Arriving late to a popular National Park in the middle of summer with no reservations of any kind is a bad idea. Nevertheless, there we were, goggling at the massive, soaring peaks of Glacier National Park - without a clue where we’d be staying that night. Well into the afternoon we learned at the Logan Pass Visitor center that all the big campgrounds were already full. A smaller, less developed campground was our only chance. With that in mind we chose the nearest, and as the sun began dying in the west, we fled down the mountain, ignoring many a famous viewpoint in our haste.
Pulling into the campground, our hopes soared as we spied many sites that seemed unoccupied, but upon closer inspection all had been taken. Since the sun had set, and we weren’t going to be able to go any further that day, we settled on the closet option available to us.
Pulling into the campground, our hopes soared as we spied many sites that seemed unoccupied, but upon closer inspection all had been taken. Since the sun had set, and we weren’t going to be able to go any further that day, we settled on the closet option available to us.We spent that night just outside the park, camping in a dusty pullout by the park entrance. The entrance consisted of a sign announcing that the traveler passing it was entering into Glacier National Park, and a cattleguard. The cattleguard was what would make this the park entrance most firmly fixed in my memory.
Those empty campsites? They didn’t stay empty, nor did occupied sites stay full, as various cars came zooming in and out at terrific speed throughout the night. Every time our eyes would close “CLANG” and we’d be wide awake, staring up in terror. “Zzzzzzz” “BANG!!!!!” “Zzzzz” “Ker-plang!!!!” “Zzzzzz” “Zwhoosh-SPANG-G-G-g-g-g!!!!!” was the pattern that developed that night. We took turns screaming in terror as each crash of the cattleguard woke us. At one point, the cattleguard woke my mother from a nightmare typical of campers throughout history with the panicked shout of “BEAR!!!”, and my little brother jumped up with fear and courage his eyes, unsheathing his tiny pocket knife with which to defend the family. It was one of those nights when the dawn is a very welcome sight indeed.
Though the night had been terrible, the morning brought with it the sight of soaring mountains overhead. Despite the cattleguard, the road, and the dust, it was a beautiful spot, and thanks to that terrible night this is one park entrance that will be forever scarred into my memory. Beauty, terror, and discomfort so often go hand in hand to create fond and lasting memories when viewed through the rose tinted glasses of hindsight.
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| The fence on the edge of Paradise - Glacier National Park boundary. |
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Written in one hour for the #NatureWritingChallenge
