
Glacier Biking
Montana, with its vast blue skies and endless horizon, surely deserves its moniker Big Sky Country. Discover this awesome beauty for yourself during a ride along Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road, which according to Outside magazine, provides a year's worth of extraordinary mountain scenery in one trip. Then, cross the Canadian border to explore Waterton Lakes National Park, a spellbinding tableau of saw-edged mountain ranges, broad lakes and rugged glacial valleys.
Day 1 lake mcdonald
Meet in Whitefish
Ride to Lake McDonald Lodge, stopping to take in stunning views of Lake McDonald and the surrounding valley from McGee Meadow Overlook.
Day 2 many glacier valley
Ascend the breathtaking Going-to-the-Sun Road, a spectacular route that offers some of the most stunning mountain scenery in the world: sparkling waterfalls, expansive virgin forests, sculpted valleys and towering peaks glazed with ice
Enjoy views of the Continental Divide at the top of Logan Pass before descending to Upper St. Mary Lake and the Many Glacier Valley.
Days 3-4 waterton lakes
Ride to Waterton Lakes National Park, which along with Glacier, comprises an international peace park commemorating the long friendship between the United States and Canada
Picnic on the shore of Belly River before riding on to Waterton Lake
What are you in the mood for? Optional activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, a boat cruise or browsing in the shops of Waterton Townsite.
Days 5-6 east glacier
Pedal the rollercoaster route along the eastern perimeter of Glacier National Park against a spectacular backdrop of meadows, forests and mountains
It's a short climb to Marias Pass, followed by a mostly downhill spin along the Flathead River to West Glacier.
MOUNTAIN LODGES : Casual Inns
Lake McDonald Lodge (1 night): Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it features a massive stone fireplace in the lobby and a terrace overlooking the lake.
Many Glacier Hotel (1 night): An early-1900s Swiss chalet-style hotel set on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake, amid the peaks of the Many Glacier Valley. should there be a comma after Lake?
Prince of Wales Hotel (2 nights): This historic green-gabled hotel offers vistas of the mountains reflected in glacier-fed lakes.
Glacier Park Lodge (1 night): Located on the park's eastern edge in Blackfeet country; immense timbers hold aloft its expansive lobby ceiling.
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Day 1
- Levels 1 to 2
2 Route Options Available
- 19, 24 miles
- 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 3 to 5
2 Route Options Available
- 40, 60 miles
- 1000 - 4000 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Levels 3 to 4
3 Route Options Available
- 33, 50, 62 miles
- 1000 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Levels 1 to 3
2 Route Options Available
- Optional Biking 20, 40 miles
- 800 - 2000 feet elevation gain
- Optional Activities
Day 5
- Levels 3 to 5
4 Route Options Available
- 31, 66, 77, 92 miles
- 1500 - 5000 feet elevation gain
Day 6
- Levels 2 to 5
2 Route Options Available
- 30, 57 miles
- 1000 feet elevation gain
Trips For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Activity Level | Average Time | Average Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biking | Walking & Hiking | ||
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 mile | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
2008 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
- 7/13-18Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/20-25Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/3-8Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/17-22Price: $2498 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/24-29Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/31-9/5Price: $2498 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
SINGLES+SOLOS TRIPS
- 7/6-11Price: $2498 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/10-15Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $820 for sgl. occ.)
Reserve early for the best available price. Prices may change during the course of the year--if they do change, the best prices are available earlier. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Trip praise
Another wonderful Backroads experience. Your service is first-rate and the trips well thought out and planned. The scenery was the star on this trip and the biking extraordinary. The challenge is determining when and where to go next with you!Cambridge, MA
Once again, your company and superb staff have made our active travel everything we have dreamed of. The trip itinerary and set-up was perfect. The biking, van support and scenery beyond compare. The people we met are already planning our next Backroads trip together. We can't wait for out next vacation!Salt Lake City, UT