Cyclists Gear Up for Springtime Adventures in Glacier

Even though Glacier National Park is still months away from hitting its full summertime stride, cyclists and hikers have been eagerly awaiting their early-season opportunities to explore the Going-to-the-Sun Road in the absence of motorized traffic.

On Friday morning, park officials announced that opportunity had arrived when they opened the west side of the Sun Road to motorized traffic as far as Lake McDonald Lodge, beyond which hikers and bikers may travel to The Loop — or beyond when posted closures allow.

As of Friday afternoon, the park’s west-side road crew had cleared the alpine thoroughfare to the bend just beyond the Weeping Wall, while east-side crews were at Siyeh Bend. However, closures will remain in place whenever the road crews are active, typically Monday through Thursday until 4 p.m. Meanwhile, separate avalanche-hazard closures are set daily and are determined based on conditions. Hikers and bikers should always check the park’s road status page before planning a trip.

The road crew actively works across 40 avalanche paths, making operations highly dependent on avalanche hazard conditions. In May 2021, a party of cyclists from Bigfork became trapped between two avalanches that buried portions of the Sun Road, requiring park rangers to execute a roped rescue operation and belay the bikers to safety.

“Hikers and bikers can travel on Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as posted closures,” according to the park’s May 5 press release announcing the partial opening. “Access beyond the closures is prohibited, and visitors who disobey the road closure signage are putting their safety, and that of rescue personnel, at risk.”

The opening of the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road to motorized traffic as far as Lake McDonald Lodge follows a winter-long closure due to construction, which will be ongoing this year through September. The project involves milling, reclaiming and paving a section of the iconic road, and visitors should drive and bike with caution. They should also anticipate delays of up to a half-hour in each direction to pass through the construction zone.

Nightly closures along the stretch of road traversing Lake McDonald will begin June 1 from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., with opportunities for visitors to pass through at midnight, 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. The east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road is currently open to vehicles approximately six miles from St. Mary to Rising Sun.  

Springtime hiker-and-biker access allows visitors to begin exploring the park’s interior while plow crews work to clear the Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, a job that usually isn’t complete until between mid-June and mid-July. Road plowing began the first week of April and will continue until the entire 55-mile length of the Sun Road is clear. Typical years see snowstorms and avalanches continuing through April and May, making it impossible to predict an opening date. 

The park’s free spring hiker/biker shuttle returns this year, providing weekend service from May 7 until June 26, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shuttle runs between Apgar Visitor Center, Lake McDonald Lodge and Avalanche Creek. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

On the west side of the park, Going-to-the-Sun Road is currently open to vehicles approximately 12 miles from the West Entrance to Lake McDonald Lodge. On the east side of the park, visitors may currently drive Going-to-the-Sun Road approximately six miles from St. Mary to Rising Sun.

North Lake McDonald Road is closed to public access including vehicles, hiking, or biking at the intersection with Going-to-the-Sun Road due to the Upper McDonald Creek Bridge replacement project. Parking at the intersection is also closed. Hikers will be unable to complete the Johns Lake Loop Trail and will need to turn around where trail closed signs are posted.   

Due to bridge construction and road conditions, all roads in the North Fork area of the park are closed to vehicle traffic until May 25, 2023. The Inside North Fork Road will remain closed between Logging Creek and Fish Creek in 2023.  

For more information about construction in the park, visit the construction page on the park website.   

Many Glacier, Camas, Quarter Circle Bridge, Two Medicine and Chief Mountain roads are open for the season. The Chief Mountain Border Crossing remains closed until May 15. See Canada Border Services Agency website for details.  

Vehicle reservations are required for all west side park entrances starting May 26, and all east side entrances starting July 1. Check the Glacier National Park website for details.  

Wilderness Permit Offices:  

The Apgar Wilderness Permit office opened May 1. Two Medicine, St. Mary, and Many Glacier offices open May 26, and Polebridge opens May 27. The St. Mary and Polebridge permit offices are always accessible without a vehicle reservation. Apgar, Many Glacier and Two Medicine permit offices are inside the vehicle reservation areas. Once vehicle reservations go into effect for the season, these offices can be accessed without a reservation before 6 a.m. and after 3 p.m. Permits will also be available at the Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre in Alberta for trips originating from the Belly River, Waterton Townsite and Goat Haunt trailheads. Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre hours are currently 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information on the wilderness permit reservation system, visit the park’s website.  

Campgrounds:  

Most frontcountry campgrounds will operate under a reservation system in 2023. Campground reservations can be made on Recreation.gov. Most campsites are reservable approximately six months in advance and several campsites in each campground can be reserved four days in advance to accommodate visitors with more spontaneous itineraries, i.e., new four-day advanced reservations for campsites at Many Glacier will be reservable beginning June 6 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time for stays beginning June 9.  

Visitors with camping reservations within a vehicle reservation area can use their camping reservation in lieu of a vehicle reservation. For example, a camping reservation for Apgar Campground counts as a Going-to-the-Sun Corridor vehicle reservation on the days of the camping reservation. The camping reservation may not be used to access other reservation areas including North Fork, Two Medicine and Many Glacier.  

Campgrounds in the North Fork area will be assigned first come, first served at the Polebridge Entrance Station.  

Frontcountry campgrounds scheduled to open in May include the following:  

• Apgar Campground: Advance camping reservations are required. Fish Creek Campground: Opens May 26 and will require an advance camping reservation.   
• Sprague Creek Campground: Opens May 26 and will require an advance camping reservation.  
• St. Mary Campground: Currently open on a first come, first served basis. Beginning May 26  a camping reservation will be required.  
• Bowman Lake Campground: Opens May 26 on a first come, first serve basis.   
• Kintla Lake Campground: Opens May 26 on a first come, first serve basis.  
• Cut Bank Campground: Opens May 31 to primitive camping on a first come, first serve basis.  

Other park campgrounds not listed above are expected to open in June and July. Please check the Campground page on the park’s website for a complete list of dates.  

Boat Inspections:  

Private boating will begin on May 14 for Lake McDonald with the opening of the Apgar AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) inspection station. Private boating for Bowman and Kintla lakes will begin on May 26 and AIS inspections will take place at the Polebridge Ranger Station.   

Many Glacier AIS inspections begin May 26 at the Many Glacier Ranger Station. The park anticipates operational AIS stations for St. Mary and Two Medicine lakes in 2023. Opening dates are still to be determined.  

Concession Operations:  

All park concessions plan to operate this summer. Some concessioner services will open in May including lodging, tours, food service, and retail shops. Visitors can find links to each concessioner service through the Lodging, Restaurants, and Serviceswebpage.  

Visitor Centers:  

The Apgar Visitor Center is currently staffed on weekends, with daily operations beginning May 13. The St. Mary Visitor Center will be open daily starting May 26.  

Much of the park is still snow-covered this time of year and travelers should be prepared for changing conditions. Avalanches are still active on trails and along Going-to-the-Sun Road. Higher elevation trails can be dangerous and snow-covered until late June. Bears are emerging from their dens hungry, and visitors should take steps to travel safely in bear country.