As we exited Canmore, the impressive glacial peaks gave way to farmland, low rolling hills and even what I guess would be called “high desert.” We were surprised to drive through Calgary and experience even less traffic than we’d had on the outskirts of Lake Louise. 

Because of where we were staying in Montana, we traveled through possibly the least busy border crossing there is, and begged the officer to stamp the kids’ passports (the Canadian officer did not on the way in). He did, and Claire, Elizabeth and Peter were thrilled. 

As soon as we’d driven about five miles in the United States, a gorgeous bald eagle flew directly in front of Bessie. What a welcome home! 

In twenty miles, we’d arrived at a cabin in Lake St. Mary, bordering the East Gate of Glacier National Park, that had been given to us by a the parents of a friend and former co-worker of Andrew’s. After weeks of traveling through hotel rooms, to arrive in a home of our own in such a beautiful place felt so humbling. 

We have learned so much about hospitality on this trip, whether it be from the strangers who helped us find our way in San Francisco or the families who have hosted us along the way, we’ve felt a real prompting to work on our welcoming skills – to strangers, friends, etc. – once we’ve gotten settled again at home. 

As we unpacked the car in St. Mary, the kiddos ran to every corner of the house, exultant. They would sleep in a basement bunk room with an average temperature of about 60 degrees and could not have been more thrilled (or slept so hard!). 

As soon as the bags were out of Bessie, I drove 45 minutes to Browning, MT for groceries. 

Our hosts recommended Kalispell for groceries, because most guests fly in there. But Kalispell is a good two hours from the cabin. The nearest grocery to the house is on an Indian reservation. 

When I arrived, after driving amidst an hour through some beautiful open farm country that gave me a touch of agoraphobia, I came to a tiny IGA at which I was one of the only non-Native Americans.

I was so struck by the dichotomy that exists here, still. The tenacity of Native Americans to retain their tribal culture despite living in a culture vastly different from their ancestors is a testament to them. 

Native tribes referred to the mountains that make up Glacier National Park as “the backbone of the world.” I thought the Canadian Rockies couldn’t be beat, but their American cousins in Montana were equally evocative. 

As we drove the Going-to-the-Sun Road our first morning there, all of us – even the kids, who have seen their fair share of mountains this summer – were wide-eyed in disbelief. If I hadn’t just been there, I’m not sure I would believe it were real. 

We dragged the kids on another hike, but we got a late start because we can’t seem to get them out of the Pacific time zone, and they were all hungry a mile and a half in, so we took some pictures and grabbed some lunch at a lodge before calling it a day and going for a drive. 

On day two, we thought we’d planned better. In numerous places, I’d read that the Apokati Falls hike in Many Glacier was “short” and “family friendly,” through a “field of wildflowers.” And it started out that way, but as it turns out, the climb gets pretty steep. 

Never mind, we did it with the help of a borrowed hiking backpack and tougher kids than we realized we had – as well as the sleeping grizzly bear we spied in the woods less than 50 yards from the trail. (We had bear spray and were prepared to use it.) We were relieved to reach the top with no more bear sightings, and that he/she had moved deeper into the forest by the time we were making our descent. 

That afternoon, after Claire, Elizabeth and Peter earned their second Junior Ranger badge, we took it easy. 

The Junior Ranger programs in all the national parks have been a great help in offering an education to our young visitors, and guidance for their parents. In the process, the workbooks have taught our kids a lot about wildlife and the natural world.  Rangers also take the job of checking kids’ work and swearing them in very seriously, praising them for completing the books, as they insist that even the youngest children can help preserve the environment. 

We cannot wait to return to Glacier when our kids get their hiking legs. It is such a stunning place to explore, and Andrew and I were antsy to do every famous hike it offered. 

But, as all things with kids go, you’ve got to meet them where they are, especially on a trip like this, and all they seemed to want to do, beyond gawking at the mountains on Going-to-the-Sun Road, and searching for wildlife from the safety of our car, was rest and play, so we let them.