Glacier Park visitors should be prepared for crowds, changing conditions
Glacier National Park Photo
Lake County Detective Scott Sciaretta receives the 2021 Deputy of the Year award from the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association during a ceremony at the Lake County Courthouse on Thursday afternoon.
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News from Glacier National Park
More locations and services in Glacier National Park are gradually opening as summer gets closer. Glacier National Park is offering additional services and visitor opportunities as the summer season approaches.
The new Going to the Sun Road ticketed entry reservation system took effect May 28. Entry reservation tickets are required for entering Going to the Sun Road at the west entrance, St. Mary entrance or via Camas Road. Check the Glacier National Park website for more details.
Road crews continue to remove snow at higher elevations, installing guard rails and clearing fallen rock and debris. Weather last month slowed progress. It is too early to predict a date for the road to fully open over Logan Pass.
On the west side of the park, Going-to-the Sun Road is open to vehicles with entry reservation tickets for approximately 18 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche Creek. Hikers and bikers may use the road to The Loop, about eight miles past the vehicle closure, when the road crew is working and may go as far as Logan Pass on weekends when the road crew is not working.
Restrooms are not yet available at Logan Pass. Visitors should check current conditions prior to visiting to learn if additional closures are in place due to avalanches or weather.
On the east side of the park, visitors with entry reservation tickets may drive Going to the Sun Road approximately 12 miles from St. Mary to Jackson Glacier Overlook. Hiking and biking are allowed as far as No Stump Point just beyond Siyeh Bend.
Two Medicine Road and the Two Medicine picnic area are open for the season. Cut Bank Road is currently closed at the ranger station. Many Glacier Road is open to public access. Visitors can expect up to 40-minute delays in both directions due to road construction during the day, and up to three-hour delays from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The Inside North Fork Road is open between Polebridge Ranger Station and Logging Creek Ranger Station. Road access to Bowman and Kintla Lakes is open for the season. These dirt roads are prone to intermittent closure due to muddy conditions.
The Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and Polebridge areas may experience traffic restrictions due to congestion. Visitors with a service reservation in those valleys will be admitted but should be prepared for delays.
Road construction on Camas Road will require 30-minute delays in both directions. Check the Glacier National Park website for additional information on construction in and around the park.
Tickets for the park’s shuttle service along Going-to-the-Sun Road went on sale June 1 on Recreation.gov and service will begin on July 1. Tickets must be validated at the visitor center selected at the time of reservation, either Apgar Visitor Center or St. Mary Visitor Center. Face masks are required on shuttles. Please check the park website for additional information on shuttle stops.
Much of the park is still snow-covered this time of year and travelers should be prepared for changing conditions. Avalanches can occur on slopes and route-finding skills are necessary at high elevations. Bears are active throughout the park. Visitors should take steps to travel safely in bear country. Extensive up-to-date park information is available via the Glacier National Park website.
