Once we crossed the border it was just a short drive to East Glacier National Park. While the scenery was beautiful, this is the absolute worse run park we have ever visited. In the spring in West Glacier the park hired an outside contractor to chip/shred all the small trees that had fallen over winter and let them take the larger trees. (In Canada at the Provencal Parks they have shelters loaded with FREE firewood,)
Going To The Sun Road
There is a free shuttle bus to take you from East to West Glacier and there is awesome scenery, BUT, we were at the shuttle pick up area 10 minutes before it left and there was no room. So we waited an HOUR (with 3 shuttle buses sitting empty nearby) for the next shuttle. They pick up so many people that as many as 10-15 had to stand. (That doesn't seem very safe on a bus on a winding, hilly road.) There are also 2 or 3 places that you had to change buses and of course you had to wait for the next bus to come. The ride is advertised as 2 hours so I figured 4 hours total plus a little time to eat lunch at East Glacier. It was after 5 pm before we got back!!
The vastness of Montana comes to life as you drive past hundreds of thousands of acres of wheat fields as far as the eye can see.
Next stop was Little Bighorn Battlefield near Crow Agency, Montana. We listened to the account of the events leading up to the battle by a park ranger that was also a local Sioux Indian. He painted a vivid picture of battle on June 25, 1876, in which General George Armstrong Custer met his demise. While the battle lasted 2 days, Custer's famous last stand lasted only about 20 minutes!
There is also a National Cemetery located near the battlefield with row after row of markers honoring our fallen heros.
Continuing across Montana revealed beautiful rolling plains and far distant mountains. Montana is truly "big sky country." What a beautiful country we have- God Bless America!
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