Rising Sun Auto Camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rising Sun Auto Camp
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 Location in Montana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 500 ft. N of Going-to-the-Sun Rd. at St. Mary Lake, Glacier NP, St. Mary, Montana |
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| Architect | Glacier Park Hotel Co. |
| MPS | Glacier National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001574 |
| Added to NRHP | January 19, 1996 |
The Rising Sun Auto Camp is a special place in Glacier National Park, Montana. It's also called the Roes Creek Auto Camp or East Glacier Auto Camp. This area helps us understand how tourism grew in the park over time.
You can find Rising Sun along the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. It's about 7 miles (11 km) from the park's east entrance. Rising Sun is a popular stop for visitors. It has a campground, a store, a picnic area, and a restaurant. There are also motel rooms and cabins for guests. These are managed by a company called Xanterra Parks & Resorts.
Near Rising Sun, you can find a boat dock. From here, you can take sightseeing boats to explore Saint Mary Lake. This is the second largest lake in Glacier National Park. Many people think Rising Sun is the best spot to see Goose Island in St. Mary Lake. It's one of the most photographed places in the park!
Why Rising Sun Was Built
At first, most visitors came to Glacier National Park by train. The Great Northern Railway built many hotels for them. But as more people started driving cars, the park needed new places for them to stay.
The Rising Sun Auto Camp was created for these car-traveling tourists. It was part of a new way to welcome visitors to the park.
Buildings at Rising Sun
The camp includes a rustic (meaning it looks natural and simple) general store. This store was built in 1941 by the Glacier Park Hotel Company. Around the store, you'll find many log cabins where tourists can stay. There's also a shower and laundry building, plus other helpful structures.
The Rising Sun Motor Inn and Cabins also keeps some old paintings. These paintings were given by Glacier Park, Inc. The Great Northern Railway originally owned or ordered these artworks. Many of them show famous scenes from inside and around Glacier National Park. Most of these paintings were made between 1909 and 1915. Artists like John Fery, Frank Stick, R.H. Palenske, and Charles Defeo created them.
Nearby Historic Places
The Sun Camp Fireguard Cabin is another historic building nearby. It was also known as the Baring Cabin. Sadly, this cabin was destroyed by the Reynolds Creek Wildland Fire in July 2015.
Both the Sun Camp Fireguard Cabin and the Rising Sun Auto Camp are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites in the United States.
