Camping in Glacier National Park

In August 2020 after the completing a a 14-day backpacking trip with NOLS, my boyfriend Jason drove to meet me in Wyoming, and we took a very long, scenic route home. Our route brought us west to Jackson Wyoming, and north through Yellowstone National Park and into Montana. This was both of our first time visiting the state of Montana, which immediately struck us with its expansive landscapes of wide open rolling hills. Montana felt like a long, calm deep breath of fresh air— it was the very antidote we needed after having spent the first half of 2020 cooped up in our house in Los Angeles. We were driving to meet our friends Gilles and Eve in Glacier National Park, where they had a campsite they had offered to share with us.

We camped at Fish Creek Campground, which was your typical National Park campground where the location can’t be beat…but the sites are a little stacked on top of each other.

We arrived into Glacier National Park to oppressive summer heat. Lake McDonald is pristine and clear, but glacier cold! On day one we lounged by the lake and took the occasional polar plunge to cool down.

(Blackfeet Ancestral Land)

Photos are shot on Leica M10 and on film with the Fuji Natura S 🎞 (with a few iPhone too).

Looks refreshing but holy moly this lake water is FREEZING COLD

On day two we woke up before the crack of dawn, and I drove Jason, Gilles and Eve to the Logan Pass to hike the Highline Trail. I would have loved to hike, but dogs are not permitted on National Park trails, so I volunteered to be the chauffeur and hang back with Gary. The highline trail looks absolutely incredible, but having recently completed 14 days of backpacking in Wyoming, I felt like if anybody should sit this one out, it was me.

After dropping the group off, I drove along Going-to-the-Sun Road to chase the sunrise and take photos. Because of Covid, the road was closed after Lake Saint Mary (to keep the public from traveling through the native Blackfeet reservation on the east of the park). I went as far as the lake, and found a peaceful place to park and nap with Gary.