Glacier National Park is exceptionally rich in many kinds of wildlife.
Its rugged wilderness character, enhanced by numerous lakes and almost
unlimited natural alpine gardens, combine to offer an unexcelled
opportunity to enjoy and study nature.
Glacier is noted for its brilliant floral display which is most
striking in early July. Above timber line hardy plants such as mosses
and lichens, together with the delicately colored alpine flowers, are
found. Lower on the mountains are heather, gentians, wild heliotrope,
and stunted trees of alpine fir, white-barked pine, and alpine larch.
The valleys on the east bear Engelmann spruce, alpine fir, lodgepole
pine, Douglas fir, and limber pine.
The valleys of the west side are within an entirely different plant
life zone, typified by dense climax forests. For the most part these
forests consist of red cedar and hemlock, with intermediate forests of
larch, fir, spruce, and white pine. There are also younger stands of
larch and lodgepole pine. Some of the white pines in McDonald Valley
have reached huge dimensions. The deficiency of wild flowers found
there is in part made up by the presence of sphagnum bogs with a
typical fauna and flora of their own.
On the east, at lower elevations, representatives of the Great Plains
flora are found, such as the passion flower, carpet pink, shooting
star, scarlet paintbrush, red and white geraniums, bronze agoseris, the
gaillardia, wild hollyhock, asters, and many other composites. The bear
grass is one of the most characteristic plants of Glacier.
Of equal interest is the abundant animal life, including both the
larger and smaller forms. Bighorn, mountain goats, moose, wapiti,
grizzly and black bear, and western white-tailed and Rocky Mountain
mule deer exist in as natural a condition as is possible in an area
also utilized by man. Mountain caribou are occasional visitors to the
park. Mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes are present, although the
first have been reduced greatly from their original numbers. The
beaver, marmot, otter, marten, cony, and a host of smaller mammals are
interesting and important members of the fauna. Among the birds, those
that attract the greatest interest are the osprey, water ouzel,
ptarmigan, Clark nutcracker, thrushes, and sparrows.
[Illustration: _Hileman photo._ BEARGRASS]