Wildfire Continues to Burn as Road Closure Causes Congestion in Glacier Park
Officials encourage visitors to visit other parts of the park, avoid Going-to-the-Sun Road
By Justin Franz
Update: July 31, 10 a.m.
A record number of visitors combined with a wildfire that has shut down the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road have created unprecedented congestion in Glacier National Park, according to the National Park Service.
Park officials are encouraging people to avoid the Sun Road, where visitors are experiencing delays of two to three hours, and explore the lesser-known areas of the park.
The Sun Road is closed from Logan Pass to St. Mary because of the Reynolds Creek Fire, which since July 22 has burned more than 3,100 acres on the east side of the park.
“We strive to provide a quality visitor experience at Glacier National Park, so we need to communicate the delays that may be encountered in accessing Logan Pass at this time,” said Superintendent Jeff Mow. “East-side access to Logan Pass will remain closed as long as there is fire burning and firefighters working in close proximity to the Going-to-the-Sun Road.”
»»» Click here to view a video of firefighters battling the Reynolds Creek Fire.
Glacier Park was on pace for another record-breaking summer before the Reynolds Creek Fire erupted. The Crown Jewel of the Continent had its busiest June on record, attracting over 414,000 visitors last month. The year-to-date visitation was up nearly 26 percent over last year, which eventually set an annual record with 2.33 million people.
Faced with congestion, park rangers are stationed along the entire west side of the Sun Road to help manager traffic. If the congestion becomes too overwhelming, rangers will turn visitors back down the road. Park officials are encouraging people to explore other parts of the park, including the Many Glacier and Two Medicine valleys and the North Fork.
While some have hoped the entire Sun Road would be reopened sooner rather than later, Mother Nature might have different plans. The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for east of the divide and predicts that warm temperatures, high winds and low humidity will return in the coming days.
The Reynolds Creek Fire was especially active on Thursday as firefighters conducted a burnout near the Rising Sun Campground. As of Friday morning, the fire remained 3,170 acres and 63 percent contained. The fire has cost $6.5 million.