Glacier National Park is located in the northwestern Montana region on the Canada-United States border across the pristine sub-ranges of the Rocky mountains. It has spreaded over an area of 1 million acres of land. The mountain around the park is more than 100 million years old. The rock strata of the mountain suggests it began forming some 170 million years ago when ancient rocks were forced eastward up and over the much younger rock strata. In the midst of the 19th century, park had around 150 Glaciers which has now come down to less than 25 Glaciers. We will see some more important points about this pristine park in below section.

Glacier National Park - World's First International Peace Park

Also Read: 50 Most Frequently Asked Questions About the World’s Lakes

• It is located in the center of the vast ecosystem called as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem".
• Together with Waterton Lakes National Park, it was designated as the World's First International Peace Park in 1932.
• Both were also declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995.
• The region across the Glacier was first inhabited by the Native Americans.
• After the arrival of the European explorers, it was mostly inhabited by the Blackfeet in the east and the Flathead in the western regions.
• Glacier National Park is negatively impacted by the current Climatic changes. According to a report, all the glaciers of the Park might disappear by the end of Year 2030.
• Most of the Glaciers in the Park disappeared over 12,000 years ago but the carving of mountains due to huge glacier can still be witnessed in the Park.
• Park has distinct climate with range of temperature variation as the elevation increases. It receives Snowfall at any time of the year, even in summers.
• Precipitation is generally greatest during the winter and spring with an average of around 2 to 3 inches per month but the overall temperature remains cold for the entire year with maximum temperature barely going beyond 10°C.
• The highest variation in temperature recorded in the year 1916 when thermometers plunged from 44 to −56 °F (7 to −49 °C).
• Glacier National Park is the center of lot of Climatic Research Program. The main headquarter of US Geological Survey is located in the region of Bozeman, Montana.
• The region across the Glacier considered to have the best air and water quality.
• Glacier National Park has large variety of native plant and animal species.
• Park has more than 1,132 plant species identified so far.
• At the lower elevation, Cottonwood and aspen are the more common deciduous trees in the Park. Wildflowers such as monkeyflower, glacier lily, fireweed, balsamroot and Indian paintbrush are also very common in the Park.
• It includes large mammals such as Grizzly Bear, moose and mountain goats along with the endangered species like wolverines and Canadian lynxes.
• Glacier National Park is managed by the National Park Service with the Park headquarter located in West Glacier, Montana. More on official website.
• The Park contains more than 700 lakes but only 131 has been named till now. Lake McDonald is the longest, largest and deepest lake in the Park.
• The rocks found in the park are Sedimentary rocks of the Belt supergroup.
• Bird Woman Falls with a drop height of 492 feet is one of the tallest waterfall in Glacier National Park.
• Mount Cleveland at 10,466 feet (3,190 m) is the tallest mountain in the Park.
• Glacier National park has more than 350 historic structures registered in National register of Historic Places that includes hotels, chalets, barracks and visitor centers.
• The natural phenomenon of Triple Divide Peak is pretty famous here. Under this phenomenon, water falling on the region can either go towards the direction of Pacific Ocean, Hudson Bay, or Gulf of Mexico watersheds.
• No major human populations exist anywhere near the park but still it is one of the favorite places for tourists to visit.
• Forest fire is a major concern in the Park with consistent fire break out from past many years except in 1964. This resulted in loss of major portion of flora and fauna.
• Although there is not much industrial activity around the park but the increase in pollutants is still evident from the waterfall , Lakes and water bodies. The increase is pollutants is mostly due to airborne pollutants which falls whenever there is rain or snow.