Westward Ho! Glacier's Beauty & A Big Surprise! (Day 29)
Our first full day in Glacier was incredible! We hiked to St. Mary's and Virginia Falls, and were blown away by the size of the falls and the shockingly turquoise water—it looked more like the Caribbean than Montana, but with snow-capped peaks all around! The kids, even Lorna, had a blast playing in the absolutely freezing snowmelt at the base of the falls.
After a picnic lunch on a secluded gravel beach by St. Mary Lake, we drove up the Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as we could. We were shocked to find Logan Pass already open for the season! The kids got their Junior Ranger books and we spotted bighorn sheep. We weren't equipped for a real "snow hike" in our shorts (though the kids tried!), a phrase I have now officially outlawed from repeated requests.
The best news came at the end of the day: we met some wonderful, off-duty park employees who were so excited for some Piper & Leaf tea samples. They told us the ENTIRE Going-to-the-Sun Road is set to open in just two days! We never expected to be able to drive the whole thing this early in the season. We are so, so excited!
