As we crossed the Continental Divide at the 6,646-foot Logan Pass, the vista opened up to wide expanses of breathtaking peaks and alpine tundra. Near the parking lot we spotted our first and only mountain goat. Later we learned they enjoyed licking up the anti-freeze off the asphalt. Speaking of the parking lot ... we knew it would be crowded later in the day ... but we were unprepared for the multitude we joined at 9:30 in the morning. Danny photographed one panorama (see our Panorama Gallery) ... and then we hightailed out of there.

As we descended into the eastern side of the park we passed numerous waterfalls, cedar forests, prairie grasslands and one of the most photographed scenes in the park … St. Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island. Danny took the Sun Point Nature Trail to capture yet another panorama for the Panorama Gallery.

One lightening bolt of color amidst the golden hills on Highway 89 ... on the way to Many Glacier ... is the whimsically painted Two Sisters Café.

At the St. Mary entrance we turned north and drove along the edge of the park to the Many Glacier entrance. The terrain on the eastern edge of the park is drier and a bit less touristy. From the Many Glacier entrance we followed the Swift Current River, whose water churns and swirls so quickly that it appears to be flowing backwards. At the end of the road is perhaps the most memorable vista in the park … Swift Current Lake and the massive Grinnell glacier.

Located on the shore of the lake is the rambling Many Glacier Lodge. This old lodge has really suffered the ravages of time and the harsh winter climate … the interior, with its false ceilings and indoor outdoor carpeting installed over the wood floors, is both tacky and literally falling apart. The hotel is listed on the 11 most endangered historic sites in America. Fortunately there are plans to restore the interior to its original grandeur. From the parking lot above the lodge, Danny was able to capture one of my favorite panoramas ... located in our ... you guessed it ... Panorama Gallery.

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