Five days in Glacier National Park is a perfect amount of time to see the greatest landmarks in the park, from the wondrous views of Logan Pass to the sparkling Lake McDonald.
With our Glacier National Park 5-day itinerary, you’ll be able to see the best of Glacier plus a few off-the-beaten-track gems.
The Best Glacier National Park 5-Day Itinerary
Glacier National Park Accommodation
You can choose to stay within Glacier National Park at one of the official park lodges or campgrounds, or you can stay in one of the gateway communities outside the park, where accommodation is likely to be more affordable.
Please note if you do stay in an official park lodge, you should reserve your booking 13 months in advance. These include:
West Side
Lake McDonald
East Side
Regardless of the type of lodging you choose, we recommend staying on the eastern side of the park for the purpose of this itinerary. Though there are great accommodation choices in the west, that will increase your travel time and cut time away from your schedule.
If you’d like to stay at a campground, we recommend St. Mary Campground, Rising Sun Campground, and Many Glacier Campground as the best choices in relation to this itinerary.
Day 1
Morning: Lake McDonald
Start your journey from West Glacier, where you can access the Going-to-the-Sun Road just outside the park entrance. The road traverses the entire park and will take you all the way to St. Mary, offering plenty of breathtaking stops along the way.
The first stop, Lake McDonald, is less than 15 minutes away from West Glacier, tucked away in the southwestern area of the park. You should reach the lake early in the morning and have plenty of time to enjoy its beautiful views.
Lake McDonald is the largest lake in the park and one of the busiest destinations. You’ll be able to swim in the lake (though it may be mighty cold), go kayaking or canoeing, and even rent a boat.
Additionally, there are a few hiking trails around the lake that will give you fantastic views of the area.
There’s a total of 12 hiking trails in the Lake McDonald Valley, each with varying distances and elevation gains. As we’ve allowed most of the day at Lake McDonald, you can take on one of the longer hikes or a combination of the shorter ones.
One of the most famous shorter trails is the Trail of the Cedars, which you can access from the Avalanche Picnic Area. The trail will take you on a short boardwalk through majestic ancient cedar trees—one of the most unique destinations in the park.
Additionally, you can check out the Avalanche Creek Trail, also accessed from the Avalanche Picnic Area, which is another great easy hike with mild elevation gains.
The Lake McDonald Western Shore Trail itself is one of the longest trails in the area and takes around five hours to complete. However, the trail is relatively easy and the views are amazing. If you would prefer to spend most of the day hiking rather than passing time by the water, this is a great option.
It takes approximately two hours to travel the entire length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, from West Glacier to St. Mary.
Aim to leave Lake McDonald in the late afternoon for dinner in St. Mary, where you will find a small collection of cafes and bars in St. Mary Village.