West Glacier is a small collection of lodges, cafes and gift shops at the western entrance of Glacier National Park, a few hundred yards from the gate and the railway, and it is the starting point for Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Great Northern Railway built much of the tourism here, advertising Glacier as America's Switzerland in the early twentieth century, and constructing grand lodges in the mountains. Trains still pass through the village on the line from Chicago to Seattle, and the sound of a long freight is part of the soundtrack.
The park is a wild landscape of jagged peaks, deep U-shaped valleys, high lakes and the remnants of glaciers, which have shrunk dramatically in the past century. Its mountains are made of ancient sedimentary rock, in layers of red, green and grey, thrust up and carved by ice. Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park, lies just beyond the entrance, ten miles long and over four hundred feet deep, and its shoreline is covered with smooth, multi-coloured pebbles that shine under the clear water.
Going-to-the-Sun Road, which was completed in 1932, is a masterpiece of mountain engineering, fifty miles long, clinging to cliffs and crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, at about sixty-six hundred feet. The road is narrow, with tight bends, steep drops and a low stone wall, and no guard rails in places. Vehicles over a certain size are prohibited on the narrowest section, and in busy years the park has used timed-entry reservations, so check the park website before you go. The upper road is usually clear of snow from late June or July until October, but weather can bring early closures.
There is a gas station and a few shops in West Glacier, but the larger town of Columbia Falls, about twenty kilometres away, has more choices, and it is wise to start with a full tank, since fuel is not sold in the park. Grizzly and black bears live in the park, so carry bear spray if you plan to hike, and keep your distance from wildlife. Early morning is quiet and pleasant, with mist on the lake, while afternoons are crowded. Dress in layers, since the temperature at the pass can be freezing in summer.