General Questions
We do allow pets in our CABINS ONLY. If you do choose to bring a pet, you must notify staff during your booking and there is a one-time, non-refundable $200 pet fee. You must clean up after your pet. If your pet causes damage to any of the Great Northern property, you will be held responsible for any charges. Please be advised that the National Park does not encourage pets. There are very few areas inside the Park that also pets. We do NOT allow pets in any of our lodge rooms.
Plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your trip time, our advertised times are departure in times. Check in is at our main office. All trips leave from the Great Northern Resort Office located at 12127 US Highway 2 East, West Glacier. We are located 1 mile SW of the west entrance to Glacier National Park. Look for the red caboose!
Rapids and rivers are subjectively rated Class I through Class V for commercial rafting. Ratings depend on the volume of water, elevation drop in the river, type of watercraft, ease of rescue and recovery and a paddler’s experience.
- Family/Scenic — Easy, small regular waves, minimal steering necessary, an introduction to rafting for families with younger children. Trips range from Class I – II.
- Adventure — Numerous, irregular waves with drops and holes for guests already familiar with whitewater or new paddlers who are gung-ho and ready for a real thrill. These trips range from Class III-IV.
Yes, all our whitewater rafting trips are photographed and available for you to see when you return from your trip. We have partnered with SmugMug so you can order your pictures on-line anytime & have them shipped anywhere. Photo USB’s are available in our office (the USB will have all the photos from your rafting trip).
Groups of 10+ receive 10% off, 20+ people receive 15% off and groups of 30+ receive 20% off.
Absolutely! You can purchase a gift certificate for any amount (Remember Great Northern Resort also offers lodging). They make great birthday, anniversary, graduation, and wedding gifts.
You can book online or call (800-735-7897) and our staff will gladly assist you with the process.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or Check.
There is no simple answer to this frequently asked question. Some of our trips sell out months in advance, some never sell out. State regulations limit the number of passengers we can carry, so early reservations ensure a spot on your desired trip date. However, if you are looking for a last minute trip, we can often accommodate you.
Always bring medications which you may need on the river or during your stay – asthma inhaler, epi-pen (for bee stings), etc. should be in a waterproof bag and with you on your trip. If you need a bag, let your guide know. Also, please let your guide know if you have a medical condition.
Pregnant women, persons with a heart condition and anyone with a medical problem that could be affected by the heat, cold, exertion, excitement, etc. of a raft trip should not raft. We reserve the right to refuse anyone the opportunity to participate in any of our adventures because of a medical, physical or size limitation that we feel might expose them to extreme risk. Contact our office with questions concerning these policies.
Our rafts can comfortably hold up to 10 people plus the guide. We do have smaller rafts for smaller groups. We will put your family/friends together in whatever boat most suits your group.
All our guides are professionally trained and it’s not unusual for people to request a guide. If you had a guide that you enjoyed and want to have as a guide again we will do all we can to accommodate that if they are available.
Tipping is not mandatory and certainly a personal choice on the part of our guests. The most commonly asked question by guests each week is “what should I leave for the guide and staff?” Management suggests that each guest budget about 15% of the price of the trip with us. Our seasoned staff is exceptionally competent and courteous and will greatly appreciate a modest gratuity. Letters from our guests about their Great Northern Resort experience are always greatly appreciated too.
Knowing how to swim is not necessary. All our guests are given a Type V lifejacket, which must be worn during the whole trip. We also provide detailed instructions before each Great Northern Resort rafting trip explaining how to float and what to do should you fall out of the boat.
What To Wear
We want you to have a great time while rafting with Great Northern Resort and be comfortable as you join us on the river. “What to wear” is a frequently asked question and will depend upon river and weather conditions. The weather during the summer can vary from the 30’s (usually in the evening) to the 100’s. One saying around here, “If you don’t like the weather wait a few minutes and it just might change.” We suggest that you bring a fleece jacket or a warm wool sweater just in case it gets cold. We can provide you with rain suits or splash and fleece jackets for those chilly or wet days. For a minimal fee we also rent wetsuits and booties.
All river trips depart from our Great Northern Resort office. We are located 1 mile SW of the west gate of Glacier National Park on US Highway 2. Look for the Red Caboose!
We supply Type V Approved lifejackets, complete rain suits for adults and children, professional guides on every trip, delicious meals on specified trips and round-trip transportation from our parking area.
People always ask, “Will I get wet?” If you are going on a whitewater trip the answer is absolutely YES! Our rafts are self-baling boats – this means that no matter what kind of trip you are on your feet will get wet. If you don’t have water shoes, sandals or shoes that you don’t mind getting wet – you can rent our wetsuits booties for $2.50 for half day or $5.00 for the full day.
- Bathing suit or a light shirt
- Shorts, capris
- Cap, hat or visor
- Sunglasses with retainer
- Sunscreen
- Shoes or sandals are MANDATORY – they must have a strap around the ankle
- NO FLIP FLOPS
- Fleece jacket
- Fleece or wool socks
- Rain jacket or pants
- Gloves
- Insulating long underwear
- Water – something to drink
- Waterproof camera
- Snacks
- Dry clothes, shoes & towel for after the trip
- Expensive jewelry
- Non-waterproof cameras
- Car keys (leave these in the office with our staff)
- Anything you don’t want to lose on the river
Our store sells chums (retainers for your glasses), t-shirts, sweatshirts, sunscreen, waterproof cameras, snacks and drinks.