Casual Hotels
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.
Lake McDonald Lodge
Glacier National Park (1 night)
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with a large stone fireplace in the lobby and a terrace overlooking the lake.
Many Glacier Hotel
Glacier National Park (1 night)
An early-1900s Swiss chalet-style hotel set on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake amid the peaks of Many Glacier Valley.
Prince of Wales Hotel
Waterton Lakes National Park (2 nights)
This historic green-gabled hotel offers vistas of the mountains reflected in glacier-fed lakes.
Glacier Park Lodge
Glacier National Park (1 night)
Located on the park's eastern edge in Blackfeet country; immense timbers hold aloft its expansive lobby ceiling. (pool, spa)
This Trip Is Rated Levels 2-5
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.
Daily Route Options (drag to see full )
| Daily Route Options |
| 1 |
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13* |
1000 |
32 |
1800 |
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23* |
1600 |
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| 2 |
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33* |
4000 |
60 |
5500 |
| 3 |
|
|
21* |
1400 |
33* |
2200 |
51 |
3500 |
63 |
4500 |
| 4 |
|
|
20 |
2000 |
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|
21 |
1600 |
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| Optional Hiking, Biking, Horseback Riding, Fishing, Kayaking or Boat Cruise |
| 5 |
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|
45* |
4500 |
65* |
6100 |
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|
92 |
8000 |
| 6 |
Rafting on the Flathead River (3 Hours) |
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Note:
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Meals
All breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners
Available Bike Options
The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.
Touring Bike (Included)
Performance Road Bike (Included)
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price)
Wishing for a little extra assistance up those hills? Our custom Backroads Electric-Assist Bike lets you experience the thrill of exploring on two wheels while providing a boost when you want it. We've modified a selection of our great Titanium Bikes with the intuitive BionX "pedal-assist" system.
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)
Specialized S-Works Roubaix & Ruby ($400 rental fee)
Ride like a pro with the new top-of-the-line S-Works bike featuring ultrasmooth Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. Faster and smoother than any other bike out there, this race-ready carbon machine delivers phenomenal acceleration and handling in an ultralight, ultrapowerful package—perfect for experienced riders. The Specialized S-Works Ruby is a light, agile speed machine precisely designed for women. You can upgrade to a Specialized S-Works Roubaix or Ruby on your trip.
Specialized S-Works Roubaix (Upgrade)
Specialized S-Works Ruby (Upgrade)
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)
Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)
Burley Kazoo trailer bike (Included in your trip price)
The Burley Kazoo trailer bike, for children up to 85 pounds, attaches to an adult bike with your child providing some of the pedal power for a real team effort! It's ideal for kids who may be comfortable pedaling around the neighborhood but aren't yet ready for bike touring.
Burley Cub trailer (Included)
Burley Cub trailer (Included in your trip price)
The Burley Cub trailer, for one or two children 60 pounds and under, is sturdy carrier that attaches to our bikes. It provides a comfortable and safe ride in the spacious interior with inner pockets for snacks and drinks, a reclining seat with a secure five point padded harness system and an adjustable sunscreen.
Burley Cub trailer
Also Included
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Get the Straight Talk about This Trip
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Accommodations
Our accommodations are authentic and rustic lodges that reflect the natural surroundings of Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. The buildings were constructed in the early 20th century and have been only minimally renovated over the years, in accordance with National Park regulations. While these historic hotels offer simpler accommodations than is typical of Backroads lodging, they do provide unparalleled access to the best routes in the region. Please note that the guest rooms are basic and are not equipped with televisions, hair dryers or air-conditioning. Generally speaking, customer service in the national parks can seem slow and casual when compared with the high standards of hospitality found on other Backroads trips.
Why Travel with Backroads in Glacier and Waterton Lakes
Two Parks Are Better Than One
Beyond the obvious opportunity to explore some spectacular landscapes, the idea behind this trip is simple: why settle for just one renowned national park when you can explore two – and cross an international boundary in the bargain? Biking through Glacier National Park on the Montana side of the Rockies, then crossing the U.S.-Canada border into Waterton Lakes, you enjoy stunning rides and stay at historic park lodges that are typically booked-up far in advance.
More Leaders to Support You
On our Glacier and Waterton Lakes trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
A Second Van When You Need It
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Glacier and Waterton Lakes—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
The Best Leaders in Glacier and Waterton Lakes
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Glacier and Waterton Lakes, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
Everyone at Their Own Pace
We design and support our Glacier and Waterton Lakes trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Great Bikes Included (or Upgrade)
Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn more about our bike fleet.
Navigate Your Way in Glacier and Waterton Lakes
Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in Glacier and Waterton Lakes. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.
The Value of Casual Hotels
In addition to the ideal balance of comfort and hospitality in our choice of lodgings, this trip featuring Casual Hotels includes nearly all of your meals, plus everything from cocktail receptions to the best snacks along the road. So there's rarely a need to reach for your wallet – we've got you covered.
We've Set the Standard
For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by
Signature Backroads Picnics
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
Choose Your Fellow Travelers
With Backroads you won't end up with kids on what you thought was an adult trip; we have exclusive departures for families, so they're off having their own adventures. As you browse our unrivaled selection of trips and dates, you can count on finding a trip in Glacier and Waterton Lakes that's geared exclusively to your choice of traveling companions.
Your Trip Will Run. Period.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
