Montana is the definition of endless freedom, dramatic sunrise/sunset and natural beauty so its nickname is Big Sky Country. The state has several amazing attractions but if we are talking about the most popular and must-visit destinations in Montana that once explore in life. Those are Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Well both are national parks and are located in the Rocky Mountain West but they can provide different types of experiences overall. While Glacier attracts hikers and nature photographers, Yellowstone can impress visitors with its Geothermal wonders and wildlife. However come along as this guide compares Glacier National Park vs Yellowstone to help you pick one depending on your travel style and preferences.
Overview Of Glacier National Park vs Yellowstone
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is widely popular and loved by travellers. Based on the northeastern side of Montana this national park adds value to the nation. This national park is encircled by 1 million acres of pure wildness and glacial valleys all over. Because of its pure beauty and its huge contribution to the “Crown of the Continent” ecosystem it is really important. It not only holds environmental values but also offers a variety of adventurous activities for the visitors. The things you definitely need to visit while being here are the stunning scenery, better opportunities for hiking and driving and also vibrant wildlife.
This national park is full of wonders for sure but it also has some cons. Due to overcrowding during peak season some areas are subject to strict regulations and hikers often need to be aware of bears. These cons are also a reason that people start wondering if choosing this place will be a good choice for them or not.
Yellowstone Overview
Yellowstone is America’s and the world’s first national park. It does come in one state; it is oversaturated in three states: Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. However, today we will talk about the Montana side of Yellowstone. So the Montana side of Yellowstone will offer stunning thermal basins, diverse wildlife and other attractions. With three main entrances and gateway towns like the north entrance in Gardiner, the west entrance in West Yellowstone and the northeastern entrance in Silver Gate. These are very popular as tourist hubs. After all these attractions there are more such as Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin and so on.
The park can be a wonderful experience to visit. But it also holds some cons which may concern some travellers planning to visit this place anytime soon. Some cons of this national park are that it is a long driveway with a long commute to the park, the weather here is very unpredictable, depending on the season some roads might be restricted and because of a short period of tourist windows there is a very limited ability of lodging, dining, etc.
Quick Comparison Of Glacier National Park Vs Yellowstone
Before we go deeper into the topic here is a quick table comparison you can view to get a clearer picture.
| Features | Glacier National Park | Yellowstone |
| State | Montana | Montana, Wyoming and Idaho |
| Wildlife | Bears, Mountain goats | Elks, Bison and Wolves |
| Ideal time period | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 7 days |
| Popular attractions | Going-to-the-Sun Road | Old Faithful |
| Best For | Hiking | Wildlife, Geysers |
| Level of crowd | Moderate | High |
| Ideal time | July to September | May to October |
| Cost | Expensive but overall less | Less expensive but overall more |
Top Places To Visit: Glacier National Park Vs Yellowstone
Whenever we plan our vacations amidst nature in places like national parks we expect to experience adventure, the beauty of nature and wildlife. To make this travel guide more effective for you here are the places you should must-visit while visiting these parks.
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is full of glacial valleys and alpine scenes with beautiful waterfalls. Let us view the place where you can enjoy this national park even more.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road is a 50-mile-long, paved, iconic road on the Continental Divide. Being in it will provide you with good access to amazing overlooks, winding through alpine valleys and definitely the mountain views. The thing you need to know is that you might require vehicle reservations during the summer times considered the peak tourist season.
Many Glacier & Grinnell Glacier
The Grinnell Glaciers place is known as the hiker’s paradise with a classic 10.6-mile round-trip trek. This will allow you to experience walking right up to the edge of a retreating glacier. Now coming to the Many Glacier it is popular as “Switzerland of North America’’. It includes steep, rugged peaks, cascading waterfalls and interconnected lakes.
Avalanche Lake
Avalanche Lake can be your choice if you want to hike peacefully. It is slightly easy because of its 4.5-mile round-trip trail that follows rushing water to a pretty valley carved by ancient glaciers. It is famous for its emerald-green waters and mountain backdrop. For those who are planning their hike session here should carry bear spray, hike in groups and make noise since this area is an extreme habitat for bears.
Highline Trail
As one of the most scenic and spectacular alpine hikes in the world the Highline Trail is widely famous. This is the most popular hike in the park and it stays crowded most of the time. This is why the Logan Pass parking lot fills up quickly early in the morning. It is always recommended to depend on the shuttle system to avoid the crowd. This will also put you in direct contact with the sun so better to keep things like a hat and sunscreen to protect your skin. Near the latter half of the trail there is Granite Park Chalet. It is a historic stone chalet that is famous for resting, eating lunch and even staying overnight.
Yellowstone
In this section of our blog we will now explore the must-visit places of Yellowstone Montana so that you do not end up missing any during your travel time and ensure a better experience.
Old Faithful
Old Faithful is widely known as the most attractive thing in Yellowstone. Located in the Upper Geyser Basin of the park about 264 miles from the city centre it is a famous cone geyser renowned for its certain eruptions. Visitors can find this one easily from the West Entrance. Extremely popular among visitors it is a geyser that erupts about 20times a day at a height of between 100ft and 180ft. It spews up to 8,400 balloons of boiling water. This area is easily and widely accessible to visitors offering beach seating and ample parking opportunities. If you are looking for updates regarding its eruptions and other things visit the Old Faithful section of the official page of the National Park Service.
Lamar Valley
A place that visitors really find attractive while visiting Yellowstone is Lamar Valley. In West Yellowstone and about 244 miles away from the city it is located and one can find easy access to this wonder by following the Northeast Entrance. This area is known as the ‘’Serengeti of North America’’. It is renowned for having and observing the megafauna and large predators. The large predators include such as gray wolves, grizzly bears and herds of bison in a massive range. The best time for visitors to witness wildlife is during the early morning hours or in the late evening hours. Since this park is wide and full of wildlife it is very much recommended to follow the park guidelines and maintain distance while viewing.
Mammoth Hot Springs
If geographical wonders attract you then Mammoth Hot Springs is a must-visit for you while being in Yellowstone. This is a geothermal place in this park. This one is not popular for its eruption but its beautiful bright white and multi-colored mineral formations. This mineral formation grows from the underground water. As it gets heated deep down and travels towards the Norris-Mammoth fault line it starts dissolving dense layers of ancient limestone. This water reaches the surface with low pressure and less CO2 then the limestone turns into step-like terraces. With different vibrant colors such as yellow, orange with dazzling white.
Differences Between Glacier National Park And Yellowstone
In this section of our blog we will have a proper discussion on the difference between these two national parks. So that it will be easier for you to choose one based on your preferences. Below we will have a look at how these two are different from one another for you to pick one depending on your aspect.
Hiking Opportunities
Hiking is an activity that anyone want to experience while visiting places like Glacier National Park or Yellowstone. Both of these parks are ideal for hiking but there is a catch. Glacier is widely known for its glacier-carved valleys and jagged terrains. If you are planning to visit this park then try visiting in mid-July through early October. However the popular trails you can visit here are the Highline Trail, Grinnell Glacier Trail, Iceberg Lake and Avalanche Lake for hiking.
On the other hand if you are thinking about Yellowstone its hiking experience will make you encounter different geographical traits. Such as hot springs, geysers and mud pots with a variety of wildlife. The best time to visit this place for hiking is earlier in the year.
However both these national parks are known as active grizzly and black bear territories so it is better to have an EPA-approved bear spray and hike in groups.
Accommodation
Accommodation is an essential thing when we plan a trip for a longer period. If the trip is to a national park, then the strain is on accommodation facilities. But no worries these two national parks provide good options to the visitors. Accommodation facilities in the Glacier National Park will require splitting. This splitting mainly occurs between the west side which is near the airport and the remote East Side amidst the nature ideal for deep hiking.Well in here because of high demand one needs to do their booking about six to twelve months before.
Talking about Yellowstone it is comparatively more capable of providing accommodations to its visitors with more centralised home bases. This park also has multiple central villages providing facilities to the travellers. Yellowstone will provide you visitors centered staying places with the benefits of enjoying wildlife easily but in Glacier you will get fewer rooms with more demand.
Accessibility & Transportation
Figuring out transportation and accessibility is really important during a trip. If we compare the accessibility and transportation of Glacier National Park and Yellowstone then Yellowstone is more accessible than Glacier. Since Yellowstone is based on a high-altitude volcanic plateau it showcases a 142-mile-long ‘’ Grand Loop Road connecting with the major thermals. In this national park one has to depend on one’s own vehicle or rent one.
While for Glacier it does provide a fare-free shuttle system, hop-on, hop-off. This system is provided across the Going-To-The-Sun Road to avoid parking issues mostly around the famous headtrails. However one can easily get to these parks by taking the Montana National Park bus tour services.
Wildlife Experience
Wildlife attractions one should not miss while visiting these national parks. Here we notice different types of wildlife attractions. In Yellowstone we see that one can have the safari experience. It has a reputation for having a variety of mammals. It has wildlife hotspot areas like Lamar Valley popular as the “American Serengeti” for wolves and grizzly bears and Hayden Valley which is popular for massive bison herds.
On the other hand if we talk about Glacier National Park in here animals play the hard-to-catch game depending more effort to be seen. It also features some wildlife hotspots such as Logan Pass and the Highline Trail. The many kinds of species you will be able to see in here are Mountain goats, Bighorn sheep, Bears and Moose.
Cost Comparison
Well if you are confused about which will cost Glacier National Park or Yellowstone. Then let us break it down like this that comparatively Glacier is more expensive than Yellowstone. But because of long routes and massive size it overall costs more. Below we will go through a table comparison to understand the expenses better.
| Types Of Costs | Glacier National Park | Yellowstone |
| Entry fees | $35 per vehicle for 7days | $35 per vehicle for 7days |
| Gateway Hotel | About $150-280/night in Whitefish; $100-180/night in Kalispell | About $180-320/night in Gardiner and $120-240/night in West Yellowstone |
| In-Park Lodge | In Lake McDonald Lodge $180-320/night & In Many Glacier Hotel $200-380/night | Old Faithful Inn $180-420/night and Lake Yellowstone Hotel $250-450/night |
| Food | About $15-28/person for casual & $35-55 lodge dining | $18-32/person casual, $40-65 lodge dining |
| Guided Tour | Red bus tours $40-85/person | Wildlife tours $80-150/person & Old Faithful area tours $50-100 |
| Gas | Depending on the route | Depending on the route |
| Campground | $20-25/night in the Many Glacier, Two Medicine | $20-32/night in the Madison, Canyon area |
| Nearest Major Airport | Kalispell that is 35 miles away can cost flights $280-450 round-trip from major cities | Bozeman (BZN) 90 miles; Jackson Hole (JAC) 60 miles South & $250-420 round-trip |
Extra Tips For Visiting Glacier National Park vs Yellowstone
In this section we will know the things to carry and when to visit Glacier National Park or Yellowstone.
Best Time To Visit
- The best time to visit Yellowstone is from late May to June. This is the ideal time to visit and witness the wildlife at its finest. People mostly visit during July and August so the park gets crowded and dense. If your main focus is wildlife photography then visit around the shoulder season which is September. And in the winter most self-driving roads get closed so during this time one will require snowcoaches and guided trips.
- Now coming to the Glacier National Park the perfect time to visit this park is around July to August. This is the time when one can enjoy this park at its best because at this time most trails, roads and visitor centres become accessible. If you want to avoid the crowd then choose September. In wintertime most roads get closed visitors can only experience snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Things To Take
Here are the things one should carry while visiting Glacier National Park and Yellowstone.
- Bear spray
- Binocular
- Telephoto Lens
- Weather Layers like base layers, a warm fleece and a waterproof windbreaker.
- Sun protection such as a hat, sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes.
- Trekking Poles
- Hiking boots
Closing Note
Being at the bottom of today’s travel tip we would like to tell you that both these national parks are amazing to visit whether you are planning a solo adventure trip or planning a meaningful vacation with your close ones. However it is recommended to follow proper guidelines, maintain distance and respect nature and wildlife.