Glacier Park Drops Vehicle Reservations in Favor of Ticketed Shuttle, Time Limits for Parking at Logan Pass

Glacier National Park is terminating its vehicle reservation program this summer in favor of a ticketed express shuttle to Logan Pass, where visitors in private vehicles will encounter three-hour time limits for parking, officials announced Wednesday.

The new pilot program replaces a vehicle reservation system that launched in 2021 as part of an effort to manage congestion along the park’s Going-to-the-Sun-Road corridor. That pilot program took a slightly different shape each summer as park administrators refined the strategy, promoting its effectiveness while exasperating some visitors.

Although Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer previously described homing in on a visitor-use “sweet spot” through the adaptive program, which allowed for trial-and-error adjustments each season, he recently acknowledged during public meetings that the vehicle reservation system hadn’t relieved congestion at the park’s most popular destinations, including the Logan Pass Visitor Center, park entrances and popular trailheads.

“With the new trial measures, we aim to improve the public’s ability to visit Logan Pass for short durations and allow the shuttle system to perform more reliably for a more specific purpose,” Roemer said Wednesday in a prepared statement. “This initiative reflects our continued learning and listening as we refine park transportation and access to better serve the public and safeguard the integrity of the park’s resources.”

Vehicle reservations will not be required anywhere in the park in 2026.

The new express shuttle system and parking restrictions are set to begin July 1, assuming the Going-to-the-Sun Road is open to Logan Pass by then. The shuttle, which includes early morning express routes, will ferry visitors to the popular Logan Pass Visitor Center from both the east and west sides of Going-to-the-Sun Road, while the three-hour parking time limit is “intended to increase parking turnover and provide more visitors the opportunity to experience the area.”

“Three hours allows time to hike to Hidden Lake Overlook, visit the Logan Pass Visitor Center or attend an interpretive program, visitors planning longer hikes that begin at Logan Pass, including the Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet or to the Loop Trailhead, must obtain a shuttle ticket,” according to Wednesday’s news release.

Overnight parking will not be permitted at Logan Pass except for permitted backcountry users and registered guests of Granite Park Chalet.

Shuttle tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during two booking windows, in a similar fashion to how vehicle reservations were released: 60 days in advance beginning May 2 at 8 a.m. on a rolling basis; and for next-day entry beginning daily June 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available through Recreation.gov.

Shuttles to Logan Pass will not stop at Avalanche or board passengers without shuttle tickets.

Additional information will be available at nps.gov/glac and Recreation.gov.

Shuttle Routes and Schedules 

Shuttle service will provide access to Logan Pass from both the west and east sides of Going-to-the-Sun Road. West side express routes will depart from Apgar Transit Center and Lake McDonald Lodge, with stops at the Loop in the afternoon and Logan Pass. Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars will not be accessible by park shuttle in 2026.

East side express routes will depart from St. Mary Visitor Center and Rising Sun. Riders may transfer between routes at Logan Pass.

Updated route details, boarding times and stop locations will be posted later in the season.

Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and North Fork Vehicle Reservations

Because vehicle reservations will not be required in Many Glacier, Two Medicine or the North Fork in 2026, visitors may be “temporarily diverted when areas reach capacity,” according to the release. Visitors with lodging, camping, boat tour, horseback ride, guided hike or backcountry reservations will be permitted entry during temporary restrictions but may experience delays.

Going-to-the-Sun Road opening

Snow removal operations begin in early April and typically continue until Logan Pass opens between mid-June and early July. Snowstorms and avalanches often continue through May, and the park cannot predict an opening date.

Road crews work across approximately 40 avalanche paths, and progress depends on snow and avalanche conditions.

“The park cannot predict when Logan Pass trails will open,” according to the release. “Popular routes, including the Highline Trail, may remain closed due to hazardous snow conditions.”

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