Glacier National Park, with its plethora of stunning glacial lakes is the perfect setting for a leisurely kayak on a warm day.
There are a few points that you can consider kayaking. I recommend renting your kayak from Glacier Park Boat Company. This company has been operating nearly as long as the park has existed, and also has the best rate for water activities that I saw throughout my trip.
Although each location may have slightly different amenities, the prices remained consistent.
Single Kayak- $21.30/hr
Double Kayak- $26/hr
Canoe- $26/hr
Rowboat- $26/hr
Paddleboard- $17.75/hr
Glacier Park Boat Company locations include:
Lake McDonald
Two Medicine
Many Glacier
Apgar at Lake McDonald
Keep in mind that these rentals are on a first come, first serve basis.
The rental location in Apgar Village even offers motorboat rentals for $35.45/hr. I did watch someone rent a motorboat and they didn’t seem to get much in the way of a safety briefing, so I’d steer clear of those boats on the water.
Keep an eye out for other companies trying to overcharge you; when you walk from the Visitor Center, you’ll first come across a rental agency offering kayaks for a minimum of two hours at $38/hour, and you have to transport it to the lake yourself. Walk past this one!
I rented a kayak for an hour out of the Apgar Village location since it was a lovely day and worked out well with my schedule.
I simply walked up to the Glacier Park Boat Company rental location on the shoreline of the lake. Payment is taken after the kayak is returned, so they just had me fill out a few waivers and forms before fitting me in a life vest and giving me a quick safety chat. There are a few locations that are off limits- I wasn’t allowed to go out of eyesight from the shoreline, I couldn’t beach my kayak to explore any private property, and there was a section that was closed off due to a bald eagle nesting site.
Other than that I was pretty much given free rein up to and including getting out of the kayak to explore the shoreline on foot. I didn’t do that, but it was nice to have the option. Instead, I alternated between gently floating around on the current while admiring the views, and zooming around to see how fast I could go.
This did backfire on me slightly when I ended up way farther away than I expected with a rapidly shrinking window to return my kayak on time- I definitely got my arm workout in that day!
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