Apgar Nature Center

The Apgar Nature Center entered its thirteenth summer season in 2024 of being staffed by volunteers from the Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates. Considered one of the Best Things To Do in Glacier National Park, it sits in a grove of cedar trees in the village of Apgar and is housed in a small cabin built in 1929.

The 2024 summer season at the Apgar Nature Center was a great success. Due to the dedicated volunteers who donated over 1,000 hours, which translates into over $30,000 in in-kind labor to the park. The Nature Center was open from June 8th through August 25th. They did a wonderful job of educating and interacting with over 10,000 visitors. Many visitors expressed how impressed they were with the center and thanked the volunteers for their service. One visitor even said it was the secret gem of Glacier.

Park Rangers Becca Alfafara and Miguel Martinez were very supportive and were also instrumental in making the 2024 ANC season such a success. They thanked the volunteers for all of their hard work. Miguel wrote “Thank you for a wonderful season. We could not have run the Nature Center without you! I am sure you all brought many smiles and memories to kids and families from all over the worlds.” Volunteers and park employees are looking forward to another successful season in 2025!

Over $220,000 in in-kind labor has been contributed by GNPVA over the course of the thirteen seasons we have been involved at the Nature Center.

The Volunteer Associates met with park officials in 2011, wondering what we could do to help increase the visitation at the Nature Center, at that time it was called the Discovery Cabin (it was only open an hour or so each day). The park staff asked us to find and organize the volunteers, coordinate the scheduling, and fund the operational costs, which we were happy to do. Since that beginning, GNPVA has donated over $14,000 and countless hours to improve the Center.

GNPVA Volunteers are always welcome to join the staff of the Apgar Nature Center.

"The APGAR NATURE CENTER ranked as one of the Best Things to do in Glacier National Park - "Housed in a small cabin built in 1929, the Apgar Nature Center sits in a grove of cedar trees and is one of the official park visitor centers. The nature center features interactive activities for kids: children can feel a grizzly bear's fur, listen and identify birds by their "songs" or create their own puppet show. Educational displays detail plants found in the park and teach about the habitats of the vast array of wildlife. Ranger-led talks and other programs are held in the outdoor seating area."