Creative Miles with Jolene and sometimes Fred.

Glacier National Park in early June is a study in contrasts: raw, unpredictable, and completely free from midsummer crowds. With Logan Pass still buried under heavy winter snowpack and Going-to-the-Sun Road closed to through-traffic, exploring the East Side requires real effort—and delivers absolute magic.

Our journey meant an ambitious two-hour drive from the West Side to the East Side, skirting the park’s southern border, followed by a two-hour drive back that evening so we could leave early the next morning for Banff, Canada. It was a lot of windshield time, but spectacular in every sense of the word.

YouTube Video: Exploring Glacier National Park’s Wild East Side

The Pre-Season Trek to Swiftcurrent

Our East Side adventure kicked off on June 7th. To reach our Red Bus pickup point at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, we rattled down the rough, unpaved gravel road deep into the Many Glacier Valley.

The inn wasn’t officially open for the season yet; opening day was slated for the very next morning. Being there in that quiet, anticipatory window felt like peeking behind the curtain of a national park waking up from hibernation.

Boarding the Iconic Red Bus

When Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed over the Continental Divide, the park’s historic fleet of 1930s touring coaches runs an alternate route—often called the Three Valley Tour. These vintage canvas-top buses, originally built by the White Motor Company and piloted by seasoned driver-guides known as “Jammers,” are hands down the best way to see the park without stressing over narrow mountain switchbacks.

Our route took us into the St. Mary Valley through the park’s eastern gateway. We tracked along the edge of St. Mary Lake, a ten-mile expanse of wind-whipped turquoise water framed by jagged limestone cliffs.

From there, our Jammer navigated up the open eastern stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as the plows had cleared: Jackson Glacier Overlook. Perched high above the valley floor, you look straight into the cirque at the seventh-largest glacier in the park—a towering remnant of the ancient ice sheets that carved these valleys.

Chief Mountain & Sketching at Glacier Park Lodge

Leaving the Sun Corridor, our bus headed across the open rangeland along the park’s eastern boundary, rolling past sweeping vistas of Chief Mountain. Rising abruptly from the foothills, this massive solitary monolith stands as a deeply sacred landmark for the Blackfeet Nation.

We stopped in East Glacier at the historic Glacier Park Lodge for a midday break. Walking through the front doors of this 1913 Great Northern Railway hotel feels like entering a cathedral of old-growth Douglas firs. I took my tea out to the veranda, pulled out my sketchbook, and spent thirty quiet minutes capturing the towering timbers and distant mountain ridges in ink and wash.

Summer Snow at Two Medicine

From East Glacier, we wound our way into Two Medicine—often called Glacier’s “Secret Valley”. That’s when Montana reminded us that June is still very much shoulder season.

Within minutes, the sky deepened to charcoal, the temperature plummeted, and fat, heavy snowflakes began drifting down through the pines. The sudden winter blast forced the cancellation of one of the guided trail walks, but nobody minded. Watching fresh white powder settle against the reddish-purple argillite cliffs of Sinopah Mountain made the valley feel wild, quiet, and timeless.

Finishing at Many Glacier Hotel

Our loop wound back north, delivering us to the doorstep of the Many Glacier Hotel. Set directly on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake, with Mount Grinnell and Mount Wilbur rising directly out of the water behind it, the Swiss-style lodge is one of the grandest sights in North America. Sitting by the shore, watching the lingering snow clouds drift off the peaks, was the ultimate finale to a full day of backcountry roads, dramatic weather shifts, and historic vistas.

The Big Takeaway for Early June Visitors

If you visit Glacier National Park before Going-to-the-Sun Road fully opens in late June or early July, do not skip the East Side. The valleys are greener, the wildlife is active, and the scenery is unmatched.

However, avoid our marathon driving mistake:

• Split your stay. When Logan Pass is closed, driving between West Glacier and Many Glacier takes about two to two-and-a-half hours each way via Highway 2.
• Book at least one night on the West Side (near Apgar or Lake McDonald) to see the rainforest and western valley.
• Book one night on the East Side—either at the Many Glacier Hotel or Swiftcurrent Motor Inn—so you can wake up right at the trailheads and tour pickups without four hours of deadhead highway driving.

Even with our long drive back to the West Side that night, waking up the following morning ready to point our wheels north toward Banff felt completely earned. Early June in Glacier is wild, unpredictable, and worth every single mile.

Which part of the East Side looks most amazing to you? We couldn’t believe it snowed in June at Two Medicine! Also, a huge shout-out to the staff at Swiftcurrent Inn—getting a lodge ready for opening day on a gravel road is no joke! 🚌🏔️

If you’re planning a trip, definitely consider splitting your stay between the West and East sides. It makes all the difference! Let us know your Glacier tips or questions in the comments! 👇