When To Visit

The best time to visit Montana and Glacier National Park depends on what you're looking for in your vacation. July and August are the warmest summer months with reliable warm weather and most roads and hiking trails will be fully accessible. The Going-to-the-Sun Road typically opens in mid to late June. This also means that July and August are the busiest times of year. If you're looking to beat the crowds, spring or fall may be the best time of year to visit.

Winter in Whitefish is a beautiful time of year! Whitefish Mountain Resort typically opens for the season in the first week of December and the first couple weekends before the holidays are great times to get lots of turns without the crowds. The busiest weeks in winter are around Christmas and New Year's as well as around President's Day (Family Day in Alberta). We see lots of snow throughout the winter, but the chance of a bluebird ski day is higher March.

Spring is the secret season in Montana. The landscapes are awakening from the long winter and the weather becomes mild. Glacier National Park and Whitefish are much less busy in May and early June before kids are out of school for the summer. In spring, not all roads and hiking trails will be open, but there is still plenty to do! Spring is the best season for whitewater rafting at the peak of run-off and cyclists can bike the Going-to-the-Sun Road before it opens to vehicle traffic. Although most hotels in the Park open in early June, Grouse Mountain Lodge is open year round and Apgar Village Lodge and the West Glacier Village typically open in late May.