The Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park opened end-to-end on Friday/Rebecca Latson file

Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park in Montana opened end-to-end on Friday, prompting an increase in the number of tickets needed to drive the road being made available.

The entry reservation ticket in addition to an entrance pass is required for access to Going-to-the-Sun Road via Camas Road, West Glacier, and St. Mary entrances between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily through September 6. Visitors should expect long lines and delays if entering the park at 5 p.m., park staff said.

The increase in available entry tickets will be made each day at 8 a.m. local time.

Entry reservation tickets are not required for any other portions of the park, but visitors are still subject to the per-vehicle entrance fee or pass. These areas are congested, and visitors can expect traffic restrictions by mid-morning.

Additional details for the Going-to-the-Sun Road reservation system may be found on Glacier National Park’s website.  

Services at Logan Pass will include restroom facilities and potable water. Visitor information services will be provided outside of the Logan Pass Visitor Center from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The Glacier National Park Conservancy bookstore will be operating inside of the Logan Pass Visitor Center, with access at the upper level. The bookstore will limit the number of people inside at any one time to enable appropriate social distancing.

There will be some work zones on Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer. Construction crews are installing a new vault toilet at Big Bend, and a new shuttle weather shelter at Logan Pass. There will be ongoing masonry work at various locations. Because of the construction, Big Bend will have less parking available, although the trail to the waterfall will be accessible. Visitors need to be on the lookout for these work zones, slow down, and give the construction workers a wide berth.

While driving along the road, particularly through the Rim Rock area (approximately one mile west of Logan Pass) visitors should be aware of potential rockfall and should not slow down or stop in this section. Rocks and other debris continue to fall throughout the summer, requiring daily clean up. 

Vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet, and/or wider than 8 feet, are prohibited on Going-to-the-Sun Road between Avalanche Campground and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass due to rock overhangs. 

The Highline Trail from Logan Pass is still closed due to hazardous snow conditions. For up-to-date information on trail conditions and clearing activities, visit the park’s trail status webpage.

The park’s Visitor Transportation Service, or shuttle service, along Going-to-the-Sun Road will be operational this year under a Ticket-to-Ride system. Tickets went on sale June 1 on Recreation.gov and service will begin on July 1. Tickets must be validated at the visitor center selected at the time of reservation, either Apgar Visitor Center or St. Mary Visitor Center. Face masks are required on shuttles. Please check the park website for additional information on shuttle stops.

Bicyclists are reminded that bicycle safety restrictions on Going-to-the-Sun-Road are in effect, and remain in effect through Labor Day, September 6. Bicycles are prohibited in certain areas between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Information on bicycle restrictions may be found in the park newspaper available at park entrance stations, or online on the park’s bicycle information webpage.  

With the help of the Glacier National Park Conservancy, the park has launched an Idling Awareness Campaign. Visitors are encouraged to limit vehicle idling to no more than two minutes in Glacier in parking lots, at scenic viewpoints and trailheads, and while stopped in traffic lines and road construction to benefit the health of both the public and the park resources. 

Visitors should not throw food waste, including apple cores, orange peels, sunflower seeds, unwanted drinks (coffee, tea, soda) etc., out car windows while waiting in lines. This attracts wildlife to the roadways which increases wildlife fatalities. Discard garbage in bear-proof garbage cans.