Some of the best adventures are the ones you do not plan. This trip came together in just two days, and it turned into one of the most magical experiences of my life.
We started in Spokane, Washington, grabbing an earlier flight that sent us through Phoenix without ever leaving the plane. By Wednesday morning, we were already chasing waterfalls: Spokane Falls, Mystic Falls, and then driving north until we hit a tiny dot on the map called Good Grief, Idaho. (Yes, Idaho, not Missouri, even though my brain wanted to rename it! 😂)
Good Grief was literally in the middle of nowhere. No service. No maps. Just a little general store with a café, where thankfully Wi-Fi saved us. From there, we wound our way along the Moyie River, driving through cedar forests on a road that felt like it belonged only to us. We stopped at a quiet day-use area, grounded, breathed it all in, and soaked up the energy of the place. It was the perfect way to begin.
Next came Kootenai Falls, with its famous suspension bridge (aka my suspension bridge from hell 😳). Crossing it in 100-degree heat, surrounded by rushing water and towering trees, was unforgettable. By nightfall, we made it to our cabin near Columbia Falls, tucked away in a quiet corner of a resort. It became our sanctuary: peaceful, grounding, and the exact kind of retreat you need after being in the chaos of restaurants and crowds.
Glacier National Park
Thursday morning was our first true Glacier hike: Avalanche Lake. To get in between 7 and 3 you need a timed entry pass, but if you arrive before 6 a.m. you can slip in. We were at the trailhead before sunrise, and by the time we came back down, the parking lots were insane. Pro tip if you ever go: early mornings are everything.
That hike was pure magick. Waterfalls behind us, the lake in front of us, mountains rising around us. We kept going past the main trail and found quiet pockets all to ourselves. Just us, the water, the trees, the mountain air.
Friday brought rain, so we drove north to Polebridge for my must-have huckleberry bear claw (worth every bite 🫐🥐). Saturday, we wandered and explored the lakes, saving our energy for Sunday’s big hike.
And Sunday… oh, Sunday.
Hidden Lake stole my heart. We were up at 4 a.m., on the road by 4:15, and at Logan Pass by 6. The lot was nearly full, but we squeezed into one of the last spots. The trail was steep, climbing straight up the mountain, but when it opened up to the lake it was beyond words. We kept hiking until we found a rock, and then we just sat. For two hours, we watched the world wake up: the lake sparkling below, clouds rolling at our feet, the sun rising over the mountains. It was like being inside the heartbeat of the earth itself.
Monday, we hiked from Two Medicine Lake to Rockwell Falls. It was an 8-mile round trip that gave me the one thing I was determined to see: moose. 🫎 Not one, but two. They were just there, grazing in the field, completely unbothered by us. Powerful, majestic, ancient. Seeing them felt like the universe whispering, “Here you go, this is for you.”
By the time we left Montana, we were tired but soul-full. We skipped the interstates on the way back to Spokane, driving the long backroads instead. Twice as long, twice as beautiful.
This trip reminded me of something important: when you say yes to spontaneity, magick happens. The trails, the mountains, the waterfalls, the animals… they all had their own energy, their own lessons. I grounded in rivers, stood above the clouds, and felt the pulse of the wild.
It was more than a vacation. It was a reset. A reminder to wake up early, to chase the stillness before the crowds, and to let the earth hold you when you need it most.
Montana, you were everything. And we will be back. ✨
