Glacier National Park Closes Going-to-the-Sun Road for the Winter
The seasonal closure rounds out a summer of high visitation, but the snowy months ahead still promise opportunity for recreation
By Jules Lingenfelter
Glacier National Park has closed the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road to vehicles ahead of winter. The annual closure, which occurs each year no later than the third Monday of October, signals the end of Glacier’s peak tourism season. The park, however, will remain open year-round with limited services.
On Oct. 19, park officials announced Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed between Avalanche Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook. The heavy snowfall Glacier often receives during the winter makes the road’s upper-elevation segments too difficult to plow, while avalanche danger persists into late spring and early summer. Earlier this fall, the road was also subject to three temporary closures due to inclement weather and public safety concerns.
Going-to-the-Sun Road will remain closed to vehicles until next summer. Glacier typically opens the road back up in late June or early July; this year, vehicles gained access June 22. Until the weather warms and snow melts, visitors will have limited motorized access to the park through the west entrance and Apgar Village area which are maintained during the winter.
Glacier officials also announced hiker/biker restrictions along the road due to ongoing construction. At the Loop on the west side and Siyeh Bend on the east, hikers and bikers are not to proceed beyond those points during working hours.
“The Road Crew Closure is in place while crews are working, usually Monday-Thursday until 4 p.m. Visitors are prohibited from going past the hiker/biker closures,” the park’s official website states. “Violators are putting their safety and the safety of our park rangers at risk and could face up to a $5,000 fine and up to six months in jail.”
As Glacier assesses summertime visitation at the tail end of its peak season, the park is still on course to set an all-time high in visitation numbers. In 2017, the park set a record with a total of 3,305,512 visits, and monthly reports put the park on par to beat that number. Visitation topped2.5 million throughAugust, and monthly numbers have risen steadily compared to the previous year.
The increase in visitation comes on the heels of Glacier piloting a new transportation management program after it jettisoned the vehicle reservation system that had been in place since 2021. This summer, Glacier unveiled an express shuttle system and three-hour time limits at the Logan Pass parking lot to relieve traffic congestion at the popular destination. After ending the program on its planned date of Sept. 7, park officials described the shuttle and parking limits as a success in improving access to Logan Pass and managing high numbers of park-goers.
While tourism slows down in the colder months, Glacier remains open for winter recreation. The park offers a variety of trails for visitors to cross country ski and snowshoe across Glacier’s lower terrain. From a three-mile loop near Lower McDonald Creek to a nearly 12-mile journey to the Avalanche Picnic area, there are trails for visitors of all skill levels. A list of popular trails can be found on the park’s website. Park officials advise visitors to bring a map as trails are not marked.
Starting in January, the park also offers guided snowshoe tours on Saturdays and Sundays. The two-hour, ranger-led program walks visitors through the park in search of the wildlife and plants still present in the cold.
Limited camping opportunities are available to the public. Apgar Picnic Area and St. Mary Campground are open for car-camping and Loop B of the Apgar Campground is open for primitive camping. Between Nov. 1 and April 30, those looking to camp in the backcountry may do so after obtaining a winter wilderness permit online. Glacier outlines specific regulations for backcountry camping in the winter, including only human-powered travel and a prohibition of all wood-fires other than fueling a personal stove.
More information regarding recreating in Glacier National Park in the winter can be found online. To receive updated alerts on trail, road, and campground status, visitors can text GNPROADS, GNPTRAILS and GNPCGS to 333111 or check the website for current conditions.