We started our train adventure at 12:30am with a mere 0.4 mile taxi ride from the hotel to the train station. It was well worth the $20 cost for that short ride to not get lost or be out in a strange city at that hour of the morning!

 

Once on board Theresa and Rodney settled into regular seats (the train wasn't full so taking up 2 seats each was not an issue), and Karen into a roommette (she had jumped at the chance to bid on an upgrade and got it!).

 

 

 

We heard that we should sit on the north side of the train for the views in this area and it was true (beautiful even through dirty windows).

 

The ride from Spokane, WA to East Glacier, MT was about 8.5 hours long so we arrived around 9:30am. We could see Glacier Park Lodge across the large lawn from the station. We were here in 2015 and remembered it fondly (read about it here!).

 

We arrived at the lodge but it was too early to get our room so we hung out in the lobby, ate lunch, and enjoyed the views and the huge fireplace.

 

 

 

Eventually we checked into our room with 3 beds and then walked to the cute little town of East Glacier. 

Not a lot there but we did a bit of shopping at a little store and then had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. 

 

 

 

 

We booked an 8am tour of Glacier National Park with Sun Tours. They provide “Blackfeet interpretive tours through Glacier National Park on Going-to-the-Sun Road and throughout Blackfeet Country.” Our guide was great with so many personal stories and explanations of the rich history of the Blackfeet Tribe.

 

We traveled in and out of the national park, into Blackfeet Country, by a buffalo ranch, and close enough to the Canadian border that we saw the flags of three sovereign nations. The weather wasn't the best and prevented seeing the views we had hoped for, but we still enjoyed learning new things and touring around the area.