Everyone told us we would love Glacier National Park (GNP) and truly words could not describe the vastness, the beauty and the special feel of this place. We were fortunate to have a wonderful visit over the past few days.

Here are the top five things I LOVED about our time at GNP:
5 – The Bears or Lack Thereof. We were told by just about everyone that GNP was overridden with bears. They even had some campgrounds were closed to tent campers because the bears were joining them for the evening happy hour. We got to Apgar and immediately purchased our bear spray. As we hiked the trails, I practiced whipping the spray out of my backpack holster and aiming at the imaginary bear’s face and away from mine. It was an odd feeling hiking with Kim as she hoped we would NOT see a bear and I secretly hoped we would. We both managed to agreed that a distance sighting was preferable to a one-on-one encounter. On our last day, I was overjoyed to hear my aunt yell “Stop the car, I see a bear.” We pulled over, jumped out and ran full out back to the spot where we had the best vantage point. I snapped a picture:

Then Kim proceeded to inform us and specifically my Aunt Peggy that what we had seen was not a bear but in fact….wait for it….anyone want to guess, especially Renee? Yes, it was a cow. While we were all disappointed, I believe the tourists in the seven other cars that pulled over when we did were among the most depressed.
4 – The Wildlife. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t score a bear, moose or mountain lion sighting but we did see plenty of other
animals thanks in part to being with a number of “nature whisperers.” (Note: The pictures look better on a full screen which you can view by clicking on the photos. Yes, I am still learning)

3-The Water. The water had melted from the Glaciers and was the clearest water I have ever seen. I couldn’t stop watching the water from the waterfalls to the lakes to the creeks.


2.The Rocks. Much like the water, I couldn’t get enough of the rocks. They were amazing colors, shapes, sizes and often smooth as silk. We spent hours looking at them and enjoying their unique characters.
1 – The Simple Thing I Loved Most About Glacier National Park was being able to share such an amazing place with three of the people I adore most. My Aunt Peggy and Uncle Bill taught me to get out, explore and enjoy absolutely every seemingly inconsequential aspect of being out in nature. The joy and wonder they find in each moment spent outside exploring the world makes me smile and is a constant reminder of the wonder all around us, each day.
My partner, Kim, shares my love of the outdoors and is not only my life partner but my cohort in our birding, nature loving adventures.

How did I get so lucky?