Glacier National Park and Whitefish, Montana - Let Amtrak Get You There

Magnet #51

On Monday, August 2020, Pete and I arrived at Union Station in Chicago wondering if the previous night's looting in the city would impact our travel.

Lo and Behold, our Train #7 arrived on time!! With great relief we boarded and quickly found our sleeper car roomette. For the next 32 hours, we had a safe cocoon on Amtrak’s Empire Builder (especially important since Covid-19 vaccines were at least four months away).

Happy to Be Riding the Rails Again

I can’t say enough good things about traveling cross country via Amtrak. Our steward Tashi, greeted us with a warm welcome and made sure our train car and restroom were kept immaculate. All staff and most passengers wore masks diligently making us feel safe. During the day, we enjoyed the views from our private panoramic window, and when ready to retire for the night, our berths were made cozy and comfortable. Our evening meal and breakfast in the dining car were delicious as usual.

Amtrak Went All Out During Covid Traveling to Keep Dining Delicious

Traveler’s Tip: Our national railroad is a great way to travel. My one bit of advice is to remain flexible. Freight trains notoriously delay our nation's passenger railroad service but overall, you can’t beat letting Amtrak do your long distance driving.

We arrived on time in Whitefish, Montana on Tues. Aug 11th ready to experience all our phenomenal American Rockies has to offer, particularly incredible hiking.

Delightful Stay at the Hidden Moose Lodge in Whitefish, Montana

Our stay at the Hidden Moose Lodge in Whitefish couldn’t have been more pleasurable. Our complimentary breakfasts each morning featured a varied menu such as: fresh blueberry pancakes, hot and fluffy egg casseroles with green chilis, and quiche filled with locally sourced marion or huckleberries. Besides making sure our bellies were full before hitting the trails, our innkeeper made sure we didn’t leave “the Moose” without one very important item we hadn’t thought about needing.

Bear Spray!!!

During our first morning’s breakfast, we were loaned a can of pepper spray our hosts said we absolutely needed before hiking at Johns Pond and Falls in Glacier National Park near the historic Lake McDonald Lodge (closed due to Covid restrictions).

After parking our car roadside, Pete and I set off. We practically had the national park to ourselves. While this may seem ideal, the fact that we were so alone could have proved quite interesting given that the park’s wildlife must have felt that the woods were once again all theirs.

Pete taking a Break After a "Grrrrrrrr"eat hike

Pete and I hadn’t traveled into the forest more than ¼ mile walking single file when I believed I heard a nearby deep “Grrrrrrrrrrrr” nearby to my right. Not about to stop and investigate, I continued walking ahead of Pete wordlessly until we reached a small bridge where we encountered a few other folks doing their own exploring. Safety in numbers suddenly took on a new meaning for me.

It wasn’t until we reached our rental car and shut the doors that I casually asked, “Did you hear that?”

“Yup”, Pete replied quickly. We looked at each other a bit wide eyed before bursting out in laughter. No doubt, we both had heard what very well could have been a bear out enjoying itself on a delightfully warm morning. Thankfully, it must not have been very hungry.

We decided to stay on more populated (not easy to do during the summer of 2020) trails.

Travelers Tip: Grizzlies are commonly found in Glacier National Park. According to the National Park Service, if you should encounter one, DO NOT make eye contact, and walk slowly away. Have bear spray easy to reach if needed.

Our time in Montana was fabulous! It’s no wonder folks are flocking there, particularly in the summer. Glacier National Park is as close to being in the Swiss Alps you can get in my opinion.

Glacier's hiking is spectacular

Covid Didn't Close Great Hiking

During our time, we hiked the Danny On Trail on Whitefish Mountain, "chairlifted" to the top for more incredible views, picked Huckleberries (worth almost $100/gallon in 2020), rode the ski hill's alpine slide, and drove the Going To The Sun Road for as far we could (the east entrance was closed due to the Covid outbreak on the Blackfeet Reservation).

Lake McDonald

By the time we left Whitefish, we felt utterly relaxed and thrilled to be traveling again. Masking seemed to be the way to go for everyone, even the Hidden Moose.

The Slide at Whitefish Mountain

Masking for All - Even For the Not So Hidden Moose

We felt so relaxed, we didn’t mind that the train for the second half of our journey arrived three hours late. We spent the delay shopping and grabbing a bite to eat in Whitefish.

After another restful night in our sleeper accommodation, we enjoyed the stunning scenery encountered as the train approached Seattle. Water, water, everywhere!

Seattle at the time felt like another ghost city. Pete and I finished up our wonderful train trip with al fresco dining at 13 Coins, located close to our airport Hilton. Again, we were among the few passengers flying home to Philly via Delta Airlines (flying first class cheaply thanks to Covid).

My notes say “great visit”. Three years later, I still highly recommend visiting Whitefish, Montana and nearby Glacier National Park.

Just don’t forget your bear spray!