Your Guide to Food in Glacier National Park

Places to buy food in Glacier National Park may be slim, but there are still some really great options for you and your crew. For instance, Eddie’s Cafe or Many Glacier Hotel are great places to eat in Glacier National Park. However, if you prefer to stick to the trails or spend the majority of your time in the park, here are a few of our favorite food prep and packing tips.

Food in Glacier National Park – Prep Tips:

• Plan your meals prior to your adventure.
  • You will want to plan ahead and be prepared during your hike. Your body will need foods that will nourish you and give you strength while you embark on the trails in Glacier.
• Know how long you’re hiking for and you want to plan on 2,500 to 4,500 calories of food per person for your hike. Keep it simple and choose lightweight, portable foods you know you like to eat.
• Make sure you pack enough water to keep you hydrated throughout the day as well. You could also consider investing in a Life Straw to be able to filter water to safely drink along your hike if you happen to run out of water. They are decently priced and compact for using minimal room in your pack. 
• Don’t overpack your pack so you are able to carry it for the duration of your trip without exhausting yourself.

Try some of these options before you hit the trail- if you don’t like it at home you aren’t going to like it on the hike. While out on the trail remember the most important rule when exploring the outdoors is: Pack it in, pack it out. Make sure you are being mindful of your waste when you are planning your food. 

If you are looking to grab and go there are a few places in Columbia Falls that offer a few fresh and delicious grab-and-go options to snag before you hit the trail: Montana Coffee Traders and Backslope Brewery. If you’re heading into GNP from the west entrance, our own Tower Grill has great grab-and-go optoins as well. 

Food in Glacier National Park – Packing Tips:

Here are a few staples from our pack that we like to have when hitting the trail:

• Trail Mix- Buy some or make your own mix
• Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts) 
• Apples or other fresh fruits
• Dehydrated fruits or fruit leathers
• Protein bars
• Sandwiches- make them as fancy as you want but a great hiking staple is just a basic PB&J! 
• Jerky 
• Tortillas with peanut butter or Nutella
• Ready-to-eat meals are an option as well – Make sure you have the means to be able to prep them while out on the trail. (i.e.enough water or a way to cook them and fuel if needed to be able to cook)

The second best thing aside from taking off your hiking boots after a long day on the trail is re-fueling your body after you make it back to camp. Take full advantage of those vacation calories and let someone else do the cooking and the dishes after a long hike. You can swing into our Tower Grill and Coffee Shop for some great quick serve options, we even can make it all TO-GO so you can get back to your couch faster to rest and re-cap the day’s events. Best thing about us? Not only are we a hop, skip and a jump away from Glacier but we  can even start your day off right with a breakfast sandwich or burrito along with a cup o’ joe!

Glacier Highline is your premiere ziplining in Montana destination with many things to do around Glacier National Park ranging from ziplining, rock wall climbing, and an infltable water slide!