Sperry Chalet Packing List: Everything You Need (And Don’t Need!)
If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance you have a reservation at the Sperry Chalet! Congratulations, the Sperry Chalet is absolutely incredible. You’ll want to be able to spend all your time enjoying the beautiful scenery, and not have to worry about what you forgot to pack. Your Sperry Chalet packing list needs to have comfortable hiking shoes, cash for lunch, and bear spray, plus some other items to make you comfortable. BUT you don’t need a lot – below is a list of everything you need (and don’t need) for an amazing stay at the Sperry Chalet.
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What to Pack For Staying at the Sperry CHalet
1. A Good Hiking Backpack
The hike to the Sperry Chalet is a bit tough, and you will need to pack things with you for staying the night. Making sure you have a good hiking backpack will help you be that much more comfortable during your hike – especially if you want to do some other hikes from the Sperry Chalet.
We absolutely love the Osprey hiking backpacks, they are perfect for any and all hiking adventures we have!
Read more on what to expect for the Sperry Chalet hike (one of our favorite GNP hikes)
2. Extra Water
The Sperry Chalet does have potable water at the top, but if you’re hiking on a hot day – you will not want to run out of water on the way up. There isn’t much for tree coverage for a good portion of the hike due to the wildfires in 2017 that burned down a lot of the trees. Make sure to bring a good reusable water bottle that you can fill at the top.
3. Sunscreen
As I said on the last point, there is not much tree coverage on the hike and at the top. So you’ll want to pack some sunscreen to avoid getting burned. Other day hikes from the Sperry Chalet area also lacking in tree coverage.
4. Bear Spray
While mountain goats are the primary inhabitants near the Sperry Chalet, bears have been known to make an appearance. I never recommend hiking anywhere in Glacier National Park without bear spray and up at the Sperry Chalet is even more remote than other day hikes. If you’re going to put one thing on your Sperry Chalet packing list, make it bear spray!!
Add bear spray to your Amazon cart!
5. Snacks/Lunch
If you’re staying overnight at the Sperry Chalet, they will provide dinner, breakfast, and a packed lunch on the day of your departure. Lunch is available for purchase at the chalet dining room if you arrive during lunch hours.
Bring whatever hiking snacks you need for the hike up. I would highly recommend purchasing lunch at the chalet (bring cash) because it’s delicious. But if you’re on a budget, don’t forget to pack a lunch as well.
6. Head Lamp/Flashlight
At night the Sperry Chalet gets DARK. This is absolutely amazing for stargazing and reducing light pollution, but it does mean you will need a flashlight or head lamp. The rooms for the chalet also don’t have electricity so if you want to be able to see in your room after dark the headlamps will help as well. Lastly, the bathrooms are a short trek from the rooms, so you’ll want the headlamp in case you need to use the bathroom late at night.
We use these headlamps. It’s also a great item to have around in case of emergencies at home!
7. Hiking Boots
When we visited the Sperry Chalet, we hiked 25 miles in 32 hours so having a good pair of hiking boots is absolutely critical. I’ve hiked hundreds of miles in these trusty hiking boots and they are still holding up amazing.
8. Two Hiking Outfits
You will need a hiking outfit for your trip up the mountain and then another outfit for your way down. Of course, you could wear the same outfit for both days, but if you’re like me, you’ll be very sweaty after that hike up! It felt so good to change out of my dirty clothes into a clean pair for the morning. I also like to bring a small bag for my dirty clothes.
9. Swimsuit (optional)
My mom and sister both changed into their swimsuits to take a little dip in the creek/waterfall near the Sperry Chalet. I just dipped my feet, but it did feel great. Pack a suit if you think this is something you would do.
10. Something to Sleep in
Again, you can choose to sleep in your hiking clothes, but I chose to bring a different outfit to sleep in. My sleeping clothes were small and lightweight so it made sense for me to bring it in my pack.
If you’re staying overnight at the Sperry Chalet, make sure to check out our Full Guide to the Sperry Chalet!
11. Warm Clothes/Layers
On the hike to the Sperry Chalet, you’ll gain about 3500 feet, so you could encounter different types of weather. Early in the season, there is usually still a bit of snow and the same goes for late in the season. On the other hand, the hike to the chalet can be very HOT on a hot summer day. So dress and pack in layers for different weather types.
12. Three Pairs of Socks
Since socks are small, I recommend bringing three pairs. One for the way up, one for the way down, and one for any day hikes you do at the Sperry Chalet. We loved soaking our feet in the creek in between hikes so having clean socks to change into was essential!
13. Sandals
You’ll definitely want to be able to take your hiking boots off and let your feet be free for a few hours. The sandals are a must bring item for your Sperry Chalet packing list.
14. Hat
It can be really sunny on the hike up and at the Sperry Chalet, so having a sun hat will help protect your face from that strong sun.
15. Portable Phone Charger
There is no cell service at the Sperry Chalet (yay!) and there is no electricity in the rooms. If you’re using your phone to take photos, you may want to pack a portable phone charger.
We LOVE this portable charger for all of our camping adventures!
16. Camera/Batteries/Memory Cards
Again, this is totally optional, but if you have a camera you might be kicking yourself if you don’t bring it. My sister is a professional photographer and didn’t bring her camera – it was hard for her being in one of the most beautiful places on earth with no camera.
17. Book
I read an entire book while at the Sperry Chalet and it was so relaxing! If you don’t want to bring your own book they have a small library there that you can borrow books from. I read Welcome to the Sperry Chalet which was really awesome to read about the history of the chalet in a lighthearted way while I was visiting.
Buy the book here!
18. Cash/Wallet
If you want to buy lunch or cookies, you will need some cash. It’s well worth your cash to buy lunch at the chalet. Nothing tastes better than a grilled cheese sandwich after a long hike!
19. Something to Drink
If you want to drink wine or beer, it’ll have to be something you pack. They do not serve alcohol at the chalet. We didn’t bring anything to bring personally, but we did see some people with wine that they brought. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth the extra weight.
Things we Didn’t Need For Your Sperry Chalet Packing List
1. Bedding
The Sperry Chalet has all the bedding you’ll need. They do use wool for their blankets so it’ll keep you nice and warm even on the coldest of nights. You don’t need to bring anything extra for sleep unless you need something specific.
2. Food for Dinner/Breakfast
In the dining room, they will provide you with a lot of food. Unless you are a VERY hungry person, you won’t need any extra food for breakfast or dinner. The packed lunch they send is also adequate. Ours included a sandwich, juice, a candy bar, and a few other items.
3. Coffee
Don’t fret, the Sperry Chalet will provide you with coffee! I thought the coffee tasted pretty good, so don’t waste your precious pack space bringing extra coffee. I believe they also had a selection of tea (but I’m not 100% positive).
4. Toilet Paper/Backcountry Bathroom Supplies
Unless you’re planning a side adventure, you won’t need any toilet paper or backcountry bathroom supplies. The chalet has several bathrooms that are cleaned regularly and open 24/7.
5. Dressy Clothes for Dinner
At dinner, you won’t see people dressed up fancy. So don’t feel like you need to bring extra clothes to look nice at dinner.
6. Bug Spray
I’m not sure about other times of the year, but when we visited in August we had zero bugs to worry about. I wasn’t sure when we went if there would be bugs but thankfully we didn’t need bug spray at all.
7. Shower Supplies
There are no showers at the Sperry Chalet so don’t bother bringing shampoo or conditioner or soap.
8. Our Children
This is totally a joke! But we did leave our kids at home for this adventure. Kids of all ages are welcome at the Sperry Chalet, but there are a LOT of steep drop offs and cliffs. So if you are going to bring your kids you’ll have to keep a very close eye on them, especially if they are younger.
9. Water Filter
Of course it’s always a good idea to bring a water filter if you’re planning a crazy adventure. However, if you’re just going to the Sperry Chalet and bring enough water, you won’t need a water filter. They have potable water up top.
Okay, that’s it for the Sperry Chalet packing list! You will have an adventure of a lifetime at the Sperry Chalet. It’s one of the most magical places on earth. Happy hiking!
If you’re exploring more of Glacier National Park, check out some of our other travel resources for the BEST National Park below.
