Glacier National Park – Discover This Historical Intact Ecosystem
By
Look out from the main parking lot of the St. Mary Lodge & Resort, located at the East entrance of Glacier National Park in Montana, and behold one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states. Glacier National Park encompasses 1.4 million acres (1,600 square miles) of wildlife preserves and offers some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable.
William Howard Taft was U.S. President when the area was officially declared a National Park in 1910, but its history goes back 170 million years before then. Colliding continental plates, massive glacier movement, and natural erosion all joined hands to create this wonderful monument to the forces of nature.
Although tourists began visiting back in the late 1890s, archeological evidence indicates that the land was inhabited by humans as far back as 10,000 years ago. Home to the Blackfoot and Kootenai Native American tribes, there are areas in the Park which are still considered to be sacred grounds.
About The Ecosystem
Glacier National Park offers a simultaneous view into pre-historic times and modern flora and fauna.
Most of the rocks formations are from the Proterozoic age which ranged from 1,600 to 800 million years ago. Although rock formations of that age found in other parts of the world have been radically changed by the Earth’s natural aging process, those in Glacier National Park still bear most of their original characteristics. This provides a wealth of information to geologists and some very unique experiences for tourists.
These ancient rock formations are home to fossils including stromatolites, a species of algae that inhabited the warm shallow seas that pre-dates the Rocky Mountains which are part of the Park. The fact that these fossils have survived makes the Glacier National Park a living classroom for scientists studying the evolution of Earth.
Of course, it’s the glaciers that give Glacier National Park its name. These glaciers are thought to be only a few thousand years old, making them relatively young compared to the overall timeline of the Park.
Climate change is impacting the Glaciers and causing them to shrink as more snow melts during the warm season than forms in the cold season. But when the Glaciers were active, they filled the valleys with moving currents of ice which sculpted the mountain ranges you see today.
A Sea Of Wildflowers
The glacier movement combined with other natural erosion forces left behind fertile soil. That’s why Glacier National Park is inhabited by an array of plants, trees and wildflowers including larch, spruce, fir, western cedar and pine trees, as well as heather, gentian, beargrass, glacier lily, pasque flower, lupine, Indian paintbrush, gaillardia, asters, and other wildflower species.
An Abundance of Wildlife
One of the contributing factors to Glacier National Park’s designation as being one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 States is the fact that there are so many species of wildlife calling the Park home. From the endangered American Bald Eagle to the Western Jumping Mouse, nowhere else in North America brings together so many wildlife species.
Glacier National Park’s biggest wildlife attractions include Lynx, Mountain Lion, Black and Grizzly Bear, Bison and Wolves representing but a few of the 272 species of birds and 63 mammal species found there.
Lakes of Glacier National Park
Framed by the Park’s legendary mountain peaks, Glacier National Park is home to over 700 lakes including 650 named lakes. One of the largest lakes of Glacier National park is St. Mary Lake, home to St. Mary Lodge & Resort. The largest glacier-formed lake is McDonald Lake, situated 3,153 feet above sea level on the Park’s Western portion and West of the Continental Divide. The lake is 10 miles long with depths ranging to 427 feet. Its shimmering water led to it being called “Sacred Dancing Lake” by the Native American Kootenai tribe.
Over 500 creeks and streams are also located in Glacier National Park as well as plenty of water falls. All in all, Glacier National Park is covered by 2,000 acres of water.
With this abundance of water, it makes sense that Glacier National Park is also home to a great many species of fish as well. The most abundant species include cutthroat trout, ling, northern pike, whitefish, kokanee salmon, grayling, rainbow trout, lake trout and the protected bull trout.
You Can See It All In One Place
Go ahead. Plan your next vacation to Glacier National Park, one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states. You’ll be glad you did!
Watch the video related to Glacier National Park
Slides from my road trip in August 2005
Help answer the question aboutGlacier National Park
When are all roads generally open in Glacier National Park?Does anyone live near there? When is snow GENERALLY gone and roads clear? Trying to plan a vacation for 2009 to include Glacier but want full access…….. Thanks!
Related posts:
12 Comments
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Hmmm, last time I drove the Icefield Parkway it was in Alberta..
I did like your pictures tho.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Hmmmm, when I drove the Icefield Parkway it wat in Alberta
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
truly awesome 5 stars lol scotty:0)
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Fish Creek is a beautiful site!
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
I'd go with a 4X4 or a mid-size SUV.
http://www.travelocity.com/Cars
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
I, too, am heading to Glacier in August, and have checked out a few guide books from our local library. It's a great way to orient yourself. Also, there is a ton of information on the NPS website, including photos and videos in a format they call eTours and eHikes.
We'll be hanging out mostly along the Going-to-the-Sun road, but we also plan trips to Many Glacier and Two Medicine Lakes… we're hoping to find it a little less crowded at Two Medicine Lakes, but the scenery still looks just as incredible.
Have a great trip!
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Probably should stop off to at least Yellowstone
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Glaciers form a number of characteristic features when they begin to lose energy and volume. You often find features with combined water and ice action. For example
- Kames
- Kame deltas
- Eskers
- Drumlins
- Moraines (lateral, terminal, medial, recessional, push)
- Kettle holes (block of ice left behind, then melts)
- Outwash plains (sediment from rivers)
Basically, you'll see a landscape which is full of small hills and depressions. Of course, the glacier also makes a characteristic U-shaped valley too.
There are a lot of depositional features, often with sediment being unsorted (random sizes – in contrast to sorted sediment of rivers). The sediment that forms the features comes from rocks that are broken off by weathering and swept up by the glacier further up the valley, and those rocks are broken down. It also takes up rocks and sediment off the ground.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
http://www.nps.gov/glac/naturescience/mammalchecklist.htm
Long list.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Start by reading these two articles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(Canada)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(U.S.)
Then these:
http://www.sierraclub.org/energy/articles/glacier.asp
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glacier_retreat.htm
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glacier_model.htm
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
Driving directions to Glacier National Park
2,431 mi – about 1 day 15 hours
It's quite a drive. The round trip will be about 4,862 miles, 3 days 6 hours. The distance doesn't vary much on long trips, just short ones, like within one city. See the source for map and directions.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:55 am
1,584 mi² (4,101 km²)