Kalispell to Swiftcurrent via Rt. 2

We%26#39;ll be travelling to Glacier Park in Mid July for 7 nights..picking up rental car at Kalispell airport on a Thursday around 3:00pm. First nights will be spent on east side of park at Swiftcurrent inn. Is it more advisable to travel along GTTS Road or go around on Route 2 on southern end of park? We plan to return to the west side of the park via GTTS Road?

Any good scenery along Rt. 2? Any advantages to this route?

Kalispell to Swiftcurrent via Rt. 2

Route 2 might be a little faster, but I would still do the GTTSR. I like to get the views in both directions. You probably will hit construction delays though which is why the trip will take longer. Without stops or delays both ways are about two hours.

Kalispell to Swiftcurrent via Rt. 2

Sorry, I was thinking of St. Mary as the final destination. Swiftcurrent will be another half hour.

I%26#39;ll agree with Hikes, take the Going to the Sun highway both ways, especially if you have never been to Glacier National Park. You may want to drive to St. Mary from Swiftcurrent if you have the time and take the free shuttle so everyone can have a chance to look. You would have to change shuttles at Logan Pass as the shuttles only go that far from each end. The shuttles stop at most of the trailheads so you could get off to hike and then catch another one back.

ditto above, it is just too special a drive not to do twice. Soputh route is okay, but much less spectacular.

While I agree with what has been said, for a different perspective, we arrived at Kalispell in the afternnon and took route 2 to St. Marys. The scenery doesn%26#39;t compare. Route 2 is more just a route to get to the east side of the park. My thinking was that I didn%26#39;t want to rush the GTTS road experience. We arrived in Kalispell in the afternnon, and I just wanted to get to our lodging and relax, without the ';pressure'; to take in one of the park%26#39;s great pleasures. The first view of something is very exciting, and I felt like we%26#39;d be rushing along the GTTS and not fully taking in the experience. We eventually took a full day to enjoy the GTTS road. It worked for us.

I agree that GTTSR shouldn%26#39;t be done in a rush. I just remember about five years ago we took some friends with us to Glacier. We had not planned on visiting the park on our arrival day but when we landed about one it was so clear and sunny I suggested we go on in and drive to Logan Pass. We were spending the first night in Whitefish. I am so glad we did, as the other four days were all cloudy, misty and never did we get the views we had the first day. If Steiny2000 isn%26#39;t arriving till 3 I don%26#39;t think I would take the time to hike but I still think you can enjoy a leisurely drive across the park.