Glacier National Park

  Apgar MT, Montana
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday we began in earnest to put miles between us and home, finally making it into Montana and Glacier National Park. Leaving I-90 at St. Regis MT we drove Highway 135 and 200 gorgeous scenic byways that follow the Clark Fork River through a valley edged on both sides by mountain ranges, the Coeur d'Alene Mountains to the west and the Cabinet Mountains to the east.  The highway brought us into a wide green valley south of Flathead Lake; this is an area of stunning scenery.  As we drove up the east side of Flathead Lake we were quite surprised to see cherry trees heavy with fruit and roadside stands selling ripe cherries and huckleberries.  I never would have guessed this was an orchard area.  We ended the day at Apgar on the south end of Lake McDonald within Glacier National Park.  
 
 Apgar Village and the campground were bustling with activity as visitors enjoyed their final days of summer vacation.  Lots of family and lots of kids go hand-in-hand with camp fires filling the evening air with thick smoke that hung over the campground choking out any hope for breathing the crisp clean mountain air we take such pleasure in, alas, this is not the time to visit the park.