Happy with my choice to hike the trail, I get back in the Jeep to continue driving Going-to-the-Sun Road, en route to the trail head. I must have read hundreds of articles about Glacier National Park and almost all of them mentioned how scenic this drive is. That became confirmed really quickly. It’s widely regarded as the most scenic road in the United States and it’s truly hard to describe how amazing this drive really is - which is why I put my GoPro on the dash and recorded the entire 50 miles from start to finish.
After about an hour of driving, I reach the famous Logan Pass visitor center, which is at the heart of the park and also the highest elevation (6,646ft). I pull off at the continental divide sign to check out the views and while staring in amazement of what I am seeing, I have a feeling of sadness come over me. This is where I was going to park and start my backpacking hike through some of the most epic terrain in the world. 'Why didn’t I just get a damn reservation!' I thought to myself angrily as that’s normally what I would do. Considering I still have about 2 hours of driving and I need to get to camp before it gets dark, I realize that there is no time to sulk, so I get back in the car and press on.
Not even ten minutes after leaving the Logan Pass Visitor Center, I’m driving on, hands-down, the most scenic stretch of asphalt I’ve traveled on in my life, when I notice a HUGE patch of vibrant magenta wildflowers. I pull off to the side, put the hazard lights on and walk over to the flowers to get a shot.
FUN FACT: Going-to-the-Sun Road was one of the first National Park roadways specifically intended to accommodate the automobile tourist. It was completed on July, 15th 1933, after more than two decades of planning and construction.
'Alright, no more pulling off, I need to get to the trailhead,' I think as I make my way back to the car. Still scenic throughout, I drive past the famous Lake McDonald, then pull into the Agpar Visitor Center. I don’t have to pee or have really any reason to stop here, which makes me come to the realization that this is me stalling. With the nerves clearly starting to set in, I head inside to buy a couple stickers and patches for my camera bag, then continue on for the final stretch before I begin my first solo backpacking overnight hike.