Browning is an interesting town. It’s not especially well-off financially, and dogs roam everywhere—I’m not sure if they’re strays or if their owners have very long leashes—but there’s a tremendous sense of place here. The Blackfeet Nation publicly displays art, tradition, and confidence. They also have an incredible deal at the grocery store where, at the end of the night, they package up huge plates of leftover hot food and sell them for five dollars. I eschewed the creamed corn and those terrible stewed apples with burn cinnamon for the appetizer sampler: popcorn chicken, jalapeño poppers, mozzarella sticks, egg rolls, and a bean burrito. I ate half for dinner, prayed that my arteries wouldn’t ossify overnight, and allowed the rest to refrigerate in the frosty interior of my car. Easy breakfast.
Today’s trip was to Glacier National Park. First, I’ll touch on the scenery. It is not as interactive or as varied as Yellowstone, nor as intricate as Meow Wolf, but the eastern half of the park features the most dramatic, constant, and enchanting Mountains-And-Lakes that I have experienced so far. The mountains tower. The lakes sparkle. It is a place to walk, to bask, and to linger. Crowds were manageable. I enjoyed my hike to Hidden Lake, but equally enjoyed sitting at Two Medicine Lake and reading on a pullout of the beautifully named Going-to-the-Sun Road.
The other side of Glacier is its history. For centuries, this land was used by and had spiritual significance for the Blackfeet, Kootenai, Salish, and Pend d’Oreille peoples. Glacier was originally included as part of the Blackfeet Reservation, but was purchased in 1895. Many details of this deal were murky. Some Blackfeet believed that the sale was a 99-year lease; others, that the sale was solely of the mountains above the timber line for mining purposes. The deal that showed up in Washington detailed a full sale.
Some quotes from the exhibits inside the visitor center, created in collaboration with native tribes:
“The Kootenai recognize the irony of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It is a huge scar on the landscape that cuts right through the heart of Glacier. But without it there would be fewer visitors and less support for keeping Glacier National Park pristine.”
“The Blackfeet recognize the various ways in which people with different cultures, practices, and beliefs assign significance to the same piece of land.
The landscape of Glacier is the source of our oldest and most venerated ceremony, the Beaver Bundle. The inception of the national park concept preserved the landscape, but excluded Blackfeet cultural and spiritual practices. The Blackfeet still retain hope to use the park area, maybe through future cooperative agreements.”
I planned to return to the west side of Glacier for a second day, but as I was leaving the park, the road turned absolutely horrid. The Corolla wept. I began to doubt if I should come back, a thought I kept pondering as I drove to the absolutely stunning town of Whitefish for dinner. This is what modernity and tradition combined should look like. Clouds spotted the violet sky as I walked into the Buffalo Café. The layout is reminiscent of a 99, but cleaner. The music grooved. A tastefully conceived picture of Snowboarder Jesus hung on the wall next to me. A couple came in with a small child, and the staff brought out a bin of toys. My burger was huge and delicious. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll explore Whitefish instead
I am enjoying your blog so much, especially this entry about Glacier NP, since I am familiar with it from going there a few years ago with Jeff. We approached it from the west, staying overnight a couple of nights in a nearby town. We were disappointed with our visit to the park because it was shrouded in wildfire smoke. We could see the remnants of glaciers on the mountains we viewed as we drove along the Going-To-The-Sun Road, but the views were shrouded in smoke. That was a really scary drive! The road is twisty and narrow and I just held my breath as Jeff drove. The glaciers were so tiny that by now I wonder if there is anything left of them. There was one glacier reportedly at at a level that it was close enough to the road to easily see but when we got there it was hidden by wildfire smoke. I enjoyed reading the history of the park that you presented. For one thing, I did not know that the Black Feet Nation was present there. Glad that you had a good hike and enjoyed the views of the mountains and lakes. Your pictures are beautiful! I was glad to see that there was no smoke there to spoil your view. I hope you decided to skip the tedious drive to the western part of the park. I think you must have seen the best of it in the east. I wonder where you will be going next! May you have good weather and continue to enjoy all that you experience. Love, Grandma