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Posted by Hockey Ref (157.254.98.204) on 12:49:21 11/11/05
In Reply to: Whetting your appetite (part 2) posted by Hockey Ref
Glacier National Park is a natural habitat for a variety of animals. The most common mammals seen are prairie dogs and Columbian ground squirrels. Mountain goats, sheep and marmots may be spotted in the higher elevations. Yellow signs posted on trees along some trails warn hikers that they are entering an area frequented by bears, and park literature provides tips on avoiding confrontations with bears. Wolves, moose, cougars, eagles and coyotes can be seen in some of the more desolate areas.
No license is required to fish within park boundaries, but there is a catch limit imposed by the park service. There are 13 campgrounds in the park and several general stores. Daily campground fees range from $12 to $20.
Shortly after the park was established, the Great Northern Railway built a lodge near the border of Glacier National Park. Enormous trunks of cedar and fir trees with bark intact were brought by railroad from Washington state to provide support for the lodge's large, three-story lobby. Each of the trunks, with a 40-inch diameter, weighs about 15 tons. The overnight accommodations, now called Glacier Park Lodge, are located in East Glacier and offer a dining room, lounge, golf course, front porch with rockers, large fireplace in the lobby and view of the mountains.
The Many Glacier Lodge also built by the railway company but located within the park on the east side, boasts the most impressive location. Some windows in the hotel and its dining room offer a view of Swiftcurrent Lake and mountain peaks. It too has an impressive rustic lobby. A number of hiking trails, including a 2.5-mile hike around the lake, can be accessed from Many Glacier.
The Lake McDonald Lodge, along the western part of the Going-to-the Sun Road, is a pleasant place to stay, and it also has large fir logs supporting the high ceiling in its lobby. Hunting trophies in the lobby date back to the lodge's 1910 construction. There are chairs on the patio where visitors can relax and enjoy the view of Lake McDonald, which is 10 miles long. Some of the main lodge rooms offer a lake view. Lesser priced small cottages are also available.
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