Best Things to Do Near Glacier National Park on the Way From Missoula

The best things to do near Glacier National Park while you're driving up from Missoula aren't inside the park at all. They're the small towns, wildlife refuges, and roadside stops along US-93 North and Highway 2 that most visitors drive straight past on their way to Going-to-the-Sun Road. My husband (aka Mr. Misadventures) and I have made this drive more than once, and these are the stops worth pulling off for.

If you're starting from Missoula, the direct route to West Glacier is about 137 miles and 2.5 to 3 hours on US-93 North. Every stop below adds some time on top of that, so if you're doing all ten, plan on a full day of driving and stopping, or break it into two days with a night in Kalispell or Whitefish partway through. The table below breaks the drive down stop by stop.

One quick update for 2026: Glacier National Park dropped the vehicle reservation requirement it used in recent years. Logan Pass now limits parking to 3 hours and uses a ticketed shuttle system instead, so if Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass are on your list, plan for a shuttle ticket rather than counting on driving straight up and finding a spot.

The Route at a Glance

Stop	Drive Time	Why Stop Here
Garden of One Thousand Buddhas	About 30 min from Missoula	Free garden, peaceful stop
St. Ignatius Mission	About 20 min further	Historic mission church, free
The Bison Range	About 20–25 min further (short detour)	Best chance to see bison on this route
Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge	A few minutes further	Free refuge, birds, easy walk
Flathead Lake	About 30–35 min further	Largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi
Woodland Park (Kalispell)	About 55 min further	Free park, good stretch break
City Beach (Whitefish)	About 20 min further	Lake swimming, mountain views
Montana Vortex & House of Mystery	About 12 min further	Quirky roadside stop, small fee
Huckleberry Patch (Hungry Horse)	About 10 min further	Famous huckleberry pie, near the park
Belton Bridge (West Glacier)	About 10–15 min further	Historic bridge, local swimming hole

Garden of 1000 Buddhas

Garden of One Thousand Buddhas Address: 34756 White Coyote Rd, Arlee, MT
Distance from Glacier National Park: 2 (via US-93 N and Montana Hwy 35 W)

About 30 minutes north of Missoula on US-93, this free garden sits on about ten acres near the Flathead Indian Reservation and centers on a large statue of Tara surrounded by, appropriately, one thousand Buddha statues.

It's open every day and completely free, with hours that shift a bit by season, roughly 9am to 9pm in summer and 9am to 5pm in winter, so it's an easy stop whether you're driving through in July or January.

It's peaceful, a little unexpected in the middle of Montana ranch country, and worth the short walk around the grounds.

St. Ignatius Mission

Address: 300 Beartrack Ave, St. Ignatius, MT

About 20 minutes north of the Garden, just off US-93. The current church was built between 1891 and 1893, and the real draw is inside: 58 frescoes painted by Brother Joseph Carignano, a mission cook with no formal art training, blending Christian imagery with Salish symbolism.

It's free to visit and open daily; hours can shift by season, so it's worth a quick call ahead if you're planning to arrive early or late.

The Bison Range

National Bison Range Address: 58355 Bison Range Rd, Charlo, MT
Distance from Glacier National Park: 2 (via Montana Hwy 35 W)

Heads up, this stop changed hands: what used to be the federally run National Bison Range is now The Bison Range, owned and operated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 2021. It's about 20 to 25 minutes further from St. Ignatius, just off the highway near Moiese.

It's now $20 per vehicle for a day pass ($5 for bikes, free for CSKT tribal members), open 7am to 8pm in summer and 8am to 6pm in winter, with the gate closing an hour before the range does.

On our visit we counted close to two dozen bison, including a few calves, plus pronghorn and mule deer grazing right along the drive; the pronghorn came closer than we've ever seen one get. Glacier National Park itself doesn't have bison, so this is genuinely the best chance to see them on this route.

There's a picnic area if you want to stretch your legs and eat lunch with a view full of bison.

Ninepipes National Wildlife Refuge

Ninepipes National Wildlife Refuge Address: 69286 US Hwy 93, Charlo, MT
Distance from Glacier National Park: 1 hour and 45 minutes (via Montana Hwy 35 W)

It's just a few minutes past the Bison Range. This refuge covers more than 4,000 acres and is free to visit, with good walking and some fishing for perch and bass, casting and wading only since boats aren't allowed.

Keep in mind some areas limit access during nesting season, roughly March through mid July, so it's at its most walkable the rest of the year.

We saw white pelicans, swans, and blue herons on our visit, along with deer along the tree line. The Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana is right across the highway; we didn't stop in, but I regret it and plan to next time.

Flathead Lake

Flathead Lake Address: This is a huge lake with multiple towns around it, such as Polson and Bigfork. More info here.
Distance from Glacier National Park: 1 hour (via Montana Hwy 35 W or US 93)

About 30 to 45 minutes north of Ninepipes, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, and driving the full loop around it takes about 2 hours if you don't stop (and you should).

We circled the whole thing, past national and state forests and orchards growing apples, cherries, and peaches, with the lake's pristinely clear water visible for nearly the entire drive.

Cherry season runs roughly mid July through August if you want to time a stop at one of the roadside stands.

I wish I'd packed a bathing suit. Plan ahead, and you can actually get in the water.

Woodland Park (Kalispell)

Address: 705 2nd Street East, Kalispell, MT

About 55 minutes north of Flathead Lake's south end, Kalispell is the biggest town on this route and a natural place to stretch your legs, refuel, or grab a real lunch. Woodland Park is a free city park with a pond, gardens, playground, skate park, and a water park in summer, an easy stop if you've got kids who need to burn off some car time.

City Beach (Whitefish)

Address: 70 Lakeside Blvd, Whitefish, MT

About 20 minutes further, Whitefish is one of the prettiest towns on this route, and City Beach is the reason why. It's free to get onto the sand (parking runs $5 a day in season), with a swimming area and paddleboard and kayak rentals in summer, and mountain views across Whitefish Lake that are worth the short detour on their own.

Montana Vortex & House of Mystery (Columbia Falls)

Address: US Highway 2 East, Columbia Falls, MT (about 4 miles east of town)

About 12 minutes from Whitefish, this is the odd one on the list: a roadside gravity spot that's been running since 1970, where the sloped ground and tilted buildings play tricks on your sense of balance. It's touristy and a little kitschy, and if that's not your thing, feel free to skip it, but it's an easy way to stretch your legs if you've got kids along.

Admission is $8 per person, open daily in summer from 10am to 5pm.

Huckleberry Patch (Hungry Horse)

Address: 8858 US Hwy 2 E, Hungry Horse, MT

About 10 minutes further, and just 9 miles from the park entrance, this is the huckleberry pie stop Montana is known for, home of Erna's huckleberry pies and milkshakes. It's open year round, roughly 9am to 9pm in summer and 11am to 6pm in winter. This is a different business from the old Huckleberry Patch that used to be listed in Arlee on this post; that one has closed, but the real thing is here.

Belton Bridge (West Glacier)

Address: West Glacier, MT, spanning the Middle Fork Flathead River near the old park entrance

The last stop before the park itself, about 10 to 15 minutes past Hungry Horse. This 1920 bridge is closed to cars now, but it's a favorite local spot for wading, fishing, and sunbathing on the rocky beach below, and it marks the start of the Boundary Trail if you want to stretch your legs one more time before Glacier. It's free and open to the public.

Frequently Asked Questions

However you're getting to Glacier National Park, this stretch of highway is worth slowing down for, whether you do all ten stops or just pick a few. 

What about you? Have you done something on the way to Glacier National Park that I missed? Do tell! Have you visited Glacier National Park? Did you do any of these five activities?

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