Glacier National Park

We started our summer with a trip to Glacier National Park.  

The girls and I had never been.

We were lucky to get to share the trip with "Glacier Veterans" Grandma and Grandpa!!!

It was AMAZING!

We stayed at Apgar Village....

Grandma and Grandpa had the room right next to ours.

This was the view...Lake McDonald....

We made it in time the first night for the ranger talk.  

So we hiked over to the amphitheater for the show.

We learned about some of the wildlife in the park.

Annalise REALLY liked the feel of the fur.  

She took FULL advantage of the invitation to "touch" the pelts.

The next morning we decided to drive the "Going to the Sun" road.

It seemed like a great way to spend our 15th wedding anniversary!!

We were all REALLY hoping Annalise didn't get carsick...(...yay...she DIDN'T!)

The drive was AMAZING.  A little scary at times...but AMAZING!!!

 The Weeping Wall was one of our favorite things about the drive...it was so cool!!  The waterfalls come down right on the side of the road.  (Gave the truck a little wash on the way back down!)

We got to Logan Pass.

There were several big horn sheep on the hillside across from us...

(can you see them???)

After some posing for pictures....

The girls wanted to PLAY in the snow!!!!

 

It was getting close to lunch time, so we headed back down the mountain...

more unbelievable scenery.

 We stopped at Lake McDonald Lodge for some lunch.

We explored a bit around the lodge....

McDonald creek runs right through the property.

And then lets out into Lake McDonald.

(I LOVE all the colored rocks!!!)

Grandma and Grandpa treated all of us to a fancy anniversary dinner....

It was a lovely day.

We weren't finished with Glacier yet.

The next morning, Avery and I got to go on a horseback ride through the forest!

Avery's horse was Smokey....

Mine was Curley....

Avery had a great time steering and being in control of a horse for the first time.

Annalise was still too young to go on the trail ride, but the wranglers were super nice and gave her a ride of her own.  She had a BLAST on Waylon!! (Her FIRST time on a horse!)

After the ride, we met up with Grandma and Grandpa and went on a hike.

The Johns Lake trail was perfect for us...not too long and not too steep.

It started out as a gentle stroll through the forest. And there was NOBODY else on the trail!!!

And popped out at McDonald Falls.

We followed the creek for a bit and then wound back through the forest and connected to the loop we started on.

It was gorgeous.  About 2 miles...just perfect for Annalise and Grandpa! They both did awesome.

We still had time to spend....so we thought we should probably check out the whiskey distillery down the road.

Annalise wasn't too excited...but Mark and Grandpa enjoyed the tasting! :)

When we got back to the hotel, the girls were hot, so they decided to go for a dip in the VERY cold lake!!!  Annalise made it up to her belly button...Avery got all the way in!!!! Brrrrrrr!!!

Then they still had some work to do in completing the tasks for their Junior Ranger badges.....

The final step was to attend another Ranger talk....this one was about the forest fires in Glacier.

When the ranger asked for volunteers, Avery jumped right up!  

She helped read a section of the presentation!

So brave....there were a lot of people there!!!

After the ranger signed both girls' books, they were finished!!!!

And on our last morning, they became OFFICIAL Junior Rangers!!!

We had an amazing trip to Glacier!!!  We will definitely go back!!!