Do you know any fun facts about Glacier National Park? Glacier National Park sits in northwestern Montana along the US-Canada border. GNP is 1,013,322 acres or 1583 square miles and is home to some of the most spectacular and pristine scenery in world.
Managed by the National Park Service, Glacier National Park is home to turquoise lakes, plummeting waterfalls, glacially carved valleys, towering mountains, and an abundance of unique wildlife. It’s every mountain enthusiast’s dream destination.
Whether you’re a hiker, climber, biker, skier, photographer, historian, or national park lover, Glacier National Park is one of the ultimate places that you need to visit.
Let’s take a quick look at some fun facts about Glacier National Park
- The region was originally inhabited by Native Americans with the Blackfeet on the east side of the park and the Flathead to the west. They lived there for almost 10,000 years and called Glacier the Backbone of the World.
- Explorer George Bird Grinnell nicknamed the Glacier region “The Crown of the Continent” in 1885.
- In 1891, the Great Northern Railroad discovered Marias Pass in the southern part of the park, thus allowing more visitors to reach this spectacular region. The Great Northern Railway built 9 chalets to host guests in the park. Today, over 100 million people have visited Glacier National Park.
- On May 11, 1910, President William Howard Taft signed a bill into law that officially made Glacier National Park the 8th national park in the US.
- In 1932, Canada and the US established the Waverton-Glacier International Peace Park. This was the world’s first peace park. In 1974, Glacier National Park was established as an International Biosphere Reserve. And in 1995 the Waverton-Glacier International Peace Park UNESCO declared the parks a World Heritage Site. Learn more about these International designations.
Heavens Peak, Livingston Range, Glacier National Park, Montana | Pixabay Image - Just over the border in Canada in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia sits Waterton Lakes National Park, which was established in 1895. The two parks share 21 miles of international border. If you cross the US-Canada border at Goat Haunt while in the park, you’ll receive a goat shaped passport stamp.
- In 1932, 50-mile long Going To The Sun Road opened. This scenic road weaves through the park and crosses the Continental Divide at 6646 feet Logan Pass where it can accumulate up to 80 feet of snow during the winter season. The Going to the Sun Road is registered as a National Historic Place, National Historic Landmark, and Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
- In the heart of Glacier National Park sits 8020-foot Triple Divide Peak where water drains to the Pacific, Atlantic (via the Gulf of Mexico), and Arctic (via Hudson Bay) Oceans.
- Glacier National Park received its name from the vast glaciers that carved out the beautiful peaks and valleys. These glaciers are estimated to at one time be over 6000 feet thick. Unfortunately, the glaciers began to retreat in the 1850’s. In 1900, there 150 glaciers int eh park, now there are only 26.
- The park boasts 24 species of fish, 71 species of mammals, 276 species of birds, and 1990 species of plants.
Glacier National Park, Montana | Pixabay Image - Mountain goats are the official symbol of the park.
- Glacier National Park is home to 175 mountains in 3 mountain ranges – Clark Range, Lewis Range, and Livingston Range. The highest point in the park is Mt. Cleveland at 10448 feet | 3190 meters.
- There are over 350 structures in the park.
- Glacier National Park boasts 151 hiking trails that cover 745.6 miles.
- There are 762 lakes in Glacier National Park, but only 131 have names. These lakes cover 25622 acres. Lake McDonald is the park’s largest lake. It is 9.4 miles long, 1.5 miles wide, 464 feet deep, and 6,823 acres.
- Robin Williams once said of Glacier National Park that “If it isn’t God’s backyard, He certainly lives nearby.”
Let’s face the facts – Glacier National Park is one of the United State’s most impressive national parks. If you haven’t visit GNP yet, hopefully these fun facts about Glacier National Park will inspire you to visit the Crown of the Continent.
Many of these fun facts about Glacier National Park came from the following sources:
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