8 Amazing Things to Do in Many Glacier with Kids
Many Glacier is one of the most epic spots in all of Glacier National Park – and that’s really saying something because Glacier is spectacular! There are so many fun things to do in Many Glacier with kids and we love visiting here.
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Many Glacier is home to an incredible historic hotel, stunning hikes, and best of all… some of the most epic mountain landscapes I’ve ever seen in my life. The views are absolutely out of this world, and it’s truly one of the beautiful places on earth!
Why Visit Glacier National Park and Many Glacier?
Many Glacier is the absolute star of Glacier National Park but often gets overlooked as the East side of the park is not as easily accessible as the Western side. The entirety of the park is jaw dropping gorgeous, but Many Glacier and East Glacier are definitely worth making time for (even though it’s a little out of the way!)
All of East Glacier is worth visiting, but if you plan to stay in Many Glacier, these are all of the best things to do with kids. Glacier National Park is one of the most magical places ever to visit with kids.
How to Get to East Glacier
This part of the park is less heavily visited than the west side of the park, mostly because it’s a farther drive from the main Montana towns. However, all parts of Glacier are very busy in the summer, due to the stunning views and the short season it is open.
Plan to fly into Kalispell, Montana and then drive about 3 hours to Many Glacier. Kalispell will be your best “home base” if you plan on visiting West Glacier and Apgar as well.
Other airports you can fly into: Many Glacier is also about 3 hours from Great Falls, Montana and 5.5 hours from Bozeman, Montana. Montana airports are very small, so shop around for the cheapest location to fly into if you’re on a budget.
Glacier National Park Ticketed Entry for 2026
For 2026, the Glacier National Park Ticketed Entry has been removed! This is great news for planning your trip, because let’s be honest the ticketed entry for the last few years has made planning a lot harder.
The preliminary plan for 2026 is to limit the Logan Pass parking to 3 hours, and if you’re visiting longer than that, you’ll need to use the shuttle. But if you’re just visiting Many Glacier, you won’t have to worry about that.
What Passes Do I Need to Visit Many Glacier?
Since the vehicle reservation system is not in place for 2026 (yay!), you will just need a National Park pass to visit Many Glacier. There are a few options, but you can get your park pass at an entrance station, or online ahead of time.
I usually recommend buying the park pass at the entrance station if you can! You can avoid fees this way, and more money goes to the actual park itself compared to if you buy it online. And check out more Glacier National Park tips before you go!
National Park Pass Options:
- Standard Pass – good for a one time visit for 1-7 days
- Annual Pass – visit one park as many times as you want in one year (great if you have a local park that you visit regularly)
- America the Beautiful Pass – our favorite option as National Park fanatics. Gets you access to all National Parks for one year!
Where to Stay in Many Glacier
There are options for camping and hotels inside the park. However, on the east side of Glacier National Park, the options for places to stay are much more limited compared to the west side. There are still plenty of options, but make sure you book far enough in advance.
East Glacier Campgrounds
- Many Glacier Campground – the most central campground for Many Glacier activities.
- NOTE: Keep in mind that sometimes this campground will shut down for non-hard sided accomodations due to grizzly activity. Since this is major grizzly country, I would recommend renting an RV or camper to camp here.
- St. Mary Campground – Another option to camp, about 22 miles from Many Glacier.
Hotels & Lodges inside the Park
- Many Glacier Hotel – this hotel is incredible. If you are willing to get accomodations at a higher price point, I would highly recommend this option. Modeled after a Swiss Chalet, the rooms aren’t luxurious, but they are loaded with charm and the views are some of the best you’re ever going to find.
- Swiftcurrent Motor Inn & Cabins
- Glacier Park Lodge
RV Parks
- St. Mary / East Glacier KOA
- Heart of Glacier RV Park
- Glacier Grizzy Resort
Vacation Rental Options Near Many Glacier
- Glacier Ridge Chalet (Babb, Montana) – hot tub and stunning views of East Glacier National Park
- Glacier Summit (Babb, Montana) – beautiful view, hot tub, sleeps 6!
- Duck Lake Private Retreat
Getting Around East Glacier
Montana is a spread out place and there isn’t much for public transportation. You will definitely need to rent a car to get around and see what you want to see. There is a shuttle that runs along Going to the Sun Road, but this does not go into Many Glacier.
We’ve saved a ton of money by booking rental cars through Economy Bookings and would highly recommend renting a car through them!
The 7 Best Things to Do in Many Glacier with Kids
One of the best things to do in Many Glacier is hiking! Many Glacier hiking is some of the best in the park, and I would highly recommend some of these easy hikes with your kids.
1. Hike the Apikuni Falls Trail
Distance: 1.8 miles
Elevation: 587 feet
Stroller friendly? No
Apikuni Falls trail is a short and steep trail, but it’s definitely doable for older kids or if you are used to wearing them in a front pack or backpack.
You will get to see some mountain views from the top and also a beautiful waterfall. There was only one or two other groups on this trail, which is pretty rare for a short hike in Glacier.
2. Walk around Swiftcurrent Lake via the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
Distance: 2.6 mile loop
Elevation: 127 feet
Stroller friendly? Yes
Starting from the Many Glacier Lodge, this path takes you around the Swiftcurrent Lake Trail. While you don’t get epic mountain views like some of the other glacier hikes, you get views of the lake, unique trees, and some little critters as well.
It’s a great trail to let kids meander and explore nature. Afterwards, you can stop and have lunch at the stunning Many Glacier Hotel.
3. Take the Many Glacier Boat Tour
If you’re not feeling up for the few miles of walking on the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, you can opt for the boat tour adventure around Swiftcurrent Lake to the shores of Lake Josephine.
If you want to get all the stunning views of Glacier National Park, but not ready for lots of hiking, this is a perfect activity with kids. The boat tour runs from July to mid September, and costs around $20 for kids and $40 for adults, with kids under four being free.
TIP: You don’t have to get a reservation ahead of time, but it is recommended to do so especially on weekends and holidays.
4. Rent a Kayak or Canoe
All kayak and canoe rentals are first come first serve available on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. This is definitely the best place to kayak in the East Glacier area.
5. Visit the Many Glacier Hotel
Wow, just wow! This hotel has the most incredible views that I’ve ever seen from a park lodge. We visited multiple times every day to sit on the deck and take in the views while we enjoyed our coffee or a cocktail.
This would also be one of the best places in Many Glacier to check souvenir shops and buy your collectibles. If you want to fuel up with snacks and drinks prior to hiking you can check out the little shop as well as the restaurant.
If you’re looking for souvenirs, you can also head over to St. Mary’s for a bigger gift shop.
6. Hike to Redrock Falls
Distance: 3.6 miles
Elevation: 236 feet
Stroller friendly? No
I love the Redrock Falls hike for a little more challenging short hike with kids! We did walk up on a moose on this trail, so always be on the lookout for animals. Also, everywhere in Many Glacier is grizzly bear territory (don’t forget your bear spray!).
Redrock Falls is one of the best day hikes in Many Glacier to do with kids. It has beautiful lake views, a waterfall, and some fun bridges to cross along the way.
TIP: If you are an experienced hiker and used to hiking farther with kids, Bullhead Lake is an additional 3.2 miles roundtrip, but relatively flat with only 200 more feet of elevation and leaves from the same trailhead.
7. Drive Up Going to the Sun Road
While Many Glacier doesn’t directly connect to Going to the Sun Road, it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary for your Glacier National Park trip. It’s one of the most scenic drives in the world and there are some great stops along the way.
To get to Going to the Sun Road from Many Glacier, you’ll have to drive to St. Mary’s and then head up Going to the Sun Road. It’s about a one hour drive from the St. Mary Visitor Center to the top of Logan Pass.
Plus, you can stop in St. Mary’s and get your National Park passport stamped while you’re there. Our National Park passport is one of our favorite traditions when we visit National Parks. We also love to buy a local book when traveling – these are our favorite Glacier National Park books.
Our complete guide to Glacier National Park has what you need to get started planning your trip to our favorite National Park!
8. Watch for Wildlife
One of the best places to see wildlife in Many Glacier is from the Many Glacier Hotel. They have a great deck where the kids are relatively secured and you can have a seat and take watch.
Another great place to spot wildlife is from your vehicle before sunset or in the early morning hours! You may see moose, grizzly or black bears, deer, mountain goats, or more.
And if you spend time out on the trails, you may also encounter wildlife out in nature. Make sure to familiarize yourself with all the bear safety tips beforehand so you can keep yourself and your family safe if you do have a bear encounter. And always bring bear spray.
We saw several grizzly bears, black bears, and a moose last time we visited!!
A Note About Bears in Many Glacier
Every part of Many Glacier is grizzly bear country. We saw so many people running towards the grizzlies with small kids in tow. Please don’t do this (whether you have small kids or not) for many reasons.
It’s so much more enjoyable and safe to watch from your car. Bring your binoculars or camera with a good lens if you want closer up pictures. They are beautiful animals, but going closer than 100 yards to them is forbidden and dangerous!
And as always when in Glacier, carry your bear spray whenever you go hiking or out in the wildnerness.
Where to Eat and Drink Near Many Glacier
Many Glacier is mostly wilderness and beautiful landscapes but there are a few places you can grab a bite to eat while visiting.
- Many Glacier Hotel – My two favorite things to do here is to drink my morning coffee with my binoculars to start the day, and to get cocktails from the Swiss Lounge to drink on the deck.
- The Many Glacier Hotel also has the Ptarmigan Dining Room which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is a first come first serve style. It is considered to be the most high class dining in Glacier National Park.
- Nell’s (at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn)
- Soft serve icecream at the Swiftcurrent Gift Shop
- Glacier’s Edge Cafe (breakfast in Babb, MT)
- Babb Bar Cattle Baron Supper Club (Babb, MT)
Overall Thoughts on Visiting Many Glacier With Kids?
East Glacier is absolutely worth visiting with kids. The best option would be to visit both East and West Glacier with your kids so they (and you) can experience all the magic that the park has to offer.
If you only have one day in Glacier National Park, I would recommend sticking to the west side of the park to cut down on driving. But if you have 3 days in the park, DEFINITELY make it to Many Glacier!
I grew up a few hours from Glacier National Park and I visit every summer, some years more than once. It never gets old to me, and no matter how many times I visit, I am awestruck at the beauty that exists there. Whether you are looking for some great East Glacier hiking trails, beautiful scenery, or hoping to catch a glimpse of grizzly bears, Many Glacier is the best!
