4 Bedrooms,
4 Bathrooms,
Sleeps 11
Cottage
(3500 sq. ft.)
in West Glacier, MT
0.4 miles from Lake McDonald
4 BEDROOM/3.5 BATH: STAY INSIDE OUR MOST AMAZING NATIONAL PARK & AVOID THE LINES!
Glacier Bear Retreat is a spectacular, luxurious private residence, located INSIDE the Glacier National Park West Entrance, on the west side of Lake McDonald and just a short 7-minute walk to Apgar Village. This storybook cottage, built in 2013, has 4 bedrooms and can easily accommodate 11 people. (We also have a guest house available for additional guests.) You’ll have special rooms for gathering together and cozy nooks for private time, in the perfect combination of indoor and outdoor living. With an outdoor fire pit, hot tub, 16' stocked bar, pool table, dartboard, hammocks, bicycles, yoga mats and more, you'll have everything you need for a perfect vacation when you stay at Glacier Bear Retreat!
Located on almost an acre of private property with Fish Creek and Apgar Creek flowing through the property, Glacier Bear is a quiet, private and peaceful haven. Aptly named “Retreat”, Glacier Bear is perfect for nature-loving families who are looking for a quiet place to reconnect with the natural beauty of Glacier National Park. (If you’re looking for a party house, this isn’t the place for you.)
In the more than 1,100,000 acres that comprise Glacier National Park, there are only about 100 private landowners, and combined, these parcels equal less than 300 acres. Owning a home inside Glacier is rare; staying in one as a guest is even more so. And because you'll be staying inside the park, you won't need to wait in long lines - sometimes over an hour-long - to get through the entrance station every day, letting you relax the entire time you're on vacation!
**Luxurious Amenities & Accommodations Over Three Floors**
This storybook cottage in the woods was designed and built as the perfect place to create memories, so your Glacier holiday is one of your best vacations ever.
From the concierge amenities available, to the fully stocked bar and rec room, we want you to feel like you’re on vacation. From bathroom amenities like Aveda body wash, shampoo and conditioner, to the warm, cozy down comforters, we want you to feel like you’re being spoiled.
The main floor contains the Great Room, the Dining Room, the Chef’s Kitchen, the Lazy Bear Master Suite with private bath, a powder room, and a hallway with reading nook and library shelves. Most of these books came from the original Grist home and date back as far as the early 1800s. You are welcome to enjoy them with care while you’re here. From the main level, you can also easily access the screened porch for outdoor grilling, dining or simply relaxing.
The upper level contains the Grist Room queen bedroom, the Bunk Room, a shared bathroom, and a small desk on the mezzanine above the Great Room.
The lower level Rec Room is your recreation destination with an Olhausen pool table, a dartboard and our beautiful custom built 16' bar, showcasing local Montana spirits. The adjacent Media Room has a large flatscreen television and a selection of movies for your enjoyment. With an L-shaped couch with recliners, you'll feel so cocooned in comfort you won't want to get up! And if you'd like to meditate or do some yoga, it's easy to create the space you need. The Garden Room queen bedroom and a separate bathroom finish off the level.
You can also experience Glacier’s beauty just by walking outside from the main level. Our wraparound screened porch has a large dining table with plenty of seating as well as a high-quality gas grill. Outdoor living at Glacier Bear Retreat is as good as it gets - we have 6 bicycles, 2 closed kayaks, hammocks, yoga mats, a large fire pit, and even your own “private island” with picnic table all available for your use. Plus, your very own private hot tub is perfect for relaxing after a long day of hiking!
Upstairs or downstairs, indoors or out, you can be as connected as you want to be, whether that’s not at all or in touch with family, friends, or others using our fast wifi network, our landline with unlimited US long-distance calls, or your mobile phone.
**Your Perfect Home Base For Glacier National Park**
Glacier Bear Retreat is perfectly located as your base for exploring the wonders of Glacier National Park. Just steps away from breathtaking Lake McDonald, you can fill your day with recreational boating (rentals available), swimming, or photographing the range of mountain peaks that frame the lake. You’re a few minutes walk from the town of Apgar, where you can grab a morning coffee, an ice cream, enjoy the offerings of the café or shop in the gift shops. We’re also connected to miles of paved trails leading into the town of West Glacier (about 3 miles away), so you’ll have ample opportunities for easy hiking and mountain biking too. Or, just hang out by the stream or on the screened porch, pick huckleberries, curl up in the window seat and read a book, or just rest, relax and enjoy the beauty that is Glacier Bear Retreat.
Drive the 52-mile Going to the Sun Road for a host of photographic and hiking options. We’re happy to recommend guides for horseback riding, white water rafting, helicopter tours, fly-fishing and other recreational activities too. And, if you’re not interested in driving, you’re only a short walk from the Apgar transportation center where you can enjoy a ride on the historic Glacier Red Cars or take the free shuttle bus throughout the Park. A week simply won’t be enough time to enjoy all that Glacier Bear Retreat has to offer!
**Reserve Your Dates Before It's Too Late!**
Glacier Bear Retreat is a one-of-a-kind property. Rarely are properties INSIDE of Glacier National Park ever made available for others to enjoy. We’re opening our home to a select few families - and we’re looking to build relationships with repeat guests.
We take reservations well in advance and it’s not uncommon for Glacier Bear Retreat to be fully booked during the park’s peak weeks in July and August by early spring. If you are interested in creating memories at Glacier for your family or friends, we highly recommend you get in touch today.
**Winter Getaways**
Glacier Bear Retreat is available year-round in all seasons. However, the snow season offers a unique opportunity to experience a remote retreat, as the road to Glacier Bear is closed from January 1st-March 15th, depending upon the weather. (This means that you’ll have to walk 2/10th of a mile to access the property in the wintertime, but it will be totally private and oh so beautiful!) Imagine spending a week at a warm, cozy “Currier and Ives” storybook cottage in the woods… writing your next novel, brainstorming your next business idea, or just relaxing by the fire reconnecting with friends and family. For those who love the snow, snowman building, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are available right from your front door. Snowmobiling tours are available 15 minutes away, outside the Park.