On the Road With Stress and Anxiety . . . but Glacier
Feb 26, 2025
The solo female road trip provides opportunities like no other form of travel. One of its greatest blessings is space and time to really see what lies before me, opening my eyes to take in the smallest of wonders, to embrace the littlest pieces and moments of creation. I love the sentiment “Dream Small” as it pertains to finding joy in the ordinary and the often-overlooked. My God knows every hair on my head, so I am confident in His attention to the tiniest of details, and I pray each day for eyes to see what He wants me to see.
But this day in Glacier National Park compelled me to put that notion aside while I instead drove and hiked with my eyes popping out of my head in wonder, mouth wide open. For this remarkable day and in this magical place, I quickly concluded that focusing on the small must be exchanged in favor of experiencing the awe of undeniable massive majesty.
And I almost missed it.
6:00 a.m. or Bust
On my month-long western road trip with Lexi the Golden, each day brought unexpected beauty and small miracles as we sought to find the wonder around each bend. (She’s always hoping it includes a place to swim!)
A day in Glacier National Park headlined our stay in Montana. In my original sketch of days, Glacier would be a day-long adventure after our few days of camping on the banks of relatively nearby Flathead Lake, with hopes to camp overnight in one of the national park campgrounds.
But with many of the most popular national parks overcrowded with eager travelers just wanting to get out there after the previous pandemic summer, places like Glacier adopted a reservation system. Understandable, but super frustrating. You either have to make your reservation 60 days in advance, (oops – missed that), or they open up a block of online “tickets” 48 hours before your arrival. Well, they were gone in the two minutes it took me to refresh my screen 5 times. Crap.
The loophole . . . supposedly if you arrive before 6:00 a.m., no one "mans the booth" and you can slide in. Same for after 5:00 p.m. I sure hoped this would prove to be true, as it was my only hope.
Not a Happy Camper
The day did not begin enthusiastically as I took down my tent on the very chilly Flathead Lake at 4:00 a.m. in pitch black trying not to disturb fellow campers. A mix-up at the campground meant we did not have a spot for the coming evening, so at the last minute I had chosen to go to Glacier a day early, with no certainty of claiming a campsite either back in Flathead or within the national park.
We had to pack up and take everything with us, hopeful that upon our return there would be a place to lay our very weary heads if we couldn’t find a spot within Glacier. I left in my pajamas, though I think I may have brushed my teeth. Maybe. Also, no caffeine. Again, NO caffeine.
I, quite literally, wasn’t a happy camper. Could this possibly be worth it?
Time to Get it Together
As we drove, I stressed about not making it before 6:00 a.m. I also stressed that the 6:00 a.m. thing wasn’t a thing. Then what? Ugh. I needed a shower, and real clothes for starters. And gas. Was there time to stop to fill the tank? Maybe it could wait? More stress. And what about all these smoky skies? The nearby wildfires certainly muddied the skies at Flathead. Surely Glacier would be cloudy at best. And finally, where the heck were we going to stay?
And so it was that I headed northwest at 4:45 a.m. on the hour drive to the park, ridiculously ridden with anxiety as the skies lightened around me, seeing nothing but the gas gauge and the time on the clock. This is the textbook example of the opposite of what the wonder of solo travel is all about. I was in Montana on an amazing road trip!!! I needed to get it together.
A New Perspective
Big breaths, slow prayers for God to open my eyes and heart to all He wanted me to see and experience that day. Radio now on with inspiring music. I sailed through the gate at 5:37 (yes!) with plenty of gas in the tank, and we were in! My heart slowed, and within minutes all the unreasonable anxiety of the morning was lifted with the dawn as a gorgeous azure blue sky reined over us.
Glacier blew my mind. There aren’t words within me to adequately portray it. A poet is required at minimum - at best just get in the car and go see it yourself! With little exception, what I have to offer as a story of my day can best be told in photos. I’ll be sharing more than normal in exchange for insufficient words. For perspective’s sake, know that several were taken from the driver’s seat looking up through the sunroof. Yup. Those cliffs and waterfalls are way up.
Going to the Sun Road is the scenic main route through the park. It is 53 miles of surprises that connect West Glacier to the village of St. Marys Village. Along the way, I was quick to realize there would be no room at the inn or any campground (most were closed) in the park. God, however, provided me with peace to enjoy the day, and appreciation for the bonus blessing that we would now drive the Going to the Sun Road out and back, to return to Flathead for the night (hopeful for a place to lay our heads!).
Still Loving the Littlest of Moments
I embraced every moment from that point forward, and found great joy in seeing things from both the west-east and east-west perspective, both grand and miniscule.
Even in the midst of the majestic, there were small moments and impressions I won’t forget. I am grateful for open eyes!
I love (most of the time!) the continuous encounters with the same people as you drive, and stop at a turn-off, and drive again, etc. We met full-time RV’ers from Texas and two lovely women on a week-long photography trip, one of whom was from Iowa and nuts for my dog. We would see them over, and over, and over.
Moments from the far edge of the park, we encountered a cinnamon-colored mama black bear with her two sweet tiny cubs. They rambled on the hill above us, foraging and playing for at least 20 minutes. They were precious, and even more so because we watched them safely from the car.
A Latte and New Friends for the Win!
As we came to east end of the park, I realized that if we drove out to the village, I couldn’t get back in (that darn "no reservation" thing) for the return trip. So I parked at the Visitors Center and Lexi and I walked the ¾ of a mile to town. As it wasn’t even 10:30 a.m., we still had the whole day in front of us, but caffeine had moved towards the top of the list of necessities. St. Mary Village for the win! A wonderful chai latte shop (more frequently called a coffee shop to most) and a sweet boy name Will who happily watched Lexi while I went in to fill my cup. (Judge me on my drink choice if you must. I do wish I was a simple coffee girl, but I’m just not. I’ve tried.)
Walking back, latte in one hand and leash in the other, my already ebullient attitude improved even more. A quick swim for the girl in icy cold Divide Creek, and then a requisite stop at the park entrance sign for a photo.
It’s difficult (and weird to many, I’m sure) to take a selfie of you and your dog that grasps the moment and gets all the necessary pieces in the frame. We were rescued by two hilarious guys who offered to take it for me. Another win! I returned the favor, and they wanted Lexi to pose with them. I so wish I had asked for a copy. She looked for all the world like the celebrity posing with her people.
Peace Prevails
The peace and calm God provided to me allowed me to fully embrace and enjoy the beauty He created for us. Our drive back revealed many more memorable views and moments, including a big ole’ papa bear!
That peace prevailed as 18 hours from the start, we rolled our exhausted selves back into the campground at Flathead. I hesitantly approached the campground hosts, and not surprisingly (at that point, anyway!) they told me that yes indeed, there was one last space we could use for the night. God is good and faithful. Day done.
Just Being Lexi
Glacier is truly not a dog paradise. No dogs on any trails, so no hiking with Lex. Parking lots and public areas only, though they are permitted to walk in the main areas of campsites. Ugh. This definitely affected my decision to plan on Glacier just for a day. She was great, though, and we got out for a few minutes wherever we could. She was in her glory at St. Mary’s Lake. The most gorgeous water in the clearest of lakes. Endless chasing of rocks and sticks, and plenty of prairie dogs to frustrate her as they squeaked and poked their heads out of their burrows, only to disappear before Lex could make her move.
Somehow I wore her butt out. Later that evening, as the sun set on our campsite, I looked up from our fire to see find her mangy, dirty, exhausted upside down self, down for the count. Pretty girl? Not so much. But about as happy as they come.
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