Glacier National Park straddles the continental divide in northern Montana, from the Canadian border south. It was the first area in the park to be developed, the place to which the Great Northern Railway first ran when carrying tourists to the park. Later development took place at St. Mary's Lake, to the north of Two Medicine, and is today the more popular destination.
As such, the ranger station here is likely the oldest in the park, though the building itself has been replaced with a newer one sometime in the recent past. 2017 opening hours for the Two Medicine
ranger Station are May 29-September 17: 7 am-5 pm. It closes for the season on September 18.
Glacier Park History
Much of the early history of Waterton-Glacier is the story of the Great Northern Railway. The railway helped promote legislation that established Glacier National Park in 1910. James J. Hill, president of the railroad, not only built a railroad, but he created an empire of towns and ranches along the tracks from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington. This route today is still called the Empire Builder.
With the help from his son, Louis, JJ's vision was to make the area the "Playground of the Northwest." The Hills invested a substantial amount of money in the area. A chain of hotels, chalets, boats, roads, and trails were designed and built to attract tourists. The railroad tapped into the market of wealthy Americans who generally took lengthy trips to Europe and lured them to Glacier with the slogan "See America First." Of course, to get to the parks they would ride the railroad. The railroad was the major concessionaire and developer of visitor facilities in Glacier from 1910 until after World War II.
Learn more about the park at the National Park Service
Before Going-to-the-Sun Road was constructed, Two Medicine was a primary destination for travelers arriving by train. After spending a night at Glacier Park Lodge, visitors climbed on horseback to travel to Two Medicine for a night in one of several rustic chalets or canvas tipis built by the Great Northern Railway. From Two Medicine, a system of backcountry tent camps and chalets within the park allowed these adventurous visitors to live in Glacier's wild interior.
Backpackers and day hikers find this area rich in scenery, providing those willing to travel by foot into the mountains with a true wilderness experience. Tenderfeet can also venture off the roads and into the wild with a casual boat tour on Two Medicine Lake.
Today, Two Medicine has become a somewhat off-the-beaten-path discovery for most park visitors. Once discovered however it's easy to see why many people consider this their favorite part of Glacier National Park. Amazing vistas, extensive trails, crashing waterfalls, and sparkling lakes await.
From the National Park Service