Minnesota to Glacier National Park Montana Road Trip

Are you considering a Minnesota to Glacier National Park Montana road trip, but not sure where to start? I got your back!! This is a road-trip I have made a dozen times. Many of mine are quick 3-4 day adventures because I do this for a living, and as I’m sure you know, every day of travel means money spent, or money lost in my case. Therefore, in order to make a profit off my travel jobs such as this VOW RENEWAL AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK or this MONTANA CABIN ELOPEMENT, I have to keep them short but sweet!!

I will share my favorite kid-friendly route which can be done in 5-7 days depending on how long you want to explore Montana.

MINNESOTA TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA

We live in Little Falls, Minnesota so that is our starting point. It is approximately 16 hours to East Glacier National Park so it’s a bit too far for us to comfortably attempt in one day. Can it be done? Yes, but you need some good podcasts and preferably 2 drivers to take turns. If I have my kids or have time to not push myself to the limits, then I prefer to drive the 7 hours to Medora, North Dakota on Day 1. We usually get on the road around 8am. Not too early because we want to feel refreshed when arriving in Medora so that we can actually enjoy our time there.

Medora, North Dakota

Medora, North Dakota is a cute touristy Western Town. The first time I visited there I saw horse poop on the sidewalk, and thought to myself, “now this is my kind of town!”. The town itself is filled with boutique shops, restaurants, bars, coffee and treats, Golf, and a Cowboy Museum,. My personal favorite dining experience is BOOTS BAR AND GRILL. I have only ever ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and the Sangria, and if I’m being honest, I will probably ALWAYS order that because it’s just too good to beat IMO.

If you leave Minnesota early enough you could spend that afternoon shopping and exploring, check into your hotel, and then spend the evening at the Medora Musical Theatre or cruising Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park entrance is right there in the town of Medora so easily accessible! It is quite stunning at sunset.

EAST GLACIER NATIONAL PARK MONTANA

From Medora we wake early and make our way to Many Glacier located by the East Entrance of Glacier National Park. It’s about 8-10 hours to Glacier National Park from there depending on where you go in the Park. There is an entrance on the East Side and West Side with the VERY popular Going To The Sun Road connecting the two entrances. If I don’t bring the kids and my photography job is on the West Side then I drive around the park to avoid that crazy, but ‘oh so beautiful’ road. But since the West Entrance adds another hour to our drive we prefer to swap that drive-time for some much needed hot tub and camping time at ST. MARY/EAST GLACIER KOA.

The trail to Lower St. Mary Lake is accessible from the KOA.

East Glacier to West Glacier on the Going To The Sun Road

As of today, October of 2025, you do not need a permit IF driving East to West on the Going To The Sun Road. However, you DO need a daily driving permit if going West to East since this is the more popular route and they need to maintain the crowds. This is another reason we begin our Glacier National Park adventures on the East side. We begin our morning by packing up the car and checking out of our cabin because we are quick and efficient travelers like I mentioned. You could certainly spend a whole day on the East side if you have time to stay an extra night!

Our first stop was at Saint Mary Lake where we parked in the Rising Sun parking lot. Many tourists take the shuttle from the West Entrance so that, along with it being early made it very easy to find parking. We hiked the Sun Point Nature Trail around the lake before continuing West.

HERE IS INFO ON ROAD PERMITS AND CONDITIONS.

All visitors must have a park entrance pass, such as a 7-day vehicle pass, an annual pass, or a valid America the Beautiful Pass. A vehicle reservation is a separate requirement for areas like the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and North Fork during specific dates and times, and it is needed in addition to the park pass.

Logan Pass on the Going To The Sun Road is probably one of the main reasons people travel from afar and are willing to sit hours in traffic. It is breathtaking! I personally would never go during prime travel season mid-day. But despite being a world traveler, I hate feeling like a tourist. So if it involves patience and loads of cars and people, I’m generally out. I would rather wake up before the sun rises and beat the crowds or head out when others head in for dinner. The most popular months in Glacier National Park are July and August with August being the busiest.

Along with Logan Pass, you can likely see some waterfalls, mountain goats, Bighorn sheep, and maybe even a bear or moose if you’re lucky. Well, lucky IF you’re in your car and not hiking WITHOUT bear spray!!!

WEST GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

You can end your day anywhere on the West Side of the park. If you do so you won’t have to worry about the West Entrance waiting line if you plan on exploring more the next day. Which I highly recommend because the hiking trails are endless. Lake McDonald is an absolute must see. There is lodging, shops and restaurants, and you can even rent a kayak and spend some time amidst the calm water and mountains. Apgar Village is on the south side of the lake, and while extremely touristy because you can head there without a Going To The Sun Road permit. It offers some breathtaking morning views as the sun rises over the mountains. So on that note… if you don’t stay at Apgar Village, I highly recommend waking up bright and early and enjoying a cup of coffee at Apgar Village by Lake McDonald.

Avalanche Lake Trail is one of my favorites if you enjoy hiking. It is approximately 4 miles roundtrip. It’s considered a moderate hike, but it does require effort… and hiking boots and bear spray;)

Now if you’re feeling ambitious and don’t mind some rough mountain roads, continue your drive on the North Fork Road. You will need a permit if you plan on driving between 7am-3pm. You can stop at Polebridge for lunch or dinner, and then head North to my favorite destination in the United States… Bowman Lake. It’s not for everyone. The road is a bit rough, dirty, and curvy. Every inch of your car and gear tied to your car will be covered in fine dirt. But it is totally worth it if you need a day or two away from fast-paced life.

Bowman Lake Campground

Our Day 3 of the trip was our highlight, and quite honestly the destination we were aiming for all along. We only stayed one night, and sadly the next day we packed up earlier than anticipated to beat the rain. Packing up wet camping gear is not a fun task!! Luckily we were all up bright and early and got in some quality time skipping rocks on the lake.

Bowman Lake Campground is a first come, first serve campground so you can choose to stay there if there is an open lot or use the day parking if you just want to hang out at the lake. There is absolutely ZERO phone service or wifi so I use this as an opportunity for me and my kids to disconnect and just be in nature. The lake is a glacier lake so it is quite cold. Regardless, we used it to bathe, paddle board and fish. It’s not the best lake for fishing, but it was a good opportunity for Carter to practice fly fishing for the first time. We set up a tent in the tall pines for Halle and Carter, and Layna and I slept in the back of the Acadia, safe and sound from any grizzly bear that might be roaming through the night. I woke to a bunch of deer walking around Halle and Carter’s tent so I used this opportunity to pretend I was a bear and scare Halle, but she was on to me lol.

Numa Ridge Lookout Hike is a moderately strenuous hike with some beautiful views. Approximately 5.6 miles from the Campground.

West Glacier KOA

If I skip East Side of Glacier and I don’t have enough time to make the trek to Polebridge and Bowman Lake, I stay at the West Glacier KOA. It is located outside of the park so it’s much more relaxing if you want to avoid the National Park chaos. It has everything you need… coffee, music, ice cream, and bathrooms with running water (unlike Bowman Lake Campground;). You can choose to save money and sleep in a tent, go the next step up and rent a cabin that basically provides shelter, beds, a fridge and microwave (this is usually our pick) but you are responsible for linens, or opt for a cabin with everything provided. It’s only a few miles from the West Entrance and an easy drive to Whitefish or Kalispell.

West Glacier National Park back to Minnesota Roadtrip

To change up the scene a bit, on Day 4 we took a different drive home through Columbia Falls and Kalispell and stayed one night in Bozeman. It’s about a 6 hour, beautiful drive, so we still had time for a hike and a relaxing morning at the campground before needing to hop back in the car. Bozeman is a great place to eat some fine dining and get a comfy night of sleep. If you skipped the luxury cabin and opted for a tent at Bowman Lake you will certainly appreciate this!!

From Bozeman, we woke up bright and early and spent our whole last day 5 in the car since it’s about 14 hours for us to get home. We decided to stop for lunch at Medora since the timing worked out perfectly.

If you want to save a little bit of driving, it is about an hour less of drive-time if you do the same route home (minus the Going to The Sun Road) and stay in Medora again. Or if you have a couple drivers willing to take turns, I have driven the whole 16 1/2 hours in one day plenty of times. But it means you are listening to music and podcasts from 7 am to almost midnight. I think I covered all the Jay Shetty podcasts in one road trip home when I did it solo!

Thanks for joining us on our Minnesota to Glacier National Park 5 Day Road Trip!!