Following two unforgettable days exploring the East side of Glacier National Park we were heading west on US-2 towards West Glacier National Park and Kalispell.
Driving from East Glacier Village to West Glacier Village is truly breathtaking and we wished there was time to stop and enjoy the scenery. Rugged peaks and tight switchbacks make up the eastern side of the trip before easing into lush forests that offered several turnouts for hiking trails, access to the Flathead River, and views of the Northern Transcon that was first built in 1892. The history of Marias Pass in quite interesting, including the surveys of 1853 and 1889, which ultimately led to the "discovery" of the pass that had been known to natives for hundreds of years. There is a parking lot at the Continental Divide we stopped at briefly to take in the views and see the massive Roosevelt Memorial Obelisk, built in 1931.
Shortly down the road there were several vehicles pulled off to the side that could only mean one thing - wild life was near! We joined the masses and quickly spotted a juvenile moose drinking water from a small pond near the railroad. Fox grabbed the camera and snagged a few pictures while everyone enjoyed the absolutely incredible sight. Down the road we went as the river snaked and cut through the mountain pass. A couple hours later and we reached West Glacier Village where lunch at Glacier Highland Restaurant was the first stop before any additional sight seeing.
Once the enjoyable and relaxing lunch was complete the car was loaded back up and we began cruising down the Going-To-The-Sun-Road. With a yearly national parks pass we cruised right through the west entrance and were on the road along the stunning Lake McDonald. Unfortunately, when we visited in mid-June the road was closed shortly at the end of Lake McDonald. After driving through the forest we turned back and stopped at a nice pullout to soak in the bright sun and shimmering water. Like so many other stops in Glacier not nearly enough time was spent exploring the west side. Just one more reason to return soon...
At last people began to get worn out from the long day and sun so the decision was made to head towards Kalispell. The hour or so trip from the lake to the closest larger city of Kalispell was smooth and we quickly arrived at the conveniently located Travelodge by Wyndham. During check-in the attendant let Fox know that Moose's Saloon (Established 1957) across the street was our best bet. A family atmosphere was confirmed because, "they serve pizza and heave peanuts" so we unloaded the truck and walked on over.
The saloon, complete with sawdust floors, initials carved in wood, and eclectic photos on the walls has an inviting vibe. The beers were cheap and the delicious pizza has ample options for the various connoisseurs out there. Alec quickly pointed out there was a tastefully painted topless woman on the wall and questioned what type of place we took him and his sister to. Once the pizza arrived all doubt was put away as laughs were had people watching while a jalapeno and pepperoni pizza lit up Amaris and Fox's taste buds.
Time in Kalispell came to a close the next morning as Amaris and Fox both crushed client calls early in the morning. During a short break prior to checking out we quickly ran over to Mountain Mudd on East Idaho and were greeted by friendly staff while waiting for the coffees and breakfast burritos. A key piece of advice they gave us was to take the route by Seeley Lake on the way to Helena where we would be staying for the night. This was a great route that we will share more information on in the next post!
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