asked where they wanted to stop and for how long. Some days run up the North Fork toward Polebridge. On the way home you can choose between a huckleberry shop and a tasting at Glacier Distilling.

Price
from ~$250 per person, the same on both sites
Duration
About 6–7 hours, starting around 9 am
In the park
West Glacier, Apgar, Lake McDonald and the lodge
Rating
4.9 / 5 (GetYourGuide) · 4.8 / 5 (Viator)
Pickup
Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, or a point you agree
Walking
Little, short strolls at each stop
Group
Small group, 25 at most on Viator
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours, pay later on both sites
GetYourGuide Viator

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the day runs, step by step

The guide adapts the order to the weather and the crowds. This is the outline the listing gives, filled in with what recent guests describe:

From your lodging

  • Pickup in Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls, around 9 am
  • The drive up the valley to the West Glacier entrance

Inside the park

  • The historic Belton Bridge over the Middle Fork of the Flathead
  • Apgar Village and the foot of Lake McDonald
  • A picnic lunch at a lakeside or mountain viewpoint
  • Lake McDonald Lodge and the shore road, with photo stops
  • A huckleberry shop or a distillery tasting, then home

What the price covers

The ticket buys the van and the guide, plus the park entrance and lunch. A tip for the guide is the only thing you need cash for.

Included
  • Pickup and drop-off at your lodging in the valley
  • Glacier National Park entrance
  • A picnic lunch, snacks, bottled water and soda
  • A local guide who drives and talks
Not included
  • Logan Pass and the high Going-to-the-Sun Road
  • A tip for the guide
  • A promise of wildlife
  • Wheelchair access

Between us, before you go

The listing title says it plainly and we will too. This tour stays on the west side and does not cross Logan Pass. One reviewer called it the right thing to add to a red bus tour of the Sun Road, and another, who had ridden the Sun Road the day before, found the two days did not overlap at all. If the high road is the reason you came, read our guide to Going-to-the-Sun Road first. Value for money scores lower than the guides on GetYourGuide, 4.5 against 5.0, which tells you what people pay for.

Bring a jacket even in August, and shoes that shrug off a wet trail. What to wear and bring covers the mountain weather.

Why it beats driving yourself

In summer the west side of the park is busy and the lots by the lake fill early. Drivers have also needed a timed entry slot at the busiest gate in recent summers. A guide who works here every day knows where the pull-outs are, when the lodge lot clears and which side road is quiet. You get to look out of the window instead of at the brake lights ahead. Where to base yourself explains which towns the van serves.

Who we would not send on it

Hikers who want trail miles, who will be happier on the naturalist's nature walk for ~$70. Anyone set on Logan Pass and the mountain goats up there. And families after a splash, who will laugh more on the scenic float at a third of the price.

Book it if

You want one relaxed summer day that shows you the west side of the park without a rental car or a parking hunt. The guide drives from the valley towns, the entrance and the picnic are paid, and you stop whenever the group likes. Bring a warm layer and a little cash for the tip.

Skip it if

Ready for Lake McDonald?

Both sites charge the same, cancel for free up to 24 hours before and let you reserve now and pay later. Viator has more reviews, GetYourGuide the slightly higher score. Viator says the tour is booked about two months ahead on average, so do not leave July until June.

GetYourGuide Viator
A Tour Glacier car parked in deep snow while a guest looks out at the white mountains Winter pick

Glacier National Park Winter Driving Tour with Lunch, Tour Glacier

5.0 / 5 from 34+ reviews on Viator · 5.0 / 5 from 10+ on GetYourGuide

By November the road over Logan Pass has closed and the park goes quiet. The plows keep the lower Going-to-the-Sun Road open from West Glacier to about Lake McDonald Lodge, and that stretch is where this tour spends its day. Pickup is at your lodging in Whitefish, the ski resort included, or in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, West Glacier or Coram. On the way up the guide stops at Hungry Horse Dam above the South Fork, then crosses into the park for Apgar and the snowy shore of Lake McDonald.

Lunch is a picnic with sandwiches and hot drinks; one guest describes tablecloths and seat covers spread out in the snow, another a flask of tea on the mountain. The listing sums up the point well: you see the park's best-known corner without hiking through deep snow, and someone local handles the icy roads. On the way back there is a stop at Huckleberry Land for something sweet. Every one of the 34 Viator reviews gives five stars.

Price
from ~$250 on Viator, about $253 on GetYourGuide
Duration
About 5–6 hours
In the park
West Glacier, Apgar, the lower Sun Road, Lake McDonald
Rating
5.0 / 5 (Viator) · 5.0 / 5 (GetYourGuide)
Pickup
The valley towns, West Glacier and the ski resort
Walking
Short, on packed snow
Group
Small group, 20 at most on GetYourGuide
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours, pay later on both sites
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

Powered by GetYourGuide

How the winter day runs

Snow decides the details. The listing's itinerary, roughly in order:

Through the valley

  • Pickup at your lodging in the valley or at the ski resort
  • Hungry Horse Dam and the reservoir, about half an hour

Inside the park

  • West Glacier and the Belton Bridge
  • Apgar Village in the snow
  • The open lower stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road
  • Lake McDonald and the closed lodge, with a picnic lunch
  • Huckleberry Land on the way back, then drop-off

What the price covers

Transport and the guide, the park entrance, lunch with hot drinks and any gear the day needs. Lunch choices go in the special requirements box when you book.

Included
  • Pickup at your lodging, the ski resort included
  • Glacier National Park entrance
  • A picnic lunch, snacks and hot drinks
  • A guide who knows winter roads
Not included
  • Anything beyond the plowed lower valley
  • A tip for the guide
  • Long walks or snowshoeing
  • Wheelchair access

Between us, before you go

This is a gentle day in a small corner of the park, because in winter that corner is what is open. The lodge is shut for the season and the cold is real, so dress like you would for a ski day. One guest on a very quiet day got a bonus run over to the east side for lunch at St. Mary Lake; enjoy it if it happens, but do not book expecting it. Glacier National Park in winter explains what is open and what is not.

Who should book it

Skiers in Whitefish with a rest day, couples who want the park without the crowds and anyone who would rather not drive a rental car on snow. If you want to get out and move, look at the drive and snowshoe day, which swaps some of the driving for two hours on snowshoes.

Ready for the quiet season?

Viator is a few dollars cheaper and carries most of the reviews; both sites cancel free up to 24 hours before. Viator says people book it about five weeks ahead on average, more over the holidays.

Viator GetYourGuide

The tours themselves

How a guided Glacier tour works

Every listing on this page comes down to two questions. Will a van collect you in the valley, or will you drive to West Glacier and meet the guides there? And which month, with the park anywhere from a crowded green July to a silent white February?

Style · picked up in the valley

A day with a van

Summer driving, winter driving, drive and snowshoe

5–7 hpickup at your lodging, a guide at the wheel, lunch on the way

A morning pickup in Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls, a day inside the west side of the park and a drop-off before dinner. You pay for the driving and the picnic, and give up choosing your own stops.

Style · meet in West Glacier

Turn up at the gate

Nature walk, scenic float, whitewater

2.5–4 hpark at the outfitter, a bus or van into the park or to the river

You drive to the outfitter's office by the West Glacier entrance and check in half an hour early. Cheaper and shorter, and easy to pair with a second activity the same day.

Glacier weather and crowds, month by month

  • How busy the park gets
  1. Jan29°F high−2 °C

    Deep snow, winter tours to Lake McDonald

  2. Feb34°F high1 °C

    Longer days, the best snowshoe month

  3. Mar42°F high6 °C

    Still winter in the park, spring in the valley

  4. Apr54°F high12 °C

    Plows at work on the high road

  5. May64°F high18 °C

    Rivers rising, the first rafts go out

  6. Jun71°F high22 °C

    Big cold whitewater, snow still on the pass

  7. Jul80°F high27 °C

    The high road usually open, wildflowers

  8. Aug79°F high26 °C

    Busiest weeks, huckleberries, some smoke

  9. Sep68°F high20 °C

    Fewer people, golden aspens, cold mornings

  10. Oct53°F high12 °C

    Larches turn, the high road closes

  11. Nov37°F high3 °C

    The quietest month, first real snow

  12. Dec29°F high−2 °C

    Short days, the ski season starts

Temperatures are typical daytime highs at West Glacier; Logan Pass, about 3,400 feet higher, runs much colder and can see snow in any month. The bars show roughly how busy the park gets. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick, two for the winter tours and two for the summer ones. The year in detail.

How long each tour lasts

  • Meet in West Glacier
  • Picked up in the valley
  • May run longer

Lengths come from the listings, and the dashed ends show where a listing gives a range or recent guests report a longer day. Glacier Raft Company says its whitewater trip grows from about 2.5 hours in June to about 3.5 hours late in the summer.

  1. Pick the season firstSummer opens the whole park and fills it; winter shrinks it to the lower valley and empties it. Month by month.
  2. Decide on the carThe driving tours collect you in the valley towns. The walk and the river trips need you in West Glacier by yourself. Where to stay.
  3. Check what "the park" meansA tour can be inside the gate or on a river along its border. Read the stops, not the title.
  4. Mind the entrance and the tipsThe driving tours pay the park fee for you; the nature walk does not. Guides everywhere expect a tip.

The best time for a Glacier tour walks through the plowing weeks, the high-water month on the river and the quiet golden weeks after Labor Day.

How to choose

How to pick the right Glacier tour

On paper they all promise mountains and lakes. What differs is the season, how much of the day you sit or walk, and whether the price includes your ride and the park gate.

Season

Four tours run in summer, two in winter. The full Going-to-the-Sun Road is open for only part of the summer. What winter leaves open.

Pickup or meet there

Tour Glacier collects you in Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls; the river and walking trips meet in West Glacier. Choosing a base.

Road or river

A day in a van or a couple of hours in a raft on the Middle Fork, which forms the park's southern border. The river trips.

Who is coming

The driving tours suit every age and pace; the whitewater wants riders over 50 pounds and 5 years. Seniors and families.

Wildlife

Bears, goats and moose live here, and no guide can conjure one. Mornings and evenings are best. What you might see.

Price

From ~$70 for the nature walk to ~$250 for a full driving day, per person. Tips come on top. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do around West Glacier

The 6 tours

Six Glacier National Park tours, side by side

We read every Glacier listing on both booking sites and kept the six we would book ourselves, four for summer and two for winter. Price, rating, operator and catch for each, with a button for each site that sells it.

A white Tour Glacier van driving a quiet road between tall green conifers under a blue sky Summer pick ☀ Summer

Glacier National Park West Side Driving Tour with Lunch, Tour Glacier

The day we would hand our parents, with the picnic already packed.

Pickup in the valley towns, then West Glacier, the Belton Bridge, Apgar Village and the shore of Lake McDonald with stops for photos and a picnic lunch. Park entrance included. Some days the guide heads up the North Fork instead.

  • DurationAbout 6–7 hours
  • OperatorTour Glacier
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.9 (43+) · Viator 4.8 (80+)
  • PickupWhitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls
  • StrengthsGuides who stop when you ask, lunch and the gate fee paid
  • Ideal forFirst visits, older travelers, anyone tired of driving

Good to know: It does not cross Logan Pass; the title says "no Sun Road". Not wheelchair accessible, and a tip is extra. Book well ahead for July and August. The big road explained.

~$250per person
GetYourGuide Viator
A thermos and two cups set on the snow beside a creek running through a white winter forest Winter pick ❄ Winter

Glacier National Park Winter Driving Tour with Lunch, Tour Glacier

For the skier's rest day, when the lake is steel gray and silent.

A winter day on the plowed lower valley: Hungry Horse Dam, the Belton Bridge, Apgar, the open stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road and Lake McDonald, with a picnic, hot drinks and a stop for huckleberry treats on the way back.

  • DurationAbout 5–6 hours
  • OperatorTour Glacier
  • RatingViator 5.0 (34+) · GetYourGuide 5.0 (10+)
  • PickupWhitefish and the ski resort, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, West Glacier, Coram
  • StrengthsNobody drives on snow but the guide, and every review gives five stars
  • Ideal forWinter visitors, skiers, couples

Good to know: Winter limits the park to its lower valley, and the lodge is closed for the season. Short days and real cold. About $253 on GetYourGuide. The park in winter.

~$250per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Hikers with day packs following a guide along a trail through young lodgepole pines Lowest price ☀ Summer

Morning Nature Walk in Glacier National Park, Glacier Guides and Montana Raft

For the curious, who want to know why the forest looks the way it does.

A van from West Glacier to two easy one-mile loops: the lodgepole forest of Lake McDonald Valley and the banks of the North Fork of the Flathead, with stops at McGee Meadows and McDonald Creek. Fire, rivers and Leave No Trace explained.

  • DurationAbout 4 hours, back by 1:30 pm
  • OperatorGlacier Guides and Montana Raft
  • RatingViator 4.9 (132+) · GetYourGuide 4.8 (27+)
  • Where11970 US-2, West Glacier, 9:30 am
  • StrengthsSmall group, a guide with bear spray and first aid, poles and rain layers lent
  • Ideal forWalkers on a budget, first-time hikers in bear country

Good to know: The park entrance is not included, so bring your pass. You drive to West Glacier yourself. About 2.5 miles in all, easy but not flat. Free cancellation 2 days ahead on GetYourGuide. Walking in bear country.

~$70per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A yellow raft drifting on green water past a rocky cliff and pines in the Middle Fork canyon Gentle and family-friendly ☀ Summer

Scenic Float on the Middle Fork of the Flathead, Glacier Raft Company

Two lazy hours on clear water, with the park sliding by on your left.

A calm float down the Middle Fork through a walled canyon to where the North Fork joins it at the park's southern tip. A guide rows, tells the river's story and watches for eagles, osprey and deer. A bus takes you to the river and back.

  • DurationAbout 2.5 hours, 2 on the river
  • OperatorGlacier Raft Company
  • RatingViator 4.9 (865+) · GetYourGuide 4.9 (301+)
  • Where106 Going-to-the-Sun Rd, West Glacier
  • StrengthsNo paddling skill needed, beloved guides, cheap
  • Ideal forFamilies, grandparents, a lazy afternoon

Good to know: Slow when the water is low late in summer. Shoes that stay on are a must; water shoes rent for $7. Food and tips extra. Ask about wheelchair access, as the two sites disagree. The river trips compared.

~$77per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Rafters in helmets and life jackets raising their paddles as their yellow raft rides a white rapid Most reviewed ☀ Summer

Half-Day Whitewater Rafting Trip, Glacier Raft Company

The one your teenagers will still talk about at Thanksgiving.

About 8 miles through John F. Stevens Canyon: a calm first half to learn the paddle calls, then nine named Class II and III rapids, Bonecrusher among them, a swim stop when the river allows and a finish under the Belton Bridge.

  • DurationAbout 2.5 hours in June, up to 3.5 late in summer
  • OperatorGlacier Raft Company
  • RatingViator 4.9 (1,984+) · GetYourGuide 4.9 (252+)
  • Where106 Going-to-the-Sun Rd, West Glacier
  • StrengthsWetsuits and fleece lent free, guides great with kids, huge track record
  • Ideal forActive families, groups of friends

Good to know: Riders must weigh at least 50 pounds and be 5 or older; not for pregnant travelers. June water is big and cold. Bring a change of clothes and a towel. Float or whitewater?

~$77per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Two smiling women posing on snowshoes with poles in front of snowy peaks and pines Active winter day ❄ Winter

Scenic Driving Tour and Snowshoe Trek, Tour Glacier

For winter visitors who need to earn their hot cocoa.

The winter drive to West Glacier, Apgar and Lake McDonald, cut in half by about two hours on snowshoes in the backcountry with a guide. Snowshoes, poles and hand warmers are provided, with coffee and cocoa by McDonald Creek and a picnic lunch.

  • DurationAbout 4–6 hours, 2 on snowshoes
  • OperatorTour Glacier
  • RatingGetYourGuide 5.0 (3+) · Viator 4.7 (13+)
  • PickupWhitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls
  • StrengthsAll the gear, a guide for the snow, the park at its quietest
  • Ideal forFit couples and families in winter

Good to know: Few reviews so far, and one of the thirteen on Viator is a single star. Snowshoeing is easy to learn but tiring in fresh snow. About $250 on Viator. What to wear in the cold.

~$230per person
GetYourGuide Viator

A small heads-up. These are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links, so when you book through one we earn a little commission and you pay exactly the same. It keeps this guide going and never touches our ranking or the catches we point out.

Before you go

Eight things about Glacier tours that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come home with a camera full of peaks or a day spent wondering where the big road went.

What you should know

  1. Neither booking site sells the full Going-to-the-Sun Road. The tours here stay on the west side. The historic red buses and the Blackfeet-run Sun Tours sell their Logan Pass trips directly. Your options for the big road.
  2. The high road opens late and closes early. Snow keeps Logan Pass shut until the plows finish, often into July, and it closes again in autumn. No tour can change that.
  3. Winter tours see a small slice of the park. Only the lower valley up to about Lake McDonald Lodge is plowed. It is quiet and lovely, and that is all of it.
  4. "Park entrance included" is not universal. The driving tours pay it. The nature walk expects you to bring your own pass, and the river trips take place beside the park.
  5. Summer driving comes with rules. Private cars have needed a timed entry booking at the west gate in some recent summers. A tour takes that worry off you; check the current rules if you drive.
  6. Wildlife is a bonus, not a booking. A bear with a cub on one day, nothing on the next. What lives in the park.
  7. Mountain weather ignores the calendar. A warm valley morning can turn to sleet up high, and June still has snowfields. Pack a layer in every month.
  8. The good days sell out early. Viator says the summer driving tour books about two months ahead and the nature walk even earlier. When to book.

Everything in one table

Six Glacier tours, catch included

The six tours side by side, with the season, the strength and the catch of each one in the same row.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Getting there Operator and rating Strength and catch Book
Summer driving tour (summer pick)
☀ Summer		 First visit, no car ~$250 6–7 h Pickup in the valley towns Tour Glacier
GetYourGuide 4.9 (43+)
Viator 4.8 (80+)		 Lunch and gate fee paid, flexible stops. No Logan Pass.
GetYourGuideViator
Winter driving tour (winter pick)
❄ Winter		 Snow without the driving ~$250 5–6 h Pickup, ski resort too Tour Glacier
Viator 5.0 (34+)
GetYourGuide 5.0 (10+)		 Perfect scores, hot lunch. Lower valley only.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Nature walk
☀ Summer		 Walkers on a budget ~$70 About 4 h Meet in West Glacier Glacier Guides and Montana Raft
Viator 4.9 (132+)
GetYourGuide 4.8 (27+)		 Cheapest guided day in the park. Bring your own park pass.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Scenic float
☀ Summer		 Families, all ages ~$77 About 2.5 h Meet in West Glacier Glacier Raft Company
Viator 4.9 (865+)
GetYourGuide 4.9 (301+)		 Calm, cheap, loved. Slow in low water.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Whitewater half day
☀ Summer		 Thrills, teens, friends ~$77 2.5–3.5 h Meet in West Glacier Glacier Raft Company
Viator 4.9 (1,984+)
GetYourGuide 4.9 (252+)		 Class II and III rapids, gear lent. 50 lb minimum, cold in June.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Drive and snowshoe
❄ Winter		 Active winter visitors ~$230 4–6 h Pickup in the valley towns Tour Glacier
GetYourGuide 5.0 (3+)
Viator 4.7 (13+)		 Two hours on snowshoes, gear included. Few reviews.
GetYourGuideViator

About the numbers. Prices are per-person "from" rates in US dollars (the lower one when a tour is on both sites), and ratings are what each site showed when we compared. Dates, group size and offers move them a little, so peek at both. The booking page has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who saw the peaks

Eighteen travelers, some who got blue skies and a bear and some who got clouds down to the lake, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Summer driving tour

My husband has driven every vacation for forty years, so this was his present. The guide picked us up at our motel in Kalispell, and by Apgar my husband had stopped watching the road and started watching the lake. We ate sandwiches on a log by the water, stopped at the old bridge, and the guide waited patiently while I took about a hundred pictures of the stones. He even knew which pull-out had a bathroom. Home before five, and nobody was tired.

MRMargaret R. · Columbus, OhioPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Summer driving tour

Blue sky, red and green stones under the water, a turkey sandwich and a guide who stopped every time we said "wait". Exactly what we wanted.

TKTomás K. · Valencia, SpainPeaks in the clear
★★★★☆Summer driving tour

A lovely day with a guide who clearly loves the place, and the picnic spot was a highlight. Four stars only because I had not understood that it does not go over Logan Pass. That is in the title, I just did not read it properly. We took the red bus the next day for the high road, and the two days fitted together well. Clouds sat low on the peaks all morning, so ask about the forecast and keep a spare day if you can.

JLJulia L. · Melbourne, AustraliaClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Winter driving tour

We came for the skiing in Whitefish and took a day off when our legs gave up. I expected a short drive to a frozen lake. Instead we got a dam I had never heard of, a footbridge over a river full of ice, Apgar under a meter of snow and a picnic with hot chocolate that tasted better than anything at the resort. Lake McDonald was steel gray with snow falling into it, and there was not another car on the road. As a Norwegian I am hard to impress with snow. I was impressed.

AHAnders H. · Bergen, NorwayClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Winter driving tour

Hot tea on a snowy beach, the whole lake to ourselves and a guide who drove the ice like it was July. Best day of the trip.

SPSunita P. · Leicester, EnglandPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Winter driving tour

I could have driven it myself, I have winter tires at home, but not in a rental from the airport. Glad I did not. The guide knew every slippery corner, stopped at Huckleberry Land on the way back so my daughter could buy jam, and told stories about the park the whole way.

DWDerek W. · Calgary, CanadaPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Guided nature walk

Our guide stopped at a burned stump and told us how the forest comes back after a fire, and suddenly the gray trees everywhere made sense. Two short walks, easy for my mother, and a lesson on bear spray I will not forget.

EBElise B. · Lyon, FrancePeaks in the clear
★★★★☆Guided nature walk

Excellent guides, small group, beautiful river at the second stop. Two remarks. The park pass is not included, so bring yours or buy it before. And the guide talked while walking, so at the back of the line we missed some of it. We asked, and she repeated everything at the next stop, so no real complaint.

RGRavi G. · Toronto, CanadaClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Guided nature walk

Huckleberries by the trail, a moose track in the mud and the clearest river I have seen.

KMKerstin M. · Hamburg, GermanyPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Scenic river float

Three generations in one raft, from my granddaughter who is seven to my father who is eighty-one. The guide rowed, so nobody had to paddle, and he told stories about the river the whole way while an osprey followed us for a while. My father trailed his hand in the water and said it was the coldest thing he had touched in years. At the end he wanted to go again. Wear shoes with straps, they are strict about that, and bring a sweater even on a warm day.

LOLinda O. · Spokane, WashingtonPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Scenic river float

Very calm and very beautiful. Green water, high rocks, an eagle above us. A good choice after a long drive.

HYHiroshi Y. · Osaka, JapanPeaks in the clear
★★★★☆Scenic river float

Friendly guide with a great sense of humor and lovely scenery. In late August the river was low and the float was slower than I expected, almost too relaxing for my teenage sons. For them I would book the whitewater next time. For me it was perfect.

CFCarla F. · São Paulo, BrazilClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Whitewater half day

June, big water, and the wetsuit was not optional. The first half is calm so the guide can teach you the commands, and then the canyon closes in and the rapids start coming one after another. Bonecrusher lived up to the name and drenched everyone in the front. Our guide was brilliant with the two kids in our raft, kept them laughing and safe. The photo from the big rapid is on our fridge. Bring a towel and dry clothes for the drive home.

BNBen N. · Denver, ColoradoPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Whitewater half day

Rain, cold, soaked to the bone and laughing the entire time. Then a jump into the river at the swim stop.

AMAoife M. · Galway, IrelandClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Whitewater half day

I cannot swim and was nervous, but the guide explained everything twice and the first part was very gentle. By the time we reached the rapids I was screaming with joy, not fear. My husband says this was the best thing we did in Montana, and we also saw Yellowstone.

PSPriya S. · Bangalore, IndiaPeaks in the clear
★★★★★Drive and snowshoe

I had never been on snowshoes and assumed I would be slow and miserable. The guide fitted the bindings, showed us how to walk downhill and set a pace even my husband could keep after a big lunch. Two hours in a silent forest, the snow squeaking under us, then coffee and cocoa by a creek the color of glass. It is real exercise in fresh snow, so do not wear jeans, but nobody in our group struggled.

GTGrace T. · Auckland, New ZealandPeaks in the clear
★★★★☆Drive and snowshoe

Beautiful snowshoe walk and a kind guide. The drive part was shorter than I imagined, because most of the park is closed in winter. Know that before you book.

MVMarco V. · Turin, ItalyClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Drive and snowshoe

Snowshoes, hand warmers and a thermos at the creek. Proper winter, done properly.

JCJames C. · Edinburgh, ScotlandPeaks in the clear

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Book Tour Glacier for your day in the park

If you have one summer day for Glacier and no wish to spend it hunting for parking, we would book the west side driving tour. A local who knows every pull-out between the Belton Bridge and the lodge, a picnic by the water and nobody in your party stuck behind the wheel.

Coming in winter instead? The winter driving tour takes the same approach to the snowy lower valley, from ~$250. Both cancel for free until 24 hours before, and both let you reserve now and pay nearer the day.

~$250

per person · about 6–7 hours · pickup in the valley

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later on both sites
  • ✓ Park entrance and lunch included
  • ✓ Pickup in Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls

Good to know

Why Glacier is a park for the road, and what you are looking at

Five minutes of reading, and the sharp peaks, the colored lake stones and your guide's stories about red buses will make a lot more sense.

Glacier National Park covers a little over a million acres of the northern Rockies on the Canadian border, a place of knife-edge ridges and long lakes scooped out by ice. Most of it is roadless. A single road crosses it, and a handful of shorter ones nose into its edges, which is why so much of the visiting here happens through a windshield and why a good guide at the wheel changes the day.

01A park carved by ice

Ice-age glaciers shaped every valley you will drive through, leaving the U-shaped troughs and deep lakes the park is known for. The glaciers that gave it its name are much smaller now: about 150 in the mid-1800s, fewer than thirty active today. Your guide will point out the snowfields that remain and the scraped rock where ice used to sit. When the snow comes and goes.

02The road to the sun

The Going-to-the-Sun Road took more than a decade to build and was finished in 1932, about 50 miles from West Glacier over Logan Pass to St. Mary, clinging to cliffs for much of the way. It is a National Historic Landmark and still closes every winter under deep snow. How to see it.

03Red buses and a peace park

The open-topped red tour buses that still run on the big road date from the 1930s, and their drivers were once called gearjammers for the noise they made on the grades. In 1932 the park joined Canada's Waterton Lakes to form the world's first international peace park, later a World Heritage Site. Small-group and private tours today.

The moment most visitors remember is not a summit. It is the first look across Lake McDonald, when the water is so clear the red and green stones on the bottom seem close enough to touch.

04The colored stones

Lake McDonald, the park's largest lake at about 10 miles long, is famous for the pebbles on its shore: red and green argillite, ancient mudstone colored by how much iron and oxygen it held. The cold, clear water makes them glow. Taking stones home is not allowed, so leave them for the next camera.

05Who lives up here

Grizzly and black bears share the park with mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, marmots and bald eagles. Late summer huckleberries draw bears down to lower slopes, and the guides carry bear spray on every walk. What you might see, and how close is too close.

06Manners in the mountains

Keep well back from wildlife and never feed it. Stay on the trails and leave flowers and stones where they are. The park asks visitors to keep at least 100 yards from bears and wolves. On the river, wear the life jacket the guides hand you, even on the calm float. Traveling with children and grandparents.

1910Glacier National Park established

1 million +Acres of mountains and lakes

1932Going-to-the-Sun Road finished

6,646 ftLogan Pass on the Continental Divide

Wondering which town to sleep in so the van can find you? Our guide Whitefish, Kalispell or West Glacier? weighs the options.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Glacier National Park tours

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does a Glacier National Park tour cost?

The six tours on this page run from ~$70 per person for the guided nature walk, where you bring your own park pass, to ~$250 for a full driving day with pickup, lunch and the park entrance included. The river trips cost ~$77. Tips are extra everywhere. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which Glacier National Park tour is the best?

In summer, Tour Glacier's west side driving tour: pickup in the valley, Apgar, the Belton Bridge and Lake McDonald with a picnic, rated 4.9 on GetYourGuide. In winter, the same company's winter driving tour, which has 34 five-star reviews on Viator and nothing lower.

Is there a guided tour of the whole Going-to-the-Sun Road?

Yes, but not on GetYourGuide or Viator. The park's historic red buses and the Blackfeet-run Sun Tours sell full-road tours over Logan Pass directly. The driving tours on this page cover the west side up to Lake McDonald. All the options for the road.

Can you tour Glacier National Park in winter?

Yes. The lower valley from West Glacier to about Lake McDonald Lodge stays plowed, and Tour Glacier runs a winter driving tour there from ~$250 and a drive with two hours of snowshoeing from ~$230, both with pickup and lunch. The rest of the big road is closed to cars. The park in winter.

When is the best time to visit Glacier National Park?

For the whole park, July to mid-September, when the high road is usually open; September is quieter and golden. June is best for whitewater. December to March suits a quiet snowy day in the lower valley. Month by month.

Do Glacier tours pick up in Whitefish and Kalispell?

Tour Glacier's driving tours do, at your lodging in Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls, and in winter also at West Glacier and the ski resort. The nature walk and the rafting trips meet at their offices in West Glacier. Choosing a base.

Do I need a vehicle reservation if I take a tour?

In recent summers the park has required timed vehicle reservations for private cars at the busiest entrance, and the rules change from year to year. On a guided driving tour the operator handles the entry for you. If you drive yourself, check the park's current rules before you go.

Are Glacier tours good for seniors?

Very. The driving tours involve little walking and stop often, and reviewers say the guides ask where to stop and for how long. The scenic float is gentle too. The nature walk covers about 2.5 miles with some climbing. Seniors and families.

Will I see bears on a Glacier tour?

Maybe, but nobody can promise it. Recent guests on the summer driving tour saw a bear with her cub, and river trips often spot eagles or deer, while other days bring nothing bigger than a squirrel. Mountain goats are most likely up at Logan Pass. What lives in the park.

Is the rafting inside Glacier National Park?

Beside it. The Middle Fork of the Flathead forms the park's southern boundary, so you float with the park on one bank and national forest on the other. The trips start from West Glacier, a few minutes from the park entrance. Float or whitewater?

What should I wear on a Glacier tour?

Layers in every month, plus a rain jacket and shoes that cope with wet ground. In winter dress for a ski day, warm boots included. On the river, shoes that stay on your feet and clothes you can get wet. What to bring.

Do I need to tip on a Glacier tour?

Tips are not included on any of the six tours, and in the United States guides and river guides expect them. A few dollars per person for a short river trip and more for a guide who spent the whole day with you is common. Carry some cash.

Can I book a private Glacier National Park tour?

Yes. Tour Glacier says its small-group tours are not always private and invites you to contact it for a private day, and a private luxury SUV tour on GetYourGuide costs from ~$1,499 for up to seven people. Private and small-group tours.

Can I cancel a Glacier tour for free?

Yes. Five of the six cancel for free up to 24 hours before the start on both sites, and the nature walk up to two days before on GetYourGuide. Both sites let you reserve now and pay later on most of these tours.

Read before you travel

Guides to Glacier with a guide

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.