Here we go again. Short version: The 2025 Glacier Park vehicle reservation system is the same as it was this year, except that reservations will be for a specific entry “time block”as well as a date.
From the official press release… Continue reading Glacier National Park announces timed entry vehicle reservation pilot for 2025
From the official press release includes a map of how Going-to-the-Sun Road access will be controlled . . .
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [May 10, 2024] – Glacier National Park staff are gearing up for the season and while full park operations are still a month off, visitors will see an increase in recreational opportunities throughout May.
The west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road will undergo the last phase of construction work that began in May 2023. The last 2.8 miles of construction will focus on paving Going-to-the-Sun Road, starting west of Sprague Creek Campground up to North Lake McDonald Road. Construction resumed in April 2024, and is expected to be completed in late May to early June 2024, weather permitting. Construction will cause delays along Going-to-the-Sun Road, including weekends through Memorial Day weekend. Visitors should anticipate up to a 30-minute wait. Visitors should drive and bike with caution. Continue reading Glacier National Park Announces 2024 Spring Operations
Glacier National Park 2024 Vehicle Reservations Open January 25
Reservations Required May 24 through September 8, 2024
[Link to official press release posting.]
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [January 23, 2024] – Glacier National Park reminds visitors that advance vehicle reservations become available on Recreation.gov starting January 25, 2024 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.
Vehicle reservations will be available on Recreation.gov through two types of booking windows; A portion of vehicle reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months in advance on a daily rolling basis, beginning January 25 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time. Next day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 p.m. Mountain Time for next-day entry, starting May 23, 2024 on a daily rolling basis. Continue reading Press release: Glacier National Park 2024 Vehicle Reservations Open January 25
Glacier Park has already posted details of their reservation system for next year!
The big news is the changes to the reservations for Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) access via the West Glacier entrance. They will be one-day only, but a reservation will no longer be required to access the Apgar Village complex. However, reservations for facilities in the Apgar area will no longer provide access beyond the “Apgar filter check point.” GTSR reservations will be required from May 24 through September 8, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Polebridge entrance will be the same as last year: a one-day reservation running from May 24 through September 8, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Many Glacier access will require a reservation from July 1 through September 8, 2024, between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.
No vehicle reservation will be required to access Going-to-the-Sun Road from the east side!
Note that these new regulations should mean that we will no longer need a special “transit pass” (my term) to swing through the park via the Camas entrance.
OK, everyone. Here’s your chance to chime in!
From the official press release . . .
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [August 16, 2023] – Glacier National Park is seeking public feedback through September 30, 2023, on how visitors will access and experience the park in 2024. The park will host a series of virtual and in-person public meetings in late August to provide information from the past vehicle reservation pilot programs and answer questions. The public input from this process will be used to inform a strategy for summer 2024.
Over the past two decades, annual visitation at Glacier National Park has increased from approximately 1.5 million to over 3 million. Much of this use is concentrated along the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor and other front-country destinations during the peak season of June through September.
The park is in the third summer of piloting a vehicle reservation system for major park entrances. The pilots were initiated in summer 2021 as a response to increasing issues with traffic congestion including backups onto US Highway 2, infrastructure capacity, and impacts to park resources from high concentrations of people in the most popular areas of the park. Ongoing pilot reservation systems in summers 2022 and 2023 have provided opportunities to learn more and explore their viability in achieving desired conditions in the park.
Since the park initiated the pilot, it has collected and analyzed visitor use data, as well as feedback from the local community and others, to refine the parameters of the reservation system and continue to improve the visitor experience.
“We have learned a lot from the last three years of pilot reservation systems,” said Park Superintendent Dave Roemer. “We’d like to hear from the public about what has worked, what hasn’t worked, and what ideas they have for managing high visitation at Glacier for 2024. We are listening, and truly need that input before we begin to develop a strategy for next summer.”
There are several opportunities to learn more about this public engagement process and ask park staff questions. Scheduled meetings include:
Wednesday, August 23-Virtual meeting from 6 to 8 pm. Join by following the link at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/MeetingNotices.cfm?projectID=118357
Monday, August 28-Open house from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side of the park.
Tuesday, August 29-Open house from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Cedar Creek Lodge in Columbia Falls.
“The goal of this effort is to provide the best possible access while protecting the park and ensuring visitors have meaningful and enjoyable experiences,” Roemer said. “This work is central to the National Park Service mission, and we are looking forward to continued engagement with our partners, communities, tribes, and park friends to make sure that happens.”
The project website provides a summary of key issues, the history of visitation and visitor use management in the park, and instructions for how to formally submit comments.
Oh, joy… and just in time for the long holiday weekend . . .
GNP Vehicle Reservation System Begins May 26
24-hour advance reservations released on a rolling basis starting May 25 at 8 am MDT
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [May 24, 2023] – Glacier National Park reminds visitors that vehicle reservations are required May 26 through September 10, 2023 for those entering the park by vehicle or motorcycle from 6 am to 3 pm at west side entrances including the North Fork, Camas and West entrances.
For the east side of the park, vehicle reservations will not be required at Many Glacier, Two Medicine and St. Mary (at Rising Sun) entrances until July 1, 2023.
Visitors with lodging, camping, or commercial activity reservations (e.g., boat tours and horseback rides) do not need a vehicle reservation and can use their confirmation email to access the portion of the park for which their activity is booked.
Visitors who do not already possess a vehicle reservation can book 24-hour advance reservations at 8 am MDT on Recreation.gov the day before their visit. Vehicle reservations are only available at Recreation.gov.
The park is open 24/7 and visitors may enter the park before 6 am or after 3 pm without a vehicle reservation; however, entry to Going-to-the-Sun Road from the west side is restricted before 6 am due to construction activities requiring nightly closures.
For the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor, vehicle reservations will be checked at the Rising Sun check point (located 6 miles west of the St. Mary Entrance) beginning on July 1, 2023. Park shuttles at St. Mary Visitor Center are located outside of the vehicle reservation area and accessible without a vehicle reservation.
Additional vehicle reservation information and frequently asked questions are available on the park’s Vehicle Reservation page.
Glacier National Park is surrounded by a vast amount of additional recreational opportunities, including local tribal lands and national forests. Recreational activities on tribal lands such as hiking, boating, fishing, camping, etc. requires a permit through each tribe. Visitors can find more information on the Blackfeet Nation and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) websites. Information for recreation in the Flathead National Forest and Bob Marshall Wilderness can be found on the Forest Services’ website. Visitors should research and plan before visiting these areas.
Need help planning your trip? Visitors looking for travel guidance can visit the Glacier Country Tourism website for additional information about the areas and businesses surrounding Glacier National Park.
Here we go again. As expected, “vehicle reservations” will be required to enter all areas of the park. But wait, there’s more: A separate reservation will be needed for each area of the park. And only the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor is a three day reservation; all others are good for only one day!
From the official press release . . .
Glacier National Park 2023 Vehicle Reservations
Open February 1
Reservations Required May 26 through September 10, 2023
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [January 30, 2023] – Glacier National Park reminds visitors that 2023 vehicle reservations become available on Recreation.gov starting February 1, 2023, at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.
Vehicle reservations will be available on Recreation.gov through two types of booking windows: approximately four months in advance and 24-hours in advance. The 24-hour advanced reservations will become available starting May 25 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.
Reservations are required for Going-to-the-Sun Road west side entrances and the North Fork area May 26 through September 10, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations for Going-to-the- Sun Road are good for three days, and North Fork reservations are good for one day.
Beginning July 1 through September 10, 2023, a vehicle reservation will be required to access Going-to-the-Sun Road from the Rising Sun check point, six miles west of the St. Mary Entrance. Visitors will have access to the St. Mary Visitor Center and park shuttle outside of the vehicle reservation area.
New in 2023, one reservation per vehicle per valley will be required to access Two Medicine and Many Glacier valleys on the east side of the park from July 1 through September 10 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations on Recreation.gov open for these areas starting March 1, 2023, at 8 a.m. Mountain Time and are good for one day.
Each of the specified areas of the park will require a separate reservation. Visitors will need to set up an account on Recreation.gov to obtain reservations and are encouraged to do so prior to the day reservations open. The only cost associated with booking a reservation is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee.
Visitors may also make a reservation through the Recreation.gov call center. Contacting the call center does not provide an advantage towards securing a reservation but provides an alternative for those who don’t have access to the internet or are not as familiar with technology. Call centers are open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mountain Time and the processing fee remains $2. The following lines are available for callers:
Reservation line (Toll-Free) – (877) 444-6777
Reservation line (International) – (606) 515-6777
Reservation line (TDD) – (877) 833-6777
Below is a table of the block release dates and locations:
* During this time, it is likely only a portion of the Going-to-the-Sun Road will be open. Check the park website for road status or to sign up for text alerts. Vehicle reservations are not required for any east entrances until July 1.
** Each valley requires a separate reservation
In addition to a vehicle reservation, each vehicle entering the park is required to have an entrance pass for any entry point into the park. These passes could include any one of the following: a $35 vehicle pass, good for seven days; a valid Interagency Annual/Lifetime Pass; or a Glacier National Park Annual Pass.
Visitors with lodging, camping, transportation, or commercial activity reservations within Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor, Many Glacier, or Two Medicine can use their reservation for entry instead of a $2 reservation to gain access to the portion of the park for which they have a reservation.
Landowners inside the park are not required to have a vehicle reservation to access their properties. Pursuant to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, vehicle reservations are not required for tribal members throughout the park.
For more information visit the Glacier National Park website.
Short version: For the 2023 season, all Glacier Park entrances will require a “vehicle reservation” between 6:00am and 3:00pm; reservations are good for three days, except at Polebridge, which remains a one-day ticket.
Here’s the text of the official press release with all the gory details . . .
WEST GLACIER, Mont. [December 16, 2022] – Visitors to Glacier National Park in 2023 can expect to use a vehicle reservation system to access Going-to-the-Sun Road via the West Entrance and the North Fork area of the park from May 26 through September 10, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Vehicle reservations will also be required for Two Medicine and Many Glacier valleys and the St. Mary Entrance to Going-to-the-Sun Road on the east side of the park from July 1 through September 10, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Continue reading Glacier National Park Announces Plans for 2023 Reservations
Looks like reservations will be needed for all Glacier Park entrances next year…
As Glacier National Park finalizes the details of an evolving vehicle-reservation system slated to go online for a third summer in 2023, the most urgent refrain from gateway business leaders is: When?
When will they know next year’s plan to manage vehicle access at entrances girding the million-acre park’s sprawling footprint, around which the economic picture is as diverse as ecologic? When can they begin sharing specifics of the adaptive system so that guests won’t be “blindsided” by changes to its configuration next summer? And when will they know whether two popular entrances that so far have remained unencumbered by the reservation requirement will be added to the list?…