Glacier National Park 4 Day Itinerary: Both Sides of the Divide
A Glacier National Park 4 day itinerary that works both sides of the Divide.
Two nights on the west side around Lake McDonald, a crossing of Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, then two nights on the east side split between Many Glacier and Two Medicine. Flying in and out of Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell.
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16 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Glacier National Park 4 Day Itinerary: every stop pinned in order.
West Glacier · Logan Pass · Many Glacier · Two Medicine
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Glacier National Park 4 Day Itinerary in photos: 2 of the stops.
Plan and book your 4 days in Glacier, 4 days, one step at a time
- The 2026 Logan Pass pilot ran July 1 to September 7: after Labor Day there is no park shuttle and no 3-hour parking limit, so drive to Logan Pass early and park for as long as you need. Source
- Going-to-the-Sun Road is typically fully open until the third Monday of October (October 19 in 2026), but sections can close for weather at any point. Source
- No vehicle reservation is needed anywhere in Glacier in 2026. Source
How 4 days in Glacier, 4 days split up
Plan 4 days for Glacier, 4 days. Covers: Both sides. Entry: $35 / vehicle. Logan Pass: 3-hr parking. This Glacier National Park 4 day itinerary crosses the Continental Divide once by road and covers three of the park's distinct areas: West Glacier and Lake McDonald on the west side, then over Logan Pass on Going-to-the-Sun Road to Many Glacier and Two Medicine on the east side. Fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) near Kalispell, and fly back out of it four days later.
Day 1: West Glacier and Lake McDonald
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Many Glacier
4 stops · Day three
Day 4: Two Medicine and Departure
4 stops · Day four
West Glacier and Lake McDonald
Fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) near Kalispell and drive about 30 minutes to West Glacier, the town at the park's west entrance. No vehicle reservation is required for 2026, so you can drive straight in once you have a park pass ($35 per vehicle for 7 days, or an America the Beautiful pass).
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~25 mi · 30 min · Drive - Lake McDonald & Lake McDonald Lodge
Pull-offs and the historic lodge · Viewpoint - Trail of the Cedars & Avalanche Lake
Boardwalk loop, or continue to the lake · Hike - Stay in West Glacier, MT
Closest to FCA · lodge
Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass
Today is the crossing. Drive the full length of Going-to-the-Sun Road from West Glacier to Logan Pass, at 6,646 ft the highest point on the road, then continue down the east side to St. Mary. The full road is typically accessible from late June at the earliest, and the alpine section usually closes for the winter around the third Monday of October, weather permitting, so this day only works in that window.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass
~35 mi from West Glacier · Drive - Hidden Lake Overlook Trail
2.7 mi RT · 460 ft gain · Hike - Logan Pass 3-hour parking / shuttle
2026 pilot · July 1 to Sept 7 only · activityOfficial info → - Stay in St. Mary, MT
~15 mi past Logan Pass · lodge
Many Glacier
Base the day in Many Glacier, the valley most people mean when they say Glacier looks like Switzerland. The signature hike here is Iceberg Lake: a long valley walk that gains steadily to a cirque lake with icebergs floating in it well into summer, below a headwall of cliffs. It is a full-day hike, so start early, both for parking at the Many Glacier lots and to be off the exposed upper section before any afternoon storm builds.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive to Many Glacier
~15 mi from St. Mary · 1 hr · Drive - Iceberg Lake Trail
Full-day valley hike · Hike - Glacier Park Boat Co., Many Glacier
Optional · Swiftcurrent & Josephine lakes · activityOperator info → - Stay in St. Mary or Many Glacier, MT
Reserve months ahead for summer · lodge
Two Medicine and Departure
Two Medicine is the quietest of the park's main valleys and the one most 3-day trips skip. From St. Mary or Many Glacier it is a drive back down to US-89 and around through East Glacier, roughly an hour and a half to two hours depending on where you start. Stop at Running Eagle Falls (also called Trick Falls), a short, easy walk from the road to a waterfall that pours through two levels of rock, then spend the rest of the morning at Two Medicine Lake itself, on foot along the shore or on the Glacier Park Boat Co. tour, which also runs boats here.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive to Two Medicine
~1.5 to 2 hrs via US-89 and East Glacier · Drive - Running Eagle Falls (Trick Falls)
Short, easy walk from the road · Viewpoint - Glacier Park Boat Co., Two Medicine
Optional · Two Medicine Lake tour · activityOperator info → - Fly home from Glacier Park Intl (FCA)
~2.5 hrs via East Glacier & West Glacier · Drive
Book the 3 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the checking. We find what is still open near each trailhead and email you this plan back with a booking link for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Glacier, 4 days
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Glacier, 4 days
Extending to 5 or 7 days, and what both sides of the park ask of you.
No 2026 vehicle reservation, but Logan Pass is capped
Glacier requires no vehicle reservation anywhere in the park for 2026. You still need a park pass ($35/vehicle for 7 days), and the park is piloting a 3-hour parking limit plus a ticketed shuttle at Logan Pass. Confirm the current shuttle window on nps.gov/glac before you plan a long stop there.
Add a 5th day: Waterton, Canada
Add a day and cross into Waterton Lakes National Park. The boat link from Many Glacier's Goat Haunt runs via the Waterton Inter-Nation Shoreline Cruise Co, and most visitors need to report entry through the CBP ROAM app; a round trip under 30 minutes without passing the ranger station is exempt. Bring a passport either way.
Add a 6th or 7th day: Polebridge and the North Fork
The North Fork, home to the Polebridge Mercantile and Bowman and Kintla lakes, is reached on rough, single-lane gravel roads where 4WD is recommended and flat tires are common. It is a full day out of West Glacier, quieter and less developed than the rest of the park, and a natural way to use a 6th or 7th day.
Grizzly country on both sides
Glacier has both grizzly and black bears park-wide. Carry bear spray where you can reach it instantly on every hike, not packed away, make noise, hike in a group, and store food properly at camp or in the car.
Where to base
West Glacier puts you closest to FCA and Lake McDonald. St. Mary and Many Glacier put you closest to Logan Pass and the Many Glacier trailheads. East Glacier Park is the option if you want to be near Two Medicine on your last night instead of driving it same-day.
Go when the road is open
Going-to-the-Sun Road typically becomes fully accessible in late June at the earliest and the alpine section usually closes around the third Monday of October, weather permitting. July through September is the reliable window; always confirm current road status on nps.gov/glac before you fly in.
This Glacier itinerary, answered.
Logan pass: the questions people ask most.
Yes, for a first trip that wants both sides of the park. Four days gets you a real day each in West Glacier/Lake McDonald, Logan Pass, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine. What gets cut is depth: one hike per valley instead of two or three, and no time for Waterton or the North Fork.
No. For 2026 Glacier requires no vehicle reservation at any entrance. You still need a valid park entry pass, $35 per vehicle for 7 days in summer (May 1 to Oct 31), or an America the Beautiful pass.
For 2026 the park is piloting a 3-hour parking limit at Logan Pass along with a ticketed-only shuttle system for visitors who want to stay longer in the alpine area. Check nps.gov/glac for the current shuttle ticket window before you go.
Add a 5th day for a boat trip to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada from Many Glacier's Goat Haunt dock (bring a passport). Add a 6th and 7th day for the North Fork: Polebridge, Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake, reached on gravel roads out of West Glacier.
Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) near Kalispell, about 25 miles and 30 minutes from West Glacier. It is the only airport inside easy driving range of the park.
This itinerary uses both: West Glacier for the Lake McDonald day and easy airport access, then St. Mary or Many Glacier for Logan Pass and the Many Glacier hikes. If you only have time to pick one base, West Glacier is easier logistically; St. Mary or Many Glacier puts you closer to the more dramatic alpine hiking.
Yes. Tell us your dates and we check what is still open for the plan on this page, then send it back with a booking link for each night and the total. Nothing is charged and nothing is held, and you pay the normal rate.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 4-day route. Same 8 stops.
- 1 night, a campsite near West Glacier
- $30
- 2 nights, a campsite near St. Mary
- $60
- Rental car, 4 days
- $380
- Gas, about 263 miles
- $50
- Park entry, one car
- $35
- 1 night, a room in West Glacier
- from $171
- 2 nights, a room in St. Mary
- from $560
- Rental car, 4 days
- $380
- Gas, about 263 miles
- $50
- Park entry, one car
- $35
- A private local guide, rooms and campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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