The Many Glacier area is the most amazing section of Glacier National Park, a top-tier US National Park. The historic inn, lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers are out of this world. Scenic boat rides, epic hikes, and opportunities to view wildlife are icing on the cake.
Note: We’ve split our guides to Glacier National Park out into sections. See our Glacier National Park guide for an overview, then link to our other guides for the park, including the Going to the Sun Road area, the Two Medicine area, Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail, and Hiking the Highline Trail.
Also: Our visit to Glacier National Park was part of a larger trip that included Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper National Parks), and Kootenay National Park along the Windermere Highway.
Sights and Activities in the Many Glacier Area
Many Glacier Hotel
Built in 1914 for the Great Northern Railway, this impressive hotel has 240 guest rooms. It is the largest lodging in Glacier National Park. The hotel is right on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, and the surrounding mountains provide a stunning backdrop.
To book a stay here, visit the Glacier National Park Lodges website. (As discussed in our About page, we rarely choose to stay in a national park lodge. We can enjoy the lobby and the grounds, and maybe even a meal, without spending exorbitant amounts to spend the night. On this trip, we chose to book a small RV, allowing us to stay in the parks we visited, but saving us tons of money on accommodations and dining.)
No matter your itinerary, a stop at the Many Glacier Hotel is a must.
Upon arrival, park in the large lot, which is uphill from the hotel. You almost can’t believe the splendid views of the hotel, the lake and the mountains, even from the parking lot.
Walk down the stairs from the parking lot to visit the lobby, noticing the profusion of flowers in window boxes and around the grounds. Check out the chalet-style architecture and trim.
Inside the Lodge
The hotel stretches over five buildings, with the main building in the center. The lobby is a great place to relax after a hike or just to take in the ambience.
The massive stone fireplace is built into the center of the lobby at one end and features a large hearth open on all four sides. This makes a great spot for a photo and to warm yourself in cooler weather.
At the other end of the lobby, walk down the beautiful round staircase and out behind the hotel to see the back of the hotel and to view the beautiful Swiftcurrent Lake.
Heidi’s Snack Shop and Espresso Stand on the lower level is a great place to get a coffee, a snack, or even a light meal to enjoy by the lake.
Swiftcurrent Lake / Back of Many Glacier Hotel
This lakeshore is right outside the Many Glacier Hotel. The views of Grinnell Point and the other surrounding mountains are stupendous, especially as seen from the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. The back-side views of the hotel are awesome too.
Multiple trails lead from the Many Glacier Hotel, including trails along the shoreline of Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, which lies just beyond Swiftcurrent.
Even if you don’t have much time, or don’t like to hike, take a stroll on the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail. The entire loop is 2.6 miles and circles the lake on an easy path.
Scenic Boat Rides / Hiker Shuttles
Scenic boat rides leave from the dock behind the hotel. Book your seats well in advance at Glacier Park Boat Tours. Your ticket actually gets you two fantastic, narrated boat rides. The first is on the Chief Two Guns and takes you across Swiftcurrent Lake.
From there, disembark and walk .2 miles over a somewhat steep trail to the boat dock for Lake Josephine. (Don’t be put off by descriptions of this trail being steep. It is short and do-able.)
The second boat, the Morning Eagle, takes you across Lake Josephine. On this second boat, you are treated to amazing views of Salamander Glacier and Gem Glacier.
Upon arrival at the southern end of Lake Josephine, you can disembark to do some hiking, or just enjoy the area around the shore.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to hike or have limited time, you can stay on the boat and return back over both lakes to the Many Glacier Hotel.
Hikes from the Southern End of Lake Josephine
Trails to Hidden Falls, Grinnell Lake, and Grinnell Glacier can be accessed from the Lake Josephine boat dock. While each of these hikes can be done from the Many Glacier Hotel area, taking the boats across the two lakes will save you more than two miles of hiking each way.
For a map of hiking trails in this area, click here. If you want to hike these or other trails in the area, your round-trip boat ticket ensures you a spot on a later return boat.
It is also possible to book a “One Way Return” ticket only. Using this ticket saves you 2+ miles of hiking back to the hotel (ie, you hike out from the Many Glacier Hotel and then return on the boats. We were unable to book a roundtrip ticket for the time that we wanted to do our Grinnell Glacier hike as there was no seat availability remaining. But we were able to get the One-Way Return tickets, and I can assure you that after 9+ miles of hiking, we were ready to ride back to the Many Glacier Hotel on the boats!)
Grinnell Glacier Hike
See our Grinnell Glacier Hike Guide for details on the epic adventure we had hiking to the glacier. It’s a MUST for serious hikers!
Apikuni Falls
The trailhead for Apikuni Falls is accessed from Many Glacier Road and is located about 1.4 miles east of the Many Glacier Hotel. The out-and-back trail is around 1.7 miles roundtrip. The cascade plunges down the sheer cliff face. This is a moderately difficult hike, with the first 0.2 miles being flat, followed by a steep uphill climb to the falls. Overall, the elevation gain is a little more than 600 feet, and you are rewarded for your efforts when you arrive at the base of the falls.
Fishercap Lake
Fishercap Lake is a short, easy stroll (.3 mile each way) on the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail from the Switfcurrent Motor Inn and the Many Glacier campground. Park in the Inn’s lot.
Moose are often seen here, so this is one of your best chances to spot this elusive mammal. The lake itself is idyllic, especially in early morning or evening light. If you don’t see moose in or around the lake, check the woods on the north side of the lake.
We were “cutting” up from the lake to the main trail to continue on to Red Rock Lake, when we were astonished to see two moose stand up right in front of us. Moose are huge! We very quietly and unobtrusively walked past, who were just off the trail looking at us. Fred stopped to take pictures, but I felt safer putting a little distance between me and these majestic animals.
We went back in the evening and saw this female feeding in the lake.
Redrock Falls and Lake Hike
The hike to Redrock Falls is relatively flat and easy and take you to a gorgeous natural lake and waterfall. It’s 3.6 miles roundtrip from the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot to Redrock Falls (at the far end of the lake). Wildflowers brighten the well-marked. This a great trail for families!
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins
The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn began operating in 1933. It offers 95 “rustic” motel rooms and basic cabins. There’s also a gift shop, camp store and a restaurant (see below). To book your reservation, click here. The Inn may be closed for the 2025 season due to construction.
Note: The Swiftcurrent is adjacent to the Many Glacier campground. If you’re camping, walk over for a meal or a treat. Campers can also use public showers here for a fee.
Dining – Nell’s at Swiftcurrent
Nell’s at Swiftcurrent is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, and offers an adequate menu. While not fine dining, Nell’s offers salads, pizza and other tasty options. Order your food and drinks at the counter, then find a table. Servers bring your food out.
Many Glacier Campground
The Many Glacier Campground has 101 campsites set in an evergreen and Aspen forest. Sites are small but shady. (Our site, #108, barely had room to park our small RV.) But the campground has a convenient location, being near hiking trails, the Many Glacier Hotel, and adjacent to the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.
Book as early as possible! But if the campground is fully booked, you can try to get one of the limited number of sites that are released 4 days before the stay date. (We left home without a reservation since we had been unsuccessful in getting a campsite. But we tried this 4-day prior option, and it worked, but be warned – all sites were filled within moments of the reservation windown opening! So if you are trying this option, be online, logged in, and ready to book!)
Check out this National Park Service FAQ for Glacier: “Can I make reservations for an auto campground? Yes, while some of Glacier’s front country campgrounds are first-come, first-served, most require reservations. Reservations can be made online at Recreation.gov for Fish Creek, Apgar, Sprague Creek, Avalanche, St. Mary, Two Medicine, and Many Glacier campgrounds. Some campsites have reservations available 6 months prior, while others are available beginning 4 days in advance. All bookings are made through Recreation.gov at 1-877-444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov.”
Babb, Montana
Babb, Montana is a tiny town but has a decent grocery store, Thronson’s General Store, with adequate food and other supplies. There is also a cafe and motel at Thronson’s.
Other Related Guides
Make sure to check out our other guides to Glacier National Park:
Two Medicine Area
Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail
As always, please leave a comment. Tells us what was useful or what’s missing. Also, add details from your experience. We’d love to hear from you!