Glacier National Park, Montana (2023): From Flat Tires to Breathtaking Views

Looking back, our 2023 trip to Glacier National Park stands out as one of our more memorable adventures—taken just before we began sharing our travel experiences more publicly and filled with a few unexpected challenges along the way.

We began the journey with a flight from Houston to Denver, continuing on to Whitefish, Montana, where we picked up a rental car. This is where an ongoing debate of ours comes into play: when visiting national parks, is it better to rent an SUV—with questionable luggage security but better tires—or a standard car with a proper trunk that keeps your belongings out of sight? For this trip, we chose the latter. As it turned out, that decision would come back to haunt us.

For our stay near Glacier, we once again chose Under Canvas, this time at their Glacier National Park location after having a great experience at Zion. While the tents themselves were consistent across locations, the overall experience at Glacier felt like a noticeable step down—particularly when it came to food and drink options, which were far more limited than what we had enjoyed in Utah.

There are two primary ways to explore Glacier National Park: self-driving or using the park’s shuttle system. What many visitors don’t realize—especially when visiting in August, one of the best months weather-wise—is that this is also peak season for roadwork. Glacier’s roads are uniquely challenging, with sharp, jagged rock sub-bases that are notorious for causing punctures and flat tires. Unfortunately, we discovered this firsthand on our very first day.

About five miles into the park, we noticed our tire was slowly losing pressure. Due to construction, the road had been reduced to two lanes with no safe place to pull over, and we weren’t even certain the car came with a spare. We carefully limped along until we reached Lake McDonald Lodge inside the park. While the lodge itself was lovely, the lack of public Wi-Fi added another layer of complication. Eventually, we tracked down a pay phone and arranged for a truck to come retrieve the car.

What we thought would be a quick fix ended up consuming most of the day. The car had to be driven well outside the park, and we waited several hours while the tire was repaired. One important takeaway: get the rental car insurance. The flat tire and towing fees were fully covered, which saved us a significant headache and expense.

Once the car was finally repaired, we managed to salvage the last few hours of daylight with a short 40-minute hike before heading back to our tent for the night. The following day, we opted for a mix of short hikes and shuttle rides, deciding against self-driving again for the remainder of our time in the park.

One of the highlights of the trip was a half-day whitewater rafting excursion booked through the Great Northern Resort. With perfect weather and calm conditions, it turned out to be an incredible way to experience the park from a different perspective. We saw wildlife throughout the trip, including an eagle perched less than ten feet away before taking flight—an unforgettable moment.

On our final day, we spent time exploring Whitefish itself before an easy morning drive to the airport. For our stay in town, we chose The Firebrand Hotel. While the hotel was very nice and centrally located, the price felt steep for what the room ultimately offered. That said, being right in the heart of Whitefish made it easy to explore the town before turning in for the night and heading home the next morning.

Despite the hiccups, Glacier delivered on every promise—dramatic landscapes, incredible wildlife, and a reminder that even the most carefully planned trips can come with surprises.