Glacier County is located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 13,399. The county is located in northwestern Montana between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, known to the Blackfeet as the "Backbone of the World". The county is geographically and culturally diverse and includes the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Glacier National Park, and Lewis and Clark National Forest. The county is bordered by 75 miles of international boundary with two ports of entry open year-round and one seasonal international border crossing into Alberta, Canada.
The Continental Divide of the Americas is the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas. The Continental Divide extends from the Bering Strait to the Strait of Magellan, and separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain into the Atlantic Ocean and, along the northernmost reaches of the Divide, those river systems that drain into the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay.
Glacier National Park is an American national park located in northwestern Montana, on the Canada–United States border, adjacent to the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The park encompasses over 1 million acres (4,000 km2) and includes parts of two mountain ranges, over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles (41,000 km2).
Going-to-the-Sun Road is a scenic mountain road in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, in Glacier National Park in Montana. The Sun Road, as it is sometimes abbreviated in National Park Service documents, is the only road that traverses the park, crossing the Continental Divide through Logan Pass at an elevation of 6,646 feet (2,026 m), which is the highest point on the road. Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1932 with formal dedication in the following summer on July 15, 1933. The road is the first to have been registered in all of the following categories: National Historic Place, National Historic Landmark and Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The road is approximately 50 miles (80 km) long and spans the width of the park between the east and west entrance stations. The National Historic Landmark Nomination records a slightly shorter distance of 48.7 miles which is measured from the first main intersection just outside the park's west entrance to Divide Creek in St. Mary on the east side of the park.
Flathead Lake is a large natural lake in northwest Montana, and is the largest natural freshwater lake by surface area that is west of the source of the Missouri River in the contiguous United States.
The Blackfeet Nation, also known as the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, is an Indian reservation and headquarters for the Siksikaitsitapi people in the United States. Located in Montana, its members are composed primarily of the Piegan Blackfeet band of the larger ethnic group historically described as the Blackfoot Confederacy. It is located east of Glacier National Park and borders the Canadian province of Alberta. Cut Bank Creek and Birch Creek form part of its eastern and southern borders. The reservation contains 3,000 square miles (7,800 km2), twice the size of the national park and larger than the state of Delaware. It is located in parts of Glacier and Pondera counties.
Saint Mary Lake is the second-largest lake in Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana.
Many Glacier Hotel is a historic hotel located on the east shore of Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The building is designed as a series of chalets, up to four stories tall, and stretches for a substantial distance along the lakeshore. The building has a Swiss alpine theme both on the outside and on the inside. The foundation is made of stone, with a wood superstructure. The outside is finished with brown-painted wood siding, and the window framing and balconies have wood sawn in Swiss jigsawn patterns. On the inside, the four-story lobby is surrounded by balconies, whose railings are patterned after Swiss designs.
Swiftcurrent Lake is located in the Many Glacier region of Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana. The Many Glacier Hotel, the largest hotel in the park, is along the east shore of the lake. Many hiking trails originate from the area and scenic tour boats provide access to the lake for visitors.
The North Fork Flathead River is a 153-mile (246 km) river flowing through British Columbia, Canada, south into the U.S. state of Montana. It is one of the three primary forks of the Flathead River, the main inflow of Flathead Lake and a tributary of the Columbia River via the Clark Fork River and the Pend Oreille River. The river is sometimes considered the upper headwaters of the Flathead River, although the North Fork is its official name in the U.S. Other naming conventions for the river include Flathead River - North Fork, North Fork of Flathead River, and North Fork of the Flathead River.
James Willard Schultz, or Apikuni, was a noted author, explorer, Glacier National Park guide, fur trader and historian of the Blackfeet Indians. He operated a fur trading post at Carroll, Montana 47°34′25″N108°22′24″W and lived among the Pikuni tribe during the period 1880-82. He was given the name Apikuni by the Pikuni chief, Running Crane. Apikuni in Blackfeet means "Spotted Robe." Schultz is most noted for his 37 books, most about Blackfoot life, and for his contributions to the naming of prominent features in Glacier National Park.
The following articles relate to the history, geography, geology, flora, fauna, structures and recreation in Glacier National Park (U.S.), the U.S. portion of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.
Crowfeet Mountain is located in the Lewis Range, Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. Crowfeet Mountain is situated on a ridgeline just south of the Ptarmigan Tunnel and is easily seen from Iceberg Lake to the southwest.
Katoya Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. The lake is northeast of Pitamakan Lake while Red Mountain rises more than 3,000 feet (910 m) above Katoya Lake to the northeast. The lake expands .25 miles on its length, and is just .10 miles wide. The surface elevation is 6,368 ft.
Gunsight Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana. The lake is surrounded by high peaks including Fusillade Mountain to the north and Gunsight Mountain to the west. Mount Jackson rises more than 4,700 feet (1,400 m) above Gunsight Lake to the south.
Red Eagle Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Red Eagle Mountain rises to the west of the lake and Saint Mary Lake is to the north. Red Eagle Lake is accessible from the Triple Divide Trail and is a 7.6 miles (12.2 km) hike from St. Mary, Montana.
Cracker Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Located at the head of a canyon, the waters of Cracker Lake are an opaque turquoise from rock flour (silt) originating from Siyeh Glacier. To the south of Cracker Lake lies Mount Siyeh which rises more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the lake. Cracker Peak to the southeast and Allen Mountain to the north are other prominent peaks nearby. Cracker Lake is a 6.1-mile (9.8 km) hike from the Many Glacier Hotel.
Kennedy Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. The lake is in a cirque with Mount Henkel to the south and Crowfeet Mountain to the northwest. The Redgap Pass Trail is the closest maintained trail but does not go to this remote lake.
Otatso Lake is located in Glacier National Park, in the U. S. state of Montana. Otatso Lake is situated in a cirque below unnamed peaks in the northeastern section of Glacier National Park.
The Regional designations of Montana vary widely within the U.S state of Montana. The state is a large geographical area that is split by the Continental Divide, resulting in watersheds draining into the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Hudson's Bay. The state is approximately 545 miles (877 km) east to west along the Canada–United States border and 320 miles (510 km) north to south. The fourth largest state in land area, it has been divided up in official and unofficial ways into a variety of regions. Additionally, Montana is part of a number of larger federal government administrative regions.
