How bad is Glacier in early May? Early June?

This is part of a 18 day road trip I am taking and due to some severe scheduling restraints at my job I won%26#39;t be able to go mid-May to Glacier as I had hoped. I have heard early May is not a good time to go because its not quite winter and its not quite spring meaning there%26#39;s a lot of mud from snowmelt. Also GTTS road wont be open until June. I wanna take some really good photographs so I ask you, will the walls of Glaciers mountains be showing any green by this point? Is this a photogenic month for Glacier? (I know all months are photogenic for this park but this isn%26#39;t the most ideal time is it?)

I could possibly reschedule my road trip so that I arrive in Glacier first week of June which has more ideal conditions. Only thing is I really REALLY hate crowds. How bad are the crowds by June? I didn%26#39;t enjoy Yosemite too much in August because it was so crowded/so much traffic and people being loud.

Thanks.

How bad is Glacier in early May? Early June?

There will be lots of snow in the higher elevations in early June. It is almost a sure bet that the GTTSR will not be open that early in June. In early June it is usually open to Avalanche on the west and Jackson Glacier on the east. This all depends on snowfall amounts and how well the clearing goes. You will have to travel on 2 south of the park to access both sides. The road to Many Glacier usually opens mid May so you should be able to get there and the scenery is incredible. I don%26#39;t think you will encounter large crowds due to the fact the road won%26#39;t be open and most lodging doesn%26#39;t open till mid June. I don%26#39;t know if you are planning on much hiking but the trails in the higher elevations, such as Grinnell Glacier, Highline Trail will probably not be fully accessible.

How bad is Glacier in early May? Early June?

Just checked and Many Glacier Hotel is opening June 5 this year. Rising Sun and Swiftcurrent are still scheduled to open mid June.

definitely early, weather can be anything from 70 to snow, and both!! Light traffic as it is so early. South facing slope will give you access to green, so look around hwy 2 toward East Glacier area and two medicine. Drive to many glacier is always a good thing.

I will be over next weekend and also memorial so may have better info on conditions. Snow was not bad this year, though I believe they picked up a fair amount in the last couple of weeks. But, it always is more important as to how it comes out, via warm rainy days or continuous snow like last year.

Thanks for the informative posts! Its looking like I%26#39;ll be in Glacier May 30. I%26#39;m assuming the alpine sections are still buried under snow by then. Still any chance to get some good spring like scenery in? I could probably extend my stay for two days, but is one day enough to see most everything that will be available to see? Is there better scenery at the east or west end of the park? Thanks.

will i be able to hike grinnell glacier or grinnell lake

You will not be able to get to Grinnell Glacier, the lake will depend on the snow amounts and the melt this spring. You could possibly get there if you don%26#39;t mind hiking in the snow. We were at Glacier one year in late May and hiked to Avalanche Lake with about two foot of snow on the trail.

I%26#39;m going to be in GNP May 30-June 1. How much of GTTS road will be open by then?

I plan on staying in Many Glacier and doing a hike there on my first full day in the park, then checking out Waterton later that day. On my second full day I plan on photographing park working my way down from Many Glacier, St Mary and Two Medicine, then heading west on US-2 to McDonald lake and Avalanche and then all the way back to my campsite at Many Glacier. The day will be long but do you think this is too much driving? Is there an easier way? I leave on June 1 to Drumheller in Alberta, Canada so I would prefer to stay at Many Glacier the night before.

Many Glacier Hotel is not opening till June 5, are you planning on staying there or camping? The road will be open to Avalanche on the west and probably Jackson Glacier on the east. This depends on weather. They were making pretty good progress but are under blizzard warnings till Thursday so the roads will be covered again. The trip from St. Mary to the west entrance on 2 will take about 2 hours, so you will have a long day. This is really the only option when the park road is closed. From Waterton to St. Mary will be a little over an hour.

you have a lot of driving time outlined here

GTTS could be open, it has not been a big snow year but the odds are not in your favor

you have a lot of south and west exposure area in MG that could be accessable and green along with animals down low

swiftcurrent valley should be very hikable, not sure how much of the grinnel route but it is worth a hike for the views down to the lake