Driving Going to the Sun Road is a major highlight of any trip to Glacier National Park. You’ll see countless stunning vistas along the way, and may even be lucky enough to photograph wildlife right from your car. This scenic drive is very narrow at a few points with sheer drop-offs just on the other side of the guardrails. It’s definitely a challenge if you have a fear of heights, but it’s a beautiful and quite enjoyable drive for most. And if you’d prefer not to drive, you can always take the iconic red bus tours. They’re called the ‘reds’ and date back to the 1930s but have gone through a complete restoration in 2001. The road was named after Going to the Sun Mountain which you can see from the end of the parking lot from Logan’s Pass. (You’ll also find a photo below.) This incredible drive has a short season every year because this area of the park can receive as much as 80 feet of snow! So today I’m going to give you all the information you need to have the best trip possible. But also to give a realistic outlook of what it’s really like to visit Glacier National Park. #bringyourpatience With all this in mind, let’s just dive in and get started with what you need to know!
Amazing fall colors Fewer bugs Not so busy – fewer people (kids are back in school) No vehicle reservation or ticket required (After September 28, 2025) Not as much snow in the alpine which means more mountain summits are available to hike.
However, summer is the best time to visit, with the most options available! Long summer days mean you can really see a lot in a day, and the waterfalls and wildlife are thriving. Just expect more crowds and congested parking areas. As a general rule, Logan’s Pass Visitor Center will:
Open late June to early July Closes – Typically the third Monday in October (weather permitting).
If you want more to reference, the park keeps track from year to year so you can check out what the opening and closing dates were. I usually find it best to keep up with the current road status page which has a handy map that shows you the areas of the park that are open in green and closed in red. From here you can quickly check to see if the road is open. Be sure to check back often, as the status can change by the next day.
Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservation System in 2025
Love it or hate it, Glacier has adopted a vehicle reservation system to be able to drive Going to the Sun Road. From 7 am – 3 pm, if you plan to enter the park via the West Glacier entrance gate, you need to have purchased a ticket online first (some exceptions listed below). This has kept the traffic way down from what I’ve seen in past years, but it is still very busy and parking lots are still crowded.
Important Timed Entry Ticket Details For Going To The Sun Road
New in 2025 – Timed entry tickets – If you don’t enter within the time block listed on your ticket, your ticket won’t be accepted. Tickets are purchased by visiting the Recreation.gov website or through the Recreation.gov mobile app. You only need a ticket between June 13, 2025, to September 28, 2025. You only need a ticket if you enter via the West Glacier Park entrance (You can enter via the St. Mary entrance gate without a ticket). You only need a ticket if you enter between 7 am to 3 pm Mountain time. The vehicle reservation entry fee for a ticket is $2.00 and is non-refundable. A ticket is valid for only 1 day in the park. Your entry ticket does not guarantee you a parking spot. Vehicles are restricted to no more than 21 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 10 feet in height. You cannot book a reservation for a ticket in person at the Park. If for some reason you can’t use your ticket you can cancel it within 24 hours of your entry date via Recreation.gov (still non-refundable). The system issues entry tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservation Booking Windows
The Advanced Reservation Reservations are available 120 days in advance on a rolling basis. Released 8 am MST daily. Starting February 12, 2025 Next-Day Entry Reservation Released at 7 pm MDT the day before you plan to visit. Starting June 12, 2025
Using Recreation.gov
To get the right tickets, visit recreation.gov and type in the search bar ‘Going to The Sun Road’. The reservation you’re looking for will be called’ Going-to-the-Sun Road via the West Entrance 1-Day Vehicle Reservation. ‘ This should populate the search results as you type. From there, pick the dates you desire that are available from the calendar and the number of tickets. After that, you’ll have 15 minutes to enter your personal details and agree to the ‘Need to Know Information’ and ‘Site Pass’ terms (by checking those boxes), before you can proceed to review the cart. Then you will be shown a summary of details, including the $2.00 fee, the reservation date and time, and the type of reservation. Next, you just proceed to payment, enter your payment info and you’ll get a receipt with your ticket and a booking confirmation. Booking a commercially available reservation like the ones listed below is another great way to see Going To The Sun Road without needing a vehicle-timed entry ticket. Just be sure to bring your proof of one of these reservations and you’ll be granted access. Just keep in mind the park has stated “Only commercial reservations that originate beyond the Apgar vehicle reservation checkpoint and west of Logan Pass will provide entry in place of a vehicle reservation.”
North Fork 1-Day Vehicle Reservation – Ticket Required June 13 – September 28 (Same requirements as Going To The Sun Road) 7 am – 3 pm Many Glacier – Limited access – Swiftcurrent area will be closed due to construction. Two Medicine – No Ticket Requirements St. Mary – No Ticket Requirements
You can do this all on a long summer day if you budget your time right. Also, keep in mind that you may want to hit some of the stops on the way back. If you have more time, it’s worth it to drive over to St. Mary to camp or stay overnight. Then head back to West Glacier the next day. Since there are so many stops to see, I decided to make a Google map that goes with this list. It shows the route assuming you’re starting in West Glacier. All the ‘must see’ stops are shown on the map with purple icons. It also includes bathrooms and some fuel stations. Hopefully, this list and the map will help you to be more prepared for the drive.
Fuel
You’ll definitely want to fuel up your vehicle before driving Going To The Sun Road. The last thing you want to worry about as you drive up the mountain pass is whether or not you’ll have enough fuel. There are no fuel stations in the park. The closest fuel stations are located just outside the park in the town of West Glacier, and East Glacier. I usually fill up gas at Costco in Kalispell for the best price or at the Blue Moon
Food
There are a few options as you come into West Glacier, then again at the Lake McDonald Lodge. But after you leave the shores of Lake McDonald there aren’t any more options for food until St. Mary. There are numerous picnic areas along the way including, Apgar, Sprague Creek, Avalanche, Sun Point, & Rising Sun. These all have picnic tables available, but you can stop anywhere for a scenic snack in any number of pull-offs along the way.
Time
It takes 2 hours to drive the whole 51 miles without stopping or unforeseen traffic. You’ll probably need double that and then some to have an enjoyable drive with lots of stops for photos. I would give yourself at least 4 hours, or even more to truly enjoy the drive. Also bring all your patience, even with the ticket system it’s very busy. There are lots of pull-offs for views, but some will be unavailable as you come through. Pick what’s available and skip the rest if there isn’t any parking. You can always drive back through the other way later in the day. You can see the van in front of us has stopped on the road rather than taking the next pull-off which results in delays for everyone else!
Photo Opportunities
Don’t stop on the road for photos! Only stop for wildlife or pedestrians crossing the road. This is a huge problem that holds up traffic and makes for a lot of grumpy people. Continue driving the speed limit when possible, and take photos only from the designated pull-offs. The road really is quite narrow and you may find there might be occasion to come to a complete stop, or slow way down if you’re passing with a larger vehicle in the oncoming lane. The narrowest parts of the road barely fit a truck. And so it’s sometimes necessary to go very slowly so both lanes can continue on without an accident. People have lost their bumpers, mirrors, etc. in trying to squeeze by someone else in the oncoming lane too quickly.
Vehicle restrictions
Any vehicle that exceeds 21′ long, 8′ wide, and 10′ in height isn’t allowed on the portion of Going to the Sun Road that begins after Avalanche Creek. The road is much too narrow for larger vehicles, and if you have a large truck, be prepared to drive very slowly in some sections. I’ve been up Going to the Sun Road in a 1 ton dually truck a few times and it’s never fun. The back tires will go over the line into the other lane at the narrowest points. And you may have to come to a complete stop to allow the oncoming traffic to pass before you can continue. Suffice it to say you’ll have the best time in a car with plenty of space!
Boat Ride or rent a paddleboard/canoe at Lake McDonald Horseback rides Hiking, hiking, and more hiking! Climbing – (Glacier has its own classification system because of the fragile rock) Stop in the surrounding businesses and find a souvenir or something to eat. Visit the neighboring towns like Whitefish and Columbia Falls for a break from sightseeing, (lots of restaurants, shopping, ziplining, rafting, fishing, etc. available). Take a break from driving to have lunch or a picnic from any of the scenic pull-outs.
However, you can always find solitude even in the busiest of times if you look for it. The best way to enjoy the beauty of this park is to pick a hike and get further away from the main areas. The short trails are busy but not too crowded for the most part. Weekends are typically more crowded than weekdays, but not by much. Traffic in Glacier seems to be pretty steady all the time. So our favorite pastime is climbing the mountains with climbing routes. There’s much less traffic of course, but it is a completely different skill set with plenty of risk involved due to the crumbling rock. As mentioned above, drive up and over, then come back for all the spots you missed. Or start in West Glacier drive up and over Logan’s Pass take your time and maybe even choose one of the hikes listed above. Then stay on the St. Mary’s side for the night, and take your time enjoying the drive all the way back to West Glacier the next day. This really takes the intensity out of trying to see ‘everything’ on your first pass-through! I sure hope this has been helpful and that you have the best possible trip to Glacier National Park. You can find everything I’ve written about all the hikes in my Glacier National Park section. And for some tips for your trip, check out my Top 10 Tips for Glacier National Park. Also, you can check out my Top 25 Hikes in Glacier National Park. They’re listed out by the region they’re in as well as a quick look at mileage and elevation so you can easily plan out your trip.
