Glacier National Park is one of the most scenic places in the US, so it’s no surprise that it’s home to one of the most scenic drives in the country as well! And that, of course, is the Going-to-the-Sun-Road (GTSR). You may have heard of this iconic road, but if you haven’t, don’t worry… You’re in the right place! Before we get into the guide, let’s first explain exactly what the Going-to-the-Sun-Road is. The GTSR is a 51-mile, scenic route that runs through the heart of Glacier National Park which is located in the northwestern section of Montana. Along the drive, you’ll find some of the most scenic hikes and views in the park. In our opinion, you shouldn’t visit Glacier National Park (especially if it’s your first time) without driving this legendary route. Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get into everything you need to know for a successful time on the Going-to-the-Sun-Road!
Pro Tip: Download the Glacier National Park audio guide from Guide Along for a hands-free, GPS-guided drive along this iconic route!
⬇️Watch our "1 Day in Glacier National Park" video for a closer look at our visit!⬇️
The Overview:
Vehicle reservations will be required for the west entrance of Going-to-the-Sun Road, the North Fork entrance, and the Many Glacier entrance.
The vehicle reservation season for the west entrance of Going-to-the-Sun Road and the North Fork is May 24 – September 8, 2024.
The vehicle reservation season for the Many Glacier entrance is July 1 – September 8, 2024.
Vehicle reservations are required at these entrances from 6 am to 3 pm.
Vehicle reservations will not be required at the St. Mary or Two Medicine entrances in 2024.
Visitors entering the park in a vehicle or on a motorcycle in one of these areas during these dates need two things: (1) A vehicle reservation OR service reservation and (2) Park Entrance Fee OR valid Park Pass (Annual, Senior, Military, etc.).
Vehicle reservations are available only at recreation.gov.
⬇️ Looking for the perfect lodging near Glacier NP? Check out these options ⬇️
▪️ Creek-front Cabin in the NP: Glacier Snow Fox Lodge
▪️ Riverfront Cabin 1 mile from Glacier NP: West Glacier Riverfront Cabin
▪️ Apartment 1 mile from Glacier NP: Mountain View Apartment
▪️ Luxury Condo 30-mins from Glacier NP: Columbia Falls Condo
▪️ 3-star Hotel 45-mins from Glacier NP: SpringHill Suites
▪️ Budget-friendly hotel 45-mins from Glacier NP: My Place Hotel
Or, use the map below to find the best accommodations for you...
The Details:
1. Entrance Fees:
Entrance to the GTSR requires admission to Glacier National Park which is $35 per vehicle (non-commercial car/truck/van), $30 for motorcycles, or $20 per individual (if entering on foot or bicycle). All of these passes are good for seven days. Or you can purchase an Annual National Park Pass and have access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites around the country. Passes range from Free for the Military Pass to $80 for the Annual Pass or Lifetime Senior Pass.
2. Going-to-the-Sun-Road Vehicle Reservations:
With more than 3 million visitors a year, the NPS has been forced to find ways to manage the surging crowds that Glacier has seen in the last decade. Part of that solution is to require a vehicle reservation for each vehicle or motorcycle accessing the Going-to-the-Sun Road through the West Entrance past the Apgar Check Point from May 24 through September 8, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The entry tickets are free but do require a non-refundable “Reservation Fee” of $2. And while the cost isn’t a problem, obtaining a ticket can be. Tickets for the GTSR are very limited. A portion of vehicle reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months in advance, starting on January 25, 2024, at 8 am MST on a daily rolling basis, and Next Day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 pm MDT for next-day entry starting on May 23, 2024, on a daily rolling basis.
Visitors with service reservations (lodging, camping, commercial tours, etc.) along the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor do not need a vehicle reservation. And if you're reading all of this and thinking "This is too complicated" and all of this sounds like a big headache to you, then we’ve got some good news… There are a couple of ways to avoid the vehicle reservation process! Option one is to visit the park AFTER the final date of required ticket entry. For 2023 that would be any date after September 8th and before the GTSR closes for the season (usually mid-October). Option two is to enter the park BEFORE 6am or AFTER 3pm during the summer months. Tickets are not required during these times.
For more details and information visit the National Park Service website.
3. Dates Open:
Due to extreme weather conditions, the GTSR is only open during the summer months and typically doesn’t even open until mid-June and closes mid-October. You can always check the National Park Service Site to get the most up-to-date info on the conditions of the GTSR.
Previous Year's Open Dates:
2018: June 22 - Sept 29
2019: June 22 - Sept 25
2020: July 13 (late opening due to COVID) - Oct 9
2021: June 25 - October 10
2022: July 13 (late opening due to snowfall) - Oct 16
2023: June 13 - Oct 16
4. Vehicle Restrictions:
Due to the narrow lanes and multiple tunnels along the drive, there are restrictions on the size of vehicles that are allowed on the GTSR… Vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet (including bumpers), wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), and taller than 10 feet in height are prohibited from certain sections of the GTSR. For more details on vehicle restrictions, check the National Park Service Site.
Now that we’ve covered all the details you need to know before setting out on a GTSR trip, now let’s get into some tips to make the most of your Going-to-the-Sun-Road experience!
1. Start early:
The GTSR can get extremely busy, especially during the summer months. To avoid the crowds (as much as possible) we recommend entering the park before 6am, this way you won’t be fighting for parking at many of the popular trailheads/lookouts, and conveniently you won’t need a vehicle reservation in the summer months! There are lots of ways to go about it, but after tons of research, here’s what we did and highly recommend…
Enter the park from the west entrance 1.5-2 hours BEFORE SUNRISE and make the 1-1.25 hour drive to Logan Pass. Yes, this means that you will be driving the 32 miles to Logan Pass in the dark, but you’ll have time to explore those 32 miles in the afternoon plus, you’ll get to experience sunrise at Logan Pass which is epic! The reason you need to arrive at Logan Pass so early is because the Logan Pass parking lot fills up FAST since it is the hub for many of the park's most popular hikes (Highline Trail, Hidden Lake, etc)! We visited during the shoulder season (mid-September) and the parking lot was COMPLETELY full by 8am.
2. Fill up BEFORE you enter the park:
There are no gas stations within the park, so be sure to fill up on gas before setting out on your GTSR drive! While there are gas stations in West Glacier, their service is very limited and seasonal, so if you’re staying out further in White Fish, Kalispell, or somewhere similar, we recommend filling up before leaving for the park.
3. Don’t rush it:
The 51-mile GTSR only takes about 2 hours to drive (one way), but that doesn't include any stops. We recommend allowing at least 4 hours (one way) so that you don’t feel rushed and can truly enjoy the views and take your time at the many scenic pullouts. That recommended 4 hours doesn’t include any hikes though (which we totally recommend and will talk about later), so be sure to map out your day with all of the sites and hikes that you want to hit and allow plenty of time to soak it all in!
4. Pack food:
While there are a few dining options in the park located at Apgar, Lake McDonald, and Rising Sun, we recommend packing a cooler with all of your food and drinks for the day. It not only saves you money but also time! We enjoyed the freedom of being able to eat wherever we were in the park rather than having to plan our day around dining at those specific locations which meant that we got to have an amazing sunset picnic on Lake McDonald!
5. Get out and hike:
The GTSR in itself is absolutely stunning and worth your time, but honestly, it’s only a small part of experiencing Glacier National Park. That’s why we recommend getting out of the car and hitting the trail! Glacier is truly a hiker’s park and as long as you are physically capable, you should take advantage of the many beautiful trails available. For our time in the park, we did a short portion of the Highline Trail as well as hikes to St. Mary Falls, Virginia Falls, Baring Falls, and Sun Point and truly enjoyed each of them.
We hope that these tips help you plan your visit and make the most of your time on the Going-to-the-Sun-Road! If you did find it helpful, we hope you’ll consider heading over to our YouTube Channel and subscribing for more travel content and/or following us on Instagram! Happy traveling!
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