How many of you prefer to experience a destination with a guide? Visitors often say that having a local expert enhances their trip, and we couldn’t agree more. In Western Montana’s Glacier Country, we understand that, especially for international travelers, Montana can feel a bit daunting. You’ve seen the sweeping landscapes and watched videos showcasing our wildlife—yes, we do have bears. But don’t worry—we have the experts who will make your experience not only enjoyable but also safe, informative and unforgettable. In Western Montana, the best way to explore is with a knowledgeable guide. To help make your Montana adventure seamless and extraordinary, we’ve curated a list of some of the most popular guided tours in Glacier National Park and Western Montana.
Inside Glacier National Park
Hands down, our most iconic tour is a ride through Glacier National Park in one of the historic red buses. Travel the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road—an engineering marvel and historic landmark—aboard a vintage 1930s restored bus. Each bus seats 17 passengers and features canvas roll-top roofs, offering an open-air experience with unbeatable views. The tour guide, known as a Jammer, drives the bus and shares stories about the park’s history. The term “Jammer” dates back to the early days when drivers had to “jam” the gears to navigate the steep grades of the road. Tours depart from both the east and west sides of the park, offering various times and durations to suit your group. Advance reservations are required; reach out and we can connect you with the Red Bus team.
If you’re interested in learning about American Indian culture, a tour with Sun Tours in Glacier National Park and the neighboring Blackfeet Indian Reservation is a must. Led by guides who are all enrolled members of the Blackfeet Nation, these tours offer a unique perspective, sharing the story of what the land—now known as Glacier National Park—means to the Blackfeet people. Many of the park’s peaks, valleys and waterfalls are named after historic Blackfeet tribal members, adding a deeper layer of meaning to your visit.
For a unique perspective of Glacier National Park, take a scenic boat tour with Glacier Park Boat Company. Explore one of the park’s iconic lakes—St. Mary Lake, Lake McDonald (the largest lake in the park), Many Glacier or Two Medicine Lake—while enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. These tours offer an exceptional way to experience Glacier’s grandeur from the water, with the option to disembark for a short, guided walk at various points. Whether you’re aboard a historic wooden vessel or a modern boat, each tour provides insightful commentary from the captain or a park ranger, making it both informative and relaxing.
Swan Mountain Outfitters offers guided horseback riding tours, a classic Montana experience and the perfect way to take in the park’s scenery. With wildlife and wildflowers around every turn, these rides offer unforgettable views from the saddle. Trail rides vary in length, ranging from one hour to full-day excursions and are suitable for riders of all levels. Departing from Apgar, Lake McDonald or Many Glacier, each trail offers a unique experience through meadows, forests and lake-view lookouts. More information on horseback tours throughout the region can be found here.
Glacier Guides offers a variety of adventure hiking options suitable for all fitness levels. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier National Park is a hiker’s paradise. Groups can explore the park’s forested paths or choose from many short walks for a more intimate experience of the terrain. On the nature walks, participants will learn about Leave No Trace principles, forest fire science, river ecology and the history of early settlers, all while strolling through one of two easy routes—one in the Lake McDonald Valley and the other in the North Fork Valley. Each walk is approximately 1.1 miles with an elevation gain of only 180 feet. Custom walks can also be arranged for groups seeking a different location.
Biking the Going-to-the-Sun Road
Before the Going-to-the-Sun Road opens to vehicular traffic, it’s open to cyclists, making biking in Glacier National Park one of the most exhilarating outdoor experiences in Montana. The plowed portions of the road are accessible to bikers and hikers only until mid to late June, offering a peaceful and nearly empty ride through this stunning landscape. Glacier Guides offers guided biking tours, providing visitors with a bike, helmet, backpack, lunch and an expert guide to explain the history and sights along the way.
Thanks to the allowance of e-bikes on the park’s paved paths and the Going-to-the-Sun Road, riders can now use pedal-assist technology to tackle the park’s challenging inclines. While still requiring pedaling, e-bikes make this thrilling adventure more accessible for a wider range of participants.
Around Western Montana
For small groups looking for a deeper cultural immersion, Iron Shield Creative offers Tribal Traditional Stories Workshop Hikes led by tribal members, where groups can hike the land around Glacier National Park while learning Indigenous stories. In the Bitterroot Valley, choose your own adventure from an array of guided hiking, backpacking and packrafting trips from Bitterroot Backpacking, including day hikes and multiday hikes in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
Llama trekking adds something unique and novel to your Montana vacation plans. South of Bigfork, Swan Mountain Outfitters can accommodate both novice and experienced hikers. Llama treks range from two-hour outings to multiday adventures. Llama trekking is an ecologically friendly adventure, with the added benefit of having a llama to carry your gear.
Whitewater Rafting + Scenic Floats
Rafting opportunities abound both right outside Glacier National Park and throughout Western Montana. Spring runoff is the perfect time to tackle the rapids with Great Northern Whitewater Rafting on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River or Montana River Guides in the Alberton Gorge on the Clark Fork River, just west of Missoula. Many of Montana’s rafting companies begin offering trips in May and June, when spring runoff is at its peak, and continue to offer scenic rafting tours throughout the summer. If you’re seeking an adrenaline-pumping adventure, these two guides will provide an unforgettable experience. For a more relaxed outing, opt for a scenic float trip—perfect for soft adventurers. As you float along, you’ll enjoy wildlife sightings and idyllic views. To explore additional options, check out our outfitters and guides page.
Thanks to the film “A River Runs Through It,” which features scenes filmed in Montana, this region has become well-known for its blue-ribbon trout streams and rivers. For groups with both beginner or experienced anglers, hiring an expert fly-fishing guide is an ideal way to explore the winding rivers of Glacier National Park and Western Montana. Glacier Anglers offers guided trips on the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River, while Grizzly Hackle provides float and wading trips on Rock Creek, as well as the Blackfoot, Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers.
Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the western United States, capturing the title from Lake Tahoe by a few miles of shoreline. There’s no better way to experience the lake’s beauty and the surrounding Mission and Swan mountain ranges than by boat. Cruise past the natural islands in the lake, including Wild Horse Island, the largest of which is now a day-use state park and where the Flathead Indians allegedly pastured their horses to keep them from being stolen by other tribes. Wild Horse Island is still home to a small herd of wild horses, along with bighorn sheep, mule deer and bald eagles. Far West Boat Tours offers group charters or a daily summer cruise departing at 1 p.m. from the Lakeside Marina on the northeast side of the lake. The cruise is narrated by the Far West crew, who provide insight into the lake’s glacier-carved origins, its status as the cleanest lake in the U.S., and the diverse species that inhabit its waters.
The microbrew industry is thriving in Montana, with 30 breweries located throughout Western Montana’s Glacier Country. River City Brews Rafting Tours offers a unique experience, allowing groups to enjoy a float on the Blackfoot or Clark Fork rivers while sipping local brews. Each guest is provided with three drinks from local breweries, cideries, wineries and coffeehouses. Food options can be customized to suit your group’s preferences. With three boats in their fleet, River City Brews has the capacity to accommodate groups of up to 32. Whether you’re with friends or making new ones along the way, this is a memorable way to explore Montana’s beautiful rivers.
For more information on additional tours, guides and outfitters we’ve got you covered here. If you need additional tour itinerary assistance, feel free to drop me a line; I’m always here to help.
Happy Adventuring!
DP
April 1, 2025
Related: Bitterroot Valley, Blackfeet Nation, FIT, Flathead Lake, Fly Fishing, Glacier National Park, Group Tours, Horseback Riding, Lakeside, Missoula, Outdoor Adventure, Seeley-Swan Valley, Student tours, Tour Operator
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