How well do you know Glacier National Park?
Known as the 'Crown of the Continent', Glacier protects jagged peaks, turquoise lakes and shrinking glaciers in Montana. Six questions, from easy to hard, with explanations.
Did you know?
- Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier, is about 10 miles long and nearly 500 feet deep. Its rainbow-colored stones are visible through the water on calm days.
- Glacier has more than 700 miles of hiking trails. The Highline Trail, which follows a narrow ledge along the Garden Wall, is one of the most famous hikes in the national park system.
- Grizzly bears in Glacier can eat tens of thousands of moths in a single day in late summer, climbing to high rock slopes where the insects gather.
The Crown of the Continent
Glacier National Park protects more than a million acres of mountains, forests, lakes and alpine meadows in northern Montana. Its peaks were sculpted by massive glaciers during past ice ages, carving U-shaped valleys and deep lakes. Today the park is one of the most intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states, home to grizzly bears, wolverines, mountain goats and lynx.
Shrinking glaciers
In the mid-1800s, scientists estimate that around 150 glaciers existed in the area. Warming temperatures have caused most to melt, and a 2015 US Geological Survey count found only 26 that still met the definition of an active glacier. Researchers continue to monitor them as indicators of a changing climate.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Completed in 1932, the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering landmark that clings to cliffs as it crosses the Continental Divide. Snow can bury Logan Pass under dozens of feet each winter, and plowing crews spend months clearing the road each spring before it can open.
Lakes and colorful stones
Glacier's lakes are famous for their clear water and colorful pebbles in shades of red, green and blue. The colors come from iron in the sediment: rocks formed in shallow water with little oxygen turned green, while those exposed to air turned red.
Wildlife watching
Glacier is one of the best places in the lower 48 to see grizzly bears, though visitors must keep a safe distance and carry bear spray on trails. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep are common near Logan Pass, and elk, moose and black bears live in the valleys.
Blackfeet heritage
The park borders the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the mountains have deep cultural importance to the Blackfeet Nation. Many place names in the park reflect Blackfeet history, and visitors can learn about Blackfeet culture in nearby communities and museums.