Glacier National Park, named for the glaciers that produced its landscape, became the 10th national park when President Taft signed a bill on May 11, 1910. Straddling the Continental Divide, the park covers approximately 1.4 million acres and contains some of the most beautiful primitive wilderness in the Rocky Mountains including 200 lakes and streams. It is one of our natural wonders with its dense forests, waterfalls, and majestic valleys. The famous Going to the Sun Road winds through fifty miles of stunning scenery. In 1932 Glacier National Park joined with the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada to become the first international peace park, a symbol of the two countries longtime friendship. In recognition of this historic agreement, the parks were officially designated as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.
Grinnell Glacier in the Lewis Range in the Many Glacier region of Glacier National Park stands on the north flank of Mount Gould at an altitude averaging 7,000 feet. The glacier has been one of the most photographed glaciers in the park with many of these photographs dating back to the mid 19th century. When compared with images taken over subsequent years, its glacier has been retreating and may be gone by 2030.
During the last Ice Age, glaciers covered 32% of land. Today only about 10% of Earth’s land is covered with glaciers. At least thirty-five glaciers in Glacier National Park were named, down from the 150 glaciers the park had in 1850. Today there are only twenty-five active glaciers remaining in the park and scientists predict that the park could be glacier free by as soon as 2030.
Ever since the ice ages stopped 10,000 years ago, there have been many slight climate shifts causing periods of glacier growth or melt-back. The park’s glaciers have been slowly melting since the centuries-long Little Ice Age ended.