St. Mary is a little village on the eastern edge of Glacier National Park, and here the mountains meet the prairie with a bump. To the west rise the peaks, steep and dark, with the long finger of St. Mary Lake at their foot, while to the east the land opens out into rolling grassland as far as the horizon. The village is a cluster of cafes, motels, a store and a visitor centre, and it is the eastern gateway to Going-to-the-Sun Road.
The land to the east belongs to the Blackfeet Nation, whose reservation shares a long boundary with the park. The Blackfeet called the mountains the Backbone of the World, and the high peaks are sacred to them, as they have been for generations. Many of the names of features in the park come from their language, and the tribe operates businesses and cultural centres in the area. The nearby town of Browning has a museum devoted to Blackfeet history and art, and a rodeo and festival each July.
Wind is the defining feature of this side of the Rockies. The mountains hold back moisture, but west winds roar across the divide and sweep down onto the plains with remarkable force, so on a motorcycle you should expect gusts that can be extremely strong, particularly at the lakeshore. The road from Logan Pass descends in a series of long bends, with a famous viewpoint over the lake and little Wild Goose Island, a tiny speck of land that seems to float on the water. The descent is thrilling, but demands attention, with rock walls on one side and a drop on the other.
You can find basic services in St. Mary, including cafes, gift shops and a petrol station, but it is a small place, so fill up in the morning, since the next big supplies are at Browning, about thirty-seven kilometres south-east, and in Cardston across the Canadian border to the north. Summer is the busy season, and many businesses close from October to May, so check ahead. Pack a warm layer and a windproof jacket. Early evening is a lovely time here, when the low sun lights the peaks and the crowds thin.