TRIBUNE photo by Tom Kotynski Hikers approach Scalplock Peak on the south edge of of Glacier park near the railroad stop town of Essex.

Native Americans of the past guided early explorers across the mountains on foot and horseback.

Today, Blackfeet guides escort visitors through their traditional homeland in comfortable 25-passenger air-conditioned coaches.

Sun Tours of East Glacier, now in its 10th year, treats guests to a view of Glacier National Park's natural, cultural, and historical features through the eyes of native people.

A privately owned tribal enterprise chartered under the Blackfeet Tribe, and authorized as a Glacier National Park concessionaire, Sun Tours has a perfect safety record.

"We provide a service that we hope will enrich people's vacation experience by giving them a focus on the land from the people's perspective," said owner Ed DesRosier.

The all-day tour on Going-to-the-Sun Road, "is about the most you can see and do in a day in Glacier," he added.

But with Sun Tours, you won't just enjoy the rocks and trees.

The Blackfeet guides frame the scenery with stories of Napi and enhance the beauty of the flowers by explaining their medicinal value. They tell how Montana's Native American populations endured the changing seasons and the changing environment, from before white men came to their homeland, through the days of the trappers and traders, the coming of the railroad, and the development of Glacier as a destination for tourists.

"We are in the business of re-educating people about their myths and stereotypes of native people throughout the West, and myths about the Blackfeet and other tribes that traveled through the area," DesRosier said.

Sun Tours attracts seasoned travelers who seek out the people and places behind a popular destination. They include motor home travelers, bus tour travelers, or people who come in on Amtrak. They stay at hotels or in youth hostels and they come from all states and continents.

Some have never been to Glacier while others have been there many times and want to look at it through different eyes.

The daylong tours, starting when Logan Pass opens and continuing through the summer until it closes, cost $35 per person from St. Mary's, or $55 per person from Browning or East Glacier, with group discounts available. Reservations made 24 hours or more in advance are recommended.

The trip takes guests over Going-to-the-Sun Road from east to west, with frequent stops. After a lunch break at Lake McDonald, buses retrace the journey over Logan Pass from west to east.

Traveling both directions surprises visitors with dramatically different views. The drive from east to west showcases an endless ocean of mountain peaks; traveling the opposite direction shows the big sky switch from mountains to prairie.

"Sun Tours is a really good way for people to relax and see the scenery and learn a different viewpoint about the history," said DesRosier. "And they don't have the stress of driving the road."

Sun Tours is located in the center of the town of East Glacier Park, right on Highway 2 across from the Amtrak Depot.

Contact Sun Tours at 29 Glacier Ave., P.O. Box 234, East Glacier Park MT 59434; by phone at (406) 226-9220 or (800) 786-9220; or by fax at (406) 226-9220, on the Web at www.glacierinfo.com.

Tour de Great Falls also offers special trips to Glacier National Park. Its tours may connect with the red "jammer" buses or with Sun Tours in the park. For more information and prices, call 771-1100.

Another way to tour

Tour de Great Falls also offers special trips to Glacier National Park. Its tours may connect with the red "jammer" buses or with Sun Tours in the park. For more information and prices, call 771-1100.