Slowing Down on the West Side
8 / 10
Freight trains had rolled through all night, and I woke up feeling completely drained. Inside the camper, every blast cut straight through the thin walls and into our sleep. Fueled by caffeine and mild desperation, I started looking for a new plan. Every campground nearby was full. It was July 2nd, after all.
1 / 10
As a last-ditch effort, I checked Apgar Campground inside the park. Miracle of miracles, one RV site was available. The website listed a 23-foot combined limit for trailer and vehicle. Our trailer would fit. The Tahoe would not. I booked it anyway and decided we would figure out the details later.
Still riding the momentum, I checked for alternative lodging for my parents. Against all odds, a cabin at Apgar was available too. It would not open until the next day, so they would endure one more night of train horns, but considering those cabins usually book out within minutes a year in advance, this felt like winning the lottery.
When we pulled into our Apgar campsite, everything fit. Trailer, Tahoe, and even my parents' car. So much for the 23-foot restriction. After the intensity of the east side and a night of interrupted sleep, we slowed things down at Lake McDonald.
My parents had a boat tour scheduled, so Danny and I walked them down to the dock and lingered at Lake McDonald Lodge until it was time to board. While we waited, I stopped by the Red Bus Tour desk. Danny had been eyeing those iconic vintage cars all week. I assumed they were fully booked, but to my surprise, they had an opening two days later. Done deal.
Once my parents set off on the lake, Danny and I found a quiet stretch of shoreline and strung up the hammocks. After a sleepless night, that stretch of fabric felt heavenly. Lake McDonald lay calm and wide, gentle waves tapping the shore instead of train horns blasting through the dark.
When their boat returned, I stood at the water’s edge to wave them in. We followed it up with a picnic and a short walk to McDonald Falls, where water tumbled down rocky ledges into bright blue pools below.
We swung by the Apgar Visitor Center afterward, expecting exhibits and a park film. Turns out it’s mostly a gift shop. No exhibits. No movie. We consoled ourselves with ice cream in Apgar Village instead. Two days from now, we would be riding one of those Red Buses up Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Still riding the momentum, I checked for alternative lodging for my parents. Against all odds, a cabin at Apgar was available too. It would not open until the next day, so they would endure one more night of train horns, but considering those cabins usually book out within minutes a year in advance, this felt like winning the lottery.
When we pulled into our Apgar campsite, everything fit. Trailer, Tahoe, and even my parents' car. So much for the 23-foot restriction. After the intensity of the east side and a night of interrupted sleep, we slowed things down at Lake McDonald.
My parents had a boat tour scheduled, so Danny and I walked them down to the dock and lingered at Lake McDonald Lodge until it was time to board. While we waited, I stopped by the Red Bus Tour desk. Danny had been eyeing those iconic vintage cars all week. I assumed they were fully booked, but to my surprise, they had an opening two days later. Done deal.
Once my parents set off on the lake, Danny and I found a quiet stretch of shoreline and strung up the hammocks. After a sleepless night, that stretch of fabric felt heavenly. Lake McDonald lay calm and wide, gentle waves tapping the shore instead of train horns blasting through the dark.
When their boat returned, I stood at the water’s edge to wave them in. We followed it up with a picnic and a short walk to McDonald Falls, where water tumbled down rocky ledges into bright blue pools below.
We swung by the Apgar Visitor Center afterward, expecting exhibits and a park film. Turns out it’s mostly a gift shop. No exhibits. No movie. We consoled ourselves with ice cream in Apgar Village instead. Two days from now, we would be riding one of those Red Buses up Going-to-the-Sun Road.