For Montanans, the arrival of spring means (slightly) warmer weather, which is amazing news for those of us who spend our winters missing the huckleberry bear claws at the Polebridge Mercantile. The Merc has become one of our state's top attractions, and although it isn't easily accessible, it's well worth the trek.
The Polebridge Mercantile has been around since 1914, only four years after Glacier became a park.
But the bakery here didn't exist until 1994. A baker from Ohio named Dan Kaufman, who owned the Merc for 15 years, built the bakery and passed on most of the current recipes.
To say the building is a little out of the way is an understatement.
Located 26 miles from West Glacier in the middle of nowhere, the Merc doesn't even have electricity.
You'll find all kinds of sweet treats inside those walls...
... but none are quite as famous as these.
Huckleberry bear claws are the top seller here, and for good reason -- they're outstanding.
These giant bear claws alone make a trip to the Merc worth it.
There are plenty of other reasons to go, of course, but these treats are all the reason you need.
Solar panels and a diesel generator power Polebridge.
It's pretty impressive.
This is a popular place to be on a hot summer day.
The Polebridge Mercantile is open all year, but most agree that it's much more pleasant on warmer days... also, the winter snow can make the road pretty treacherous.
The Polebridge Mercantile definitely has some of the best pastries on the planet. But when you can't make it out that far and you need some dessert fast, these places serve incredible pie.
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