Two Medicine – East Glacier National Park

Beautiful but bit Terrifying

From our East Glacier area, we took Hwy 49 to drive into the Two Medicine entrance of Glacier National Park. I’m going to say this upfront: this drive is not for the faint of heart—and vehicles over 21’ are prohibited and for good reason.

What truly makes a terrifying road is one that’s a bit crumbled and feels “less than sturdy” on curves with 180-degree drop-offs for hundreds of feet. Add Memorial Day drivers (some going very fast, some not sharing as much of the already narrow road), and it gets stressful fast. If you’re on the outside—cliff side—I get it, but it can push the inside people right into the rock wall.

Still… the views and the pullouts are stunning. There’s a reason this stretch is called Looking Glass Road.

Typical comments from travelers about Hwy 49

I’m not alone in this opinion. Here are a few comments I’ve seen from other travelers:

·      “RT 49 is the worst road there is. You should need a permit to drive on that one. No it really isn’t maintained like it should be.”

·      “We drove it in 2023 during a severe snowstorm (late June) by accident! It was terrifying with the wind and no visibility and used GPS to navigate upcoming turns. Needless to say we didn’t go that route back 😆 the road was crumbling with no guard rails”

·      “Scary going south from Kiowa to Two Medicine. Steep drop off and no guard rails. Also up to 7% grade”

·      “I hate MT49 with all my soul.”

Honestly… fair.

View Hwy 49

What Two Medicine offers (and why it’s worth the day)

Two Medicine offers campgrounds that are a better fit for tents and smaller trailers, plus a handful of easy, high-payoff stops that still feel very “Glacier.” It’s often a forgotten part of the park because it’s smaller than the popular West side and East side main entrances (or the Many Glacier area) and doesn’t have quite as much to offer.

But it is beautiful—and it’s absolutely worth a day’s visit.

Running Eagle Falls (short trail, big payoff)

One of the best easy wins here is Running Eagle Falls. It’s a very short, family-friendly trail with a big payoff:

·      A fun stream/river area you can walk across

·      Impressive falls

·      Great viewing and photo spots without a long hike

If you’re traveling with kids, or you just want something easy that still feels like you did something memorable, this is a perfect stop.

Two Medicine Lake (end of the road)

The end of the road stops at Two Medicine Lake—a pretty lake with very clear water and that quieter Glacier feel.

There’s also a boat tour that opens June 1 each year, with the option to take a lake tour or to go across the lake and be dropped off for scenic hiking (including routes with waterfalls).