Just because the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth the trip to Glacier National Park’s east side.
The area surrounding Saint Mary Lake provides some awesome and relaxing hikes. Along the way, you will see lakes, creeks, waterfalls, mountains and perhaps even some wildlife.
From Saint Mary, you can enjoy wide landscapes of the lake along the east end of the Sun Road. At the Saint Mary Falls Trailhead, there are a series of short hikes that make the trek over U.S. Highway 2 worth your while.
With just a three-mile, round trip hike, you can see both Saint Mary and Virginia Falls. The hikes take little effort when compared to other treks in the park, but have a big payoff.
Along the way, a spur trail leads visitors to a place called Baring Falls.
How to Get There
From Kalispell, drive 73 miles east on U.S. Highway 2 to East Glacier Park.
There, turn left on to Montana Highway 49 and drive north for 11 miles.
You will join U.S. Route 89 for the final 19 miles to Saint Mary.
From there, you can take the Going-to-the-Sun Road to various sites along the lake.