Glacier Park Lodge, hotel
Glacier Park Lodge is a large wooden building near the southeast entrance of Glacier National Park featuring massive Douglas fir columns and architecture inspired by Swiss chalets. The interior is defined by 24 tall wooden support beams over 40 feet high, and it contains more than 160 rooms plus extensive common areas with fireplaces and lounges.
The lodge was built in 1913 by the Great Northern Railway to attract visitors to the Glacier area and welcome train passengers arriving at the nearby station. The building's architecture drew inspiration from the Forestry Building at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition in Portland.
The lodge was built on Blackfeet tribal land and displays reminders of the area's Indigenous heritage through decorative elements near the entrance. Visitors can sense the intersection between early tourism development and the presence of the local nation in this space.
The lodge operates seasonally during warmer months when snow has melted and hiking season is active. It is best to book rooms well in advance, as accommodations fill up quickly during peak times.
The interior support columns were built using Douglas fir trees estimated to be over 800 years old, originally transported from Oregon to Montana by train. These ancient woods are among the oldest and largest materials ever used in a building of this type.
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