Foliage map › Destinations › Montana › West Glacier
West Glacier, Montana fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the West Glacier area peaks around October 7, with the best viewing from roughly October 5 to October 13.
- Typical peak
- October 7
- Best viewing
- Oct 5 – Oct 13
- Color starts
- Around Sep 25
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 20
- Elevation
- 3,200 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 7. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open West Glacier on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around West Glacier
West Glacier is the western gateway to Glacier National Park. Lake McDonald, the park’s largest lake, stretches about 10 miles beneath the mountains, with larch, cottonwood, and birch turning gold along the shore. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River runs past town along the park’s southern edge.
Scenic drive
US 2 follows the Middle Fork of the Flathead River east from West Glacier along the southern edge of the park toward Marias Pass, through forests of larch and evergreen. The lower Going-to-the-Sun Road follows the shore of Lake McDonald.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Look for higher ground
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of West Glacier typically peaks much earlier. Look for higher ground nearby: in this part of the country, color tends to arrive about 3 to 4 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb.
Too late? Already past peak
Look for lower valleys
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of West Glacier typically peaks much later. Lower valleys nearby are your best bet: color tends to hang on about 3 to 4 days longer for every 1,000 feet lower.
National park and forest guide
Nearby destinations
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in West Glacier?
In a typical year, fall color in the West Glacier area peaks around October 7, with the best viewing from roughly October 5 to October 13. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in West Glacier?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 25, and most leaves are down by about October 20.
Is West Glacier early or late compared with the rest of Montana?
West Glacier peaks close to the middle of the Montana season, about Oct 7 on average across the 3 Montana destinations we track.
What trees color up around West Glacier?
The main fall color in this area comes from tamarack and larch, quaking aspen, paper birch, and willow. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.