Inside Glacier

Glacier National Park is well known for its stunning vistas, iconic megafauna, and pristine waters – but beneath the surface lies a hidden world locked in a perilous balance. Glacier is home to dwindling populations of westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout, which face the ever-looming threat of extirpation (local extinction) due, in large part, to competition with invasive species.

A juvenile eagle spreads its wings. Photo by BJ Worth - WingsInNature.org In Glacier National Park, where the air is crisp and the mountains are steep, a remarkable bird can be found soaring on thermals across the expanse of blue sky. The golden eagle is a giant of...

“These prairies now seem bare of life, but it was not always so. Not very long ago, they were trodden by multitudinous herds of buffalo and antelope; then, along the wooded river valleys and on the pine-clad slopes of the mountains, elk, deer, and wild sheep fed in...

A calm spring morning on the Flathead River. If you’ve visited Glacier National Park, you have probably noticed the pristine water of the Three Forks of the Flathead. But there may be more river than you realize! Did you know that 100 miles of the Flathead River...

Photo from the study of a bear digging for moths. Fleeing moths are circled in yellow.Each summer, a peculiar feast takes place high in the mountains of Glacier National Park. You usually hear it before you see it—the clinking of small rocks as heavy paws dig into...

One of the most unique experiences available to Glacier visitors is the chance to view an intact ecosystem full of wild and untamed animals. Glacier’s majestic megafauna are a special resource that we can never take for granted, and an intact ecosystem is not something that merely happens—it requires the tireless work of park biologists to protect the habitat and safety of these creatures.

This summer marked the triumphant return of the Piikuni Lands Service Corps (PLSC), on hiatus the last few years due to the pandemic. The program, which engages Blackfeet youth and young adults in paid conservation work, reached an important milestone this year: for the first time, the crew was fully led and managed by Blackfeet staff.

Glacier National Park’s archives contain a wealth of fascinating materials and valuable historic documents, but with no park museum to display historic artifacts, documents, and photos, few people laid eyes on these incredible resources. A major digitization effort in Glacier’s archives is changing that—and so far, the results are amazing!