Natural Features & Ecosystems

Glacier's vertical, glacier-scoured banded mountains, pristine turquoise lakes and streams, and dense ancient forests are a relatively-undisturbed example of what the Rocky Mountain region has been like over thousands of years. Located at approximately 49° north latitude with an elevation gradient extending from 1000 m to over 3000 m, (3,000 to 10,000 ft MSL), park habitats encompass several ecotones and exhibit a wide variety of macro and micro habitats. Glacier National Park has glaciers, of course. A few can be seen from roads, tucked into cirque amphitheaters. Their blue ice and crevasses distinguish them from the hundreds of snowfields above timberline.

Getting behind the scenery requires hiking some of the 734 miles (1,181 km) of park trails (or exploring these pages). The deeper we walk into Glacier, both literally and figuratively, the more interesting and fascinating it becomes.