Tips for Getting into Glacier National Park in 2026

The Basics

• No vehicle reservations are required anywhere in the park this year.  
• Glacier’s shuttles on the Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass will run on a reservation-only system during the summer season.  
• Beginning June 30, reservations for next-day shuttles will be released daily at 7 p.m. on recreation.gov.
• Parking at Logan Pass is limited to three hours starting July 1.  
• There will not be a Glacier National Park operated hiker/biker shuttle this spring, but local commercial operators with park permits will offer bicycle rental and transportation services during the hiker/biker season. 
• All Sun Tours and Red Bus tours that previously departed from the Apgar Visitor Center will now depart from the newly designated Quarter Circle Parking Lot. 
• Shuttle reservations are available only at www.recreation.gov.
• Official park information is available on the NPS website: www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/vehicle-reservations2026.htm

Glacier National Park closed out 2025 as its third-busiest year on record, surpassing 3.1 million visitors and marking the fifth time in Glacier’s 116-year history that it’s broken the 3-million-visitor barrier. Even so, park officials have decided to scrap a controversial vehicle-reservation system aimed at mitigating summertime symptoms of over-visitation in favor of a new approach: For the first time in five years, visitors can access all of Glacier National Park’s entrances without a vehicle reservation. But visitors will still have to navigate changes in 2026, including Logan Pass parking restrictions, a new reservation-only shuttle system, and construction-related closures. Here’s what to know.

The most dramatic change visitors will encounter this summer is the rollback of vehicle-reservation requirements that have, in some form or another, been in place since 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, with a mixed reception from visitors and business stakeholders in a volatile tourism economy.

Although park officials described locating a visitor-use “sweet spot” as the adaptive pilot program ran its course over five years, allowing administrators the flexibility to troubleshoot bugs and iron out kinks from one season to another, they ultimately conceded 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.

In dropping the vehicle reservation requirement, which will not go into effect anywhere in the park in 2026, Glacier is supplanting it with a reservation-only shuttle system, which is tailored to visitors seeking longer experiences in the alpine stretches of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The new reservation-only shuttle system replaces the park’s first-come, first-served shuttle system. Shuttles to Logan Pass will not pick up passengers who do not have shuttle tickets.

“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,” Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer said earlier this year when he announced the changes. “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.”

Tickets are required for each visitor over the age of 2 and are valid for one day. They will be available through recreation.gov for a $1 service fee.

Even though the new reservation-based express shuttle system isn’t scheduled to begin until July 1, assuming the Sun Road’s upper reaches are clear of snow by then, reservations became available to visitors 60 days in advance beginning May 2 at 8 a.m. and are released on a rolling basis thereafter. Shuttle reservations for next-day entry will be released daily at 7 p.m. starting on June 30.

Shuttle Routes and Schedules

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 Glacier National Park officials.

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

West side express routes will depart from Apgar Transit Center beginning at 6 a.m. and Lake McDonald Lodge at 7 a.m., with stops at the Loop in the afternoon and Logan Pass.

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

Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars will not be accessible by park shuttle in 2026.

Shuttles will depart Logan Pass every 60 to 90 minutes. The last shuttle to depart Logan Pass for the day to return to west side boarding locations is at 7:30 p.m. The last shuttle to depart Logan Pass for the day to return to east side boarding locations is at 8 p.m. There are no other public transportation services available if visitors miss the last shuttle.

Shuttles will stop in both directions at The Loop, allowing shuttle riders to start or end their hike at The Loop and return to their boarding location. The estimated travel time between The Loop and Logan Pass is 30 minutes. In the afternoon, shuttles headed up to Logan Pass will stop at The Loop to pick up passengers that need to get back to Logan Pass to transfer to eastbound shuttles. Eastbound shuttles will pick up passengers approximately every 60 to 90 minutes, with the first pick-up time at noon and the last pick-up time at 7 p.m.

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 park officials. 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 began 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 park officials. “Popular routes, including the Highline Trail, may remain closed due to hazardous snow conditions.”

Road Construction and Infrastructure Project Work

Road reconstruction typically requires warmer weather, meaning that construction season often overlaps with the primary visitation season of May through October in Glacier National Park. 

In 2026, there will be minimal road construction affecting travel times. However, a spring and fall closure for the Two Medicine area will occur due to a utility project in the developed area and campground.

Two Medicine Spring and Fall Closure

In 2026, a spring and fall closure will occur for the Two Medicine area due to a utility project and road rehabilitation project. The Two Medicine utility project will begin in May 2026. This project includes replacement of the full water distribution system in the Two Medicine developed area and campground. To facilitate construction, Two Medicine Road will be closed at the Running Eagle Falls Trailhead.

Closures in the Two Medicine developed area will occur outside of concession operating dates, May 29-Sept. 7. Concessioner operated boat tours will run and the Two Medicine Campstore will remain open from May 29–Sept. 7. The park will maintain access to hiking trails as feasible, but access to some trails may be limited. The Two Medicine Campground will be closed in 2026.

North Fork–Polebridge

Construction to replace the Polebridge Ranger Station area’s water supply system, water distribution system, and water tank is expected to begin August 2026. This work is expected to have minimal impact to visitors until October 4, 2026 when the water main and water tank installation work along the Inside North Fork Road is anticipated to start. This will require a full closure to all traffic traveling towards Logging Creek from the Polebridge Ranger Station. Trenching in front of the Polebridge Ranger Station is also expected in October 2026.

Public access to Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake will remain unaffected by construction. It is expected that all significant construction activities will be completed in November 2026. Heavy construction is not expected in the winter. Any remaining road restoration or area restoration work will be completed by summer 2027.