Great Northern Resort

The honest review

Great Northern Resort occupies a particular sweet spot in the Glacier family lodging market: it is just close enough to the park entrance to matter (one mile), while offering on-property activities that keep kids busy even on days when traffic and weather make Going-to-the-Sun Road feel like a logistics problem. The property has been family-owned and operated for decades — a rarity in a corner of Montana that has seen consolidation by larger hospitality groups — and that ownership structure shows in the small details: guides who remember returning families, a cafe that actually opens early for park-goers, and a booking process that can accommodate last-minute additions to rafting trips with less corporate friction.

The accommodations are log cabins styled after the original Glacier Park chalets, which means they are charming without being precious about it. The larger three-bedroom units sleep up to ten guests across multiple floors with full kitchens, separate living areas, and upper and lower decks overlooking landscaped lawns — a practical layout for extended families or two-family trips sharing a booking. Smaller units have efficiency kitchens and two queen beds. Lodge rooms in the newer building are more straightforward hotel-style but still well-appointed. None of this is luxury lodging, but it is well-maintained and genuinely comfortable for families who spend most of their time outside.

The whitewater rafting program is the genuine draw. The Middle Fork of the Flathead runs along the southern boundary of Glacier National Park and is considered the best whitewater rafting in Montana, offering everything from Class II scenic floats (appropriate for families with young children) to Class III and IV whitewater runs that give older kids and teens a genuine adrenaline experience. The guides here have strong reviews across multiple platforms, with parents specifically calling out their ability to make nervous first-timers — including children — feel comfortable and engaged. Full-day trips that combine a morning float with afternoon rapids are a particular favorite for families with mixed ages.

Beyond rafting, the resort offers inflatable paddleboards, kayaks, bicycle rentals, sand volleyball, horseshoes, and a playground. The arcade and games room is a legitimate rainy-day fallback. The Railway Cafe on property handles meals without requiring families to drive anywhere, which matters more than it sounds when you have tired kids post-rafting.

Families should note that the property's strength is activity-forward — it is not a place to check in and decompress poolside. There is no pool. But for families who came to Glacier to move, Great Northern gives parents a clean answer to the question every active kid will ask: "What are we actually doing today?"