East Glacier – The Often Seen
and the Frequently Missed
Most who go to
East Glacier have the lodge as one of their must see destinations.
And it is really something to see. It just turned 100 years old and
it still looks good for it's age.
The East Glacier
Lodge started with it's famous ponderosa pine logs that support the
structure. In fact during the construction, the logs were place
first in their standing position, then the rest of the lodge built
around them. These beautiful rustic logs, still with the bark on
them, capture your attention the minute you walk through the doors to
the main lobby. Large skylight windows that allow you to see the sky
and clouds make it seem like daylight inside the massive structure.
Shops and
restaurants surround the lobby, but do not dominate it. Sofa's,
chairs, and tables are placed throughout the lobby, inviting you to
sit, relax, and look around at the details.
Learning to Relax...!
Outside, there are gardens for you to walk through, adding to the natural background of the snow-capped peaks of the mountains, and the huge old lodge that dominates the scene. Teepees on the grounds add to the historical interest. And there's a golf course where you can play a round of golf with the mountains in the background.
Acrosss the road
in front of the lodge is the train station, that still receives
visitors by rail every day. Jo remembers hearing a story of her
grandparents visiting Glacier by train and the sights they saw when
stepping off the train, 70 years ago. The same scene, for the most
part, is still the one you see today.
A short drive or
walk puts you into the business district of East Glacier with its
quaint shops and restaurants. Most people turn around at this point
and head back to other parts of the park.
Two Medicines
About ten miles
further, on Hwy 49, puts you into a lesser know area of the Glacier
National Park.
A spectacular
lake with some very impressive mountains surrounding it will delight
you. With camping, picnicing, boat tours of the lake, and hiking
right in the middle of it, the Two Medicines area is a stop we highly
recommend.
A short walk (3/10s of a mile) leads to Running Eagle
Falls, one of the best we have seen anywhere. This trail to the
falls is wheel chair accessible and is well marked from the road.
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