9 Reasons People Hate Glacier National Park

CampBrood
2 days ago
7 min read

Glacier National Park isn’t all sunshine, mountain goats, and glacial views. In fact, plenty of visitors leave here frustrated or even angry if they get to Glacier at all. Come on a hike with us along the top trails in Glacier National Park while we share 9 questions you should ask to decide if Glacier might not be the park for you. By the end of this post you’ll know the bad and the ugly so if you want to plan your first trip you’ll be ready. to watch the video version of this blog click here or continue reading below. Let’s Get Started!

While we hike the Highline Trail the first question you should ask is

Why do People say Glacier National Park is too Crowded?

Around 3 million people visit Glacier National Park every year. But other popular parks like Zion see about 5 million each year. What is special about Glacier is that the popular part of the park is only open 2.5 months. In 2022 Going to the Sun road didn’t open until the middle of July and the road often closes in early October. So if you are planning ahead you need to visit in August to make sure you can access the park. But, if you do get there you will have to wake up before sunrise hoping to grab a parking spot at Logan Pass and other popular spots. But when you arrive, you discover that people slept in their cars and the lot is already full if you are just a bit late getting out the door. You try the shuttle, but the line wraps around the building, and several full buses pass you by before you even board. Once on the trail, the two way traffic starting mid morning disrupts your stride ruins your hike. But once you get to the picture perfect spots everyone else is there filming their tik toks. Instead of the tranquil wilderness you envisioned, it feels like rush hour in the mountains.

Later we’ll talk about what the wildlife can do to ruin your trip But what Glacier has done to reduce overcrowding may make you miss your trip this year all together.

Why Does the Glacier National Park Reservation System Frustrate So Many Visitors?

If you plan ahead You’ve booked your hotel, packed your gear, and driven hundreds of miles to reach the park. But at the entrance, a ranger tells you that you need a separate vehicle reservation just to access the Going-to-the-Sun Road. You scramble to get it on your phone, but the system says it’s sold out. Confused and disappointed, you realize you’ve done everything right — except for that one overlooked detail buried in the fine print. You need a vehicle reservation to access the best parts of the park. When we visited we planned ahead and for each day of our visit we were online at 10am est or 7am on the west coast 120 days prior to get our vehicle reservation. I had to block out time at work to make sure I could be uninterrupted on my computer because these tickets are harder to get than Taylor Swift in 2024.

But say you’ve planned everything and you have your reservations and you make it to Glacier National Park you have no control over the weather so while we hike Iceberg Lake Trail,

Is the Weather Really That Bad in Glacier National Park?

Imagine this You begin your hike under sunny skies, but within an hour, you’re caught in freezing rain. Or you try to beat the morning rush only to discover like we did that Logan Pass was socked in with a fog we’ve never experienced before. The views vanish into the fog, and the hike begins 2 hours later colder than expected. But what could be worse is a snow storm that closes the road which prevents you from hiking at all. Or there is a wildfire that settles in for days during late summer, obscuring the views and making it hard to breathe. But there are also wildfires in the park that close sections like what occurred at St Mary and Virginia Falls in 2015. The weather in Glacier National Park can be brutal and unpredictable ruining your vacation.

We will discuss why people hate hiking a bit later but

Every good hiking post needs a dad joke:

What did the zero say to the eight?" "That belt looks good on you."

Here are dad joke books for great gifts: Dad Jokes Around the Campfire: https://geni.us/bD0Zua 600 Funniest Dad Jokes: https://geni.us/WHYBfDB To view any product mentioned by us in our videos and blog, click this link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/campbrood As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Ok back to the list and

Why do Some Visitors Complain About not Seeing Wildlife?

You spend hours hiking the trails, hoping for a glimpse of a bear, moose, or mountain goat, but all you see are squirrels and chipmunks. The ranger said wildlife was active early in the morning, but your late start and the crowds seem to scare everything off. When a bear finally appears near the road, a swarm of tourists rushes in, causing a traffic jam and making it hard to enjoy the moment. But, just because you see all of these photos online the large animals are more shy than you realize. On the trails we may have seen 1-2 large animals if at all. But not the number of animals we expected to see when we were doing our research. That’s why so many people leave Glacier disappointed by the lack of wildlife sightings.

But, many people don’t do enough research while planning to visit Glacier National Park and they miss one very important thing while we hike Grinnell Glacier Trail

Is Glacier National Park Too Difficult or Dangerous for Casual Hikers?

You’ll plan a big hike after seeing beautiful photos, but once you're on the trail, the elevation gain hits you hard. The trail is longer than you thought, and snow patches make things slippery. You pass warning signs about bears, and as you climb higher, narrow ledges with steep drop-offs make your legs shake. Your brood is complaining half way through. The trails are difficult enough during calm sunny weather. But, no one tells you how bad hikes can be when mother nature shows up. We had wind on Grinnell Glacier Trail as you see here and it almost blew us off the trail. We actually had to lower ourselves to the ground to wait for the gusts to pass. You didn’t expect a walk in the park to feel so risky. That’s why casual hikers sometimes feel Glacier is more dangerous than they expected. Going to the Sun road is next and later we will discuss where you’re not going to eat or sleep well but

Do you like this walk and talk format. Subscribe to our YouTube channel today so that the next time you search a Park we’ve been to our videos show up at the top of your search results. Ok, let’s get back to the list while we share views from Going to the Sun Road.

Say you did your research and happily chose to view Glacier National Park from the driver’s seat. You better ask this question.

Why do People Hate Driving Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park

Did you know a 34 year old man died in a rollover crash on Going to the Sun Road during our visit last year. You’re excited to see one of the most scenic drives in America, but once you hit the narrow mountain turns, your hands tighten on the steering wheel and anxiety sets it. The road clings to the edge of a cliff with no guardrail, only a rock kneewall, and oncoming traffic feels just inches away. But opposing traffic often is scared too and they end up in your lane afraid to hit the cliff or afraid of falling off the cliff. You want to enjoy the views, but your eyes are glued to the pavement, and your stomach is in knots. But you also have to get by large vehicles that don’t pull their mirrors in. Your passengers aren’t much more relaxed and they are distracting your focus. Going-to-the-Sun Road is more terrifying than beautiful too many.

What are you worried about with your visit to Glacier National Park? Join the conversation and leave a comment today.

While we hike Hidden Lake Overlook

Why do People Get Angry When Trails are Closed in Glacier?

Picture this. You’ve planned this trip for months and built your entire itinerary around your favorite hikes. You arrive early, only to see a sign posted at the trailhead saying it’s closed due to bear activity. You try another trail, but it’s blocked for maintenance. But, the trail could be closed because the snow hasn’t melted yet or because there was snow the night before. Even the ranger station isn’t sure when things will reopen. You’re left scrambling for backup options, knowing you may not get another chance to return. But when you visit the other trails they are busy because the other trails are closed. Now you know why visitors get so upset when Glacier’s trails close unexpectedly as they often do.

After a long day in the park you might want to sit down to a good meal and a good night’s sleep. But

Why are Lodging and Dining Such a Problem Near Glacier National Park?

You try to book a hotel months before your trip and find everything within the park is already sold out. You settle for a cabin an hour away, but after a long day of hiking, you’re too tired to make the drive back. Restaurants are few and far between, and when you finally find one, there’s a 90-minute wait — and it’s the only place open past 7 p.m. You search for cell service to find another option, but there’s none. As we mentioned before the community has about 2.5 months to make their business profitable for the year. For many it’s just not enough to make a go of it. People are disappointed when the area around Glacier lacks the convenience and comfort they are used to and expect at such an overhyped National Park. Which leads us to our next question and Avalanche Lake Trail

Why do People Think Glacier National Park is Overhyped?

You’ve seen the pictures online turquoise lakes, towering peaks, and wildlife around every corner. But when you arrive, smoke from distant wildfires dulls the colors and hides the horizon. Your top trails are closed, and instead of a peaceful hike, you find yourself jostling through a crowd. You wanted an unforgettable experience, but nothing seems to match the fantasy. Did everyone on Instagram photoshop their photos? But, the other issue is services. There just isn’t a lot of businesses to provide the creature comforts people expect around Glacier National Park. That’s when people start to feel that Glacier doesn’t live up to the hype.