#5Mile 7.1 · 3,178 ft
Lake McDonald
Ten miles of crystal water over the famous rainbow pebbles, pullouts the whole way.
10 miLake length, not shoreline
472 ftDeep
- Colored pebbles in low-angle light
- Reflections depend on wind and conditions
Going-to-the-Sun Road: what’s true today, and what to do on your date
Fifty miles over Logan Pass. No reservation in 2026, a 3-hour parking clock at the top, a $1 shuttle. Here is the road as it actually runs, not the encyclopedia entry.
Road status Live
Open end to end
West Glacier to St. Mary, all 50 miles open to vehicles per the latest NPS alert. The alpine section closes with the first big snow, usually mid-October.
NPS alerts feed · checked just now · verify on nps.gov
Alerts that touch the road
- Going-to-the-Sun Road is Open for 2026 SeasonThe Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open for the 2026 summer season. The road may now be accessed by motorized vehicles over Logan Pass from both the… NPS
Webcams
NPS and Glacier Conservancy cameras, refreshed about every 10 minutes. Tap to open the full set.
Decide it for your date
How should you do the road?
Drive it, shuttle it, bike it, or book a guided day. The answer changes with the date and what you want at Logan Pass. Answer four things and we tell you, with the ticket times that apply.
Three plans, timed
Where you’ll actually be at 9, noon and 4
Built from the road’s real mileage and NPS drive times. Pick a length, set a start time. Parking odds are our rule of thumb, shown honestly.
Fourteen stops, not thirty-seven
The stops that change your day
In the order you will meet them driving west to east. The number on each card is its rank: what it adds to the day. Every card links its own page and every figure carries a date.
#2Mile 16.2 · 3,407 ft
Avalanche - Trail of the Cedars
Choose the short cedar-forest loop or make Avalanche Lake your main hike; they are different time commitments.
0.9 miCedar loop
~5 miAvalanche Lake RT
- Boardwalk nature loop along Avalanche Creek
- Avalanche Lake: NPS estimates 3–6 hours round trip
- No park-shuttle service to Avalanche in 2026; parking is not guaranteed
First-hand · August 2024Our August 2024 visit notes describe a lush cedar forest that felt unexpectedly different from the surrounding mountain scenery. Worth noticing, not just passing through on the way to another lake.
#9Mile 26.9 · 5,124 ft
Bird Woman Falls Overlook
A 492-ft ribbon pouring from a hanging valley across the void.
492 ftMain drop
Early summerBest flow
- A distant view across the valley
- Water flow and visibility vary with season and weather
#10Mile 27.3 · 5,240 ft
Haystack Falls
The waterfall the road drives across - tiers stacked head-on in your windshield.
UnderThe road
UphillBest direction
- Stone-arch bridge carries the creek beneath the pavement
- July snowmelt is peak
#8Mile 28.9 · 5,723 ft
The Weeping Wall
The cliff that rains on the road - drive through the spray in early summer.
June-JulyFull curtain
No stopView from Big Bend
- Springs uncovered by 1920s road builders
- Uphill lane takes the soak
#14Mile 31.5 · 6,515 ft
Oberlin Bend
A short boardwalk viewpoint near Logan Pass; choose it for the scenery rather than a promised wildlife sighting.
400 ftBoardwalk
PossibleWildlife, not guaranteed
- Wheelchair-accessible platform
- Looks down the whole west-side climb
#1Mile 32.0 · 6,653 ft
Logan Pass
The 6,646-ft crown of the road - parking playbook, goats, and the two famous trailheads.
6,646 ftElevation
3 hrsParking: Jul 1–Sep 7, 2026
- Hidden Lake and Highline trailheads
- Long hike? Plan transport around the three-hour parking limit
#11Mile 36.7 · 5,295 ft
Jackson Glacier Overlook
A distant glacier-viewing stop, not access to the ice; bring binoculars if you have them.
~6 miTo the ice
QuickStop
- Interpretive signs on glacial retreat
- Visibility depends on weather; parking is not guaranteed
#7Mile 38.6 · 4,756 ft
St. Mary Falls
Turquoise tiers under a footbridge - the east side's essential short hike, with Virginia Falls beyond.
1-2 miEach way
35 ftOf tiers
- Glacial-sediment blue you won't believe
- Continue to Virginia Falls - under a mile more
#13Mile 39.5 · 4,678 ft
Sunrift Gorge
A slot canyon sixty seconds from the car - the most skipped wow on the road.
200 ftFrom parking
DipperWatch the creek
- Baring Creek sawing through red bedrock
- Baring Falls a quarter-mile below
#3Mile 42.9 · 4,598 ft
Wild Goose Island Overlook
A roadside view across St. Mary Lake toward the island and surrounding mountains.
PulloutVisit type
VariableLight and visibility
- A scenery-focused option without a longer hike
- Use designated parking; do not stop in the travel lane
Receipts
The facts this page runs on
Every rule above is one atomic claim, checked against its NPS source on a schedule. Quote us; here is what we quoted.
The 2026 Logan Pass shuttle is a ticketed express service running July 1 through September 7; tickets cost $1 per person on Recreation.gov and are required for every rider age 2 and up.
Shuttle service begins July 1, 2026 and continues through Labor Day, September 7, 2026
Logan Pass parking is limited to 3 hours from July 1 through September 7, 2026, enforced 24 hours a day.
From July 1 to September 7, 2026 there will be a 3-hour parking limit at Logan Pass
No vehicle reservations are required in any area of Glacier National Park in 2026.
Vehicle reservations will not be required in 2026.
Going-to-the-Sun Road vehicles are limited to 21 feet in length, 8 feet in width, and 10 feet in height.
Going-to-the Sun Road has a vehicle size limit of 21 ft (6.4 m) in length, 8 ft (2.4 m) in width, and 10 ft (3 m) in height .
The last westbound shuttle from Logan Pass to Apgar Visitor Center or Lake McDonald Lodge departs at 7:30 pm.
The last shuttle to depart Logan Pass for the day to return to west side boarding locations (Apgar Visitor Center/Lake McDonald Lodge) is at 7:30 pm.
The last eastbound shuttle from Logan Pass to St. Mary Visitor Center or Rising Sun Picnic Area departs at 8:00 pm.
The last shuttle to depart Logan Pass for the day to return to east side boarding locations (St. Mary Visitor Center/Rising Sun Picnic Area) is at 8:00 pm.
Logan Pass shuttle booking for 2026: a 60-day rolling window opened May 2 at 8 a.m. MDT, with next-day ticket releases at 7 p.m. MDT starting June 30.
There is no Glacier shuttle service in June - the Logan Pass shuttle does not run before July 1.
In peak season bicycles are banned eastbound from Apgar to Logan Pass between 12 pm and 6 pm.
Bicycles are prohibited from Apgar to Logan Pass going eastbound between 12 pm and 6 pm.
Going-to-the-Sun Road fully opened for the 2026 season on June 22.
The full length of Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to open to motorized vehicles Monday, June 22, for the 2026 summer season.
Going-to-the-Sun Road typically stays fully open until the third Monday of October, weather permitting.
It's typically fully open until the third Monday of October, but that may change due to weather conditions at any point.
There is no fuel on Going-to-the-Sun Road - roughly 33 miles with no gas stations between the service areas at either end.
The Logan Pass Visitor Center sells no food; it has water bottle refill stations and restrooms.
NPS lists West Glacier to St. Mary via Going-to-the-Sun Road as 50 miles, about 2 hours.
West Glacier to St. Mary (Going-to-the-Sun Road): 50 miles, 2 hours
Going-to-the-Sun Road from West Glacier to Lake McDonald Lodge is plowed and open year-round, weather permitting.
The portion of Going-to-the-Sun Road from West Glacier to Lake McDonald Lodge is usually plowed and open year-round, weather permitting
Glacier National Park shuttle tickets cannot be refunded.
Shuttle tickets can be canceled but cannot be refunded.
Glacier National Park entrance costs $35 per private vehicle for a 7-day pass in summer.
Private Vehicle $35.00
The Trail of the Cedars trail is wheelchair accessible.
The Trail of the Cedars and Running Eagle Falls trails are wheelchair accessible .
Going-to-the-Sun Road is normally plowed to Logan Pass by late June.
The road is normally plowed to Logan Pass by late June.
NPS says no shuttles will run for the 2026 spring hiker/biker season on Going-to-the-Sun Road.
In 2026, shuttles will not be available for the hiker/biker season.
The estimated travel time between Apgar and Logan Pass is about 90 minutes.
Estimated travel time between Apgar and Logan Pass is about 90 minutes.
Glacier National Park has no cell phone coverage outside Apgar and St. Mary.
There is no cell phone coverage outside of Apgar and St. Mary, so take screen shots and plan ahead.
Logan Pass parking is first-come first-served: drivers take a free timestamped permit from the kiosk and display it on the dashboard.
The last eastbound shuttle from Logan Pass to St. Mary Visitor Center or Rising Sun Picnic Area departs at 8:00 pm.
The last shuttle to depart Logan Pass for the day to return to east side boarding locations (St. Mary Visitor Center/Rising Sun Picnic Area) is at 8:00 pm.
Audio files are available for the Going-to-the-Sun Road audio tour in Glacier National Park.
Download audio files to follow along as you drive the historic Going-to-the-Sun Road.
In peak season bicycles are banned eastbound from Apgar to Logan Pass between 12 pm and 6 pm.
Bicycles are prohibited from Apgar to Logan Pass going eastbound between 12 pm and 6 pm.
From when Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open to vehicles through September 27, bicycles are prohibited from Logan Pass to Apgar going westbound between 3 pm and 6 pm.
From when Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open to vehicles through September 27, bicycles are prohibited from Logan Pass to Apgar going westbound between 3 pm and 6 pm.
Electric bicycles are allowed in Glacier National Park if the motor is less than 750 watts (1 hp).
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) are allowed if the motor is less than 750 watts (1 hp) and engaged only while pedaling.
Common questions
Short answers
Do I need a vehicle reservation to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road in 2026?
No vehicle reservation is required in 2026. You still need a valid entrance pass or to pay the applicable entrance fees; check NPS for residency-based fees and pass eligibility. Logan Pass parking is limited to three hours July 1–September 7, 2026. Longer visits need a suitable transport or authorized parking plan.
Is Going-to-the-Sun Road open today?
Road status can change with weather, snow, rockfall, construction, and other conditions. Check the official NPS Going-to-the-Sun Road status information or call 406-888-7800 before driving.
When does Going-to-the-Sun Road open in 2026?
NPS confirmed the full 50-mile vehicle opening on June 22, 2026. Future seasonal opening dates are condition-dependent; the road can also close temporarily after opening, so check nps.gov/glac for current status.
When does Going-to-the-Sun Road close in 2026?
There is no fixed 2026 fall closing date. Snow, weather, rockfall, construction, and road conditions determine when sections or the full crossing close; check the official NPS road-status page before traveling.
When should I book my shuttle tickets?
Shuttle tickets release on Recreation.gov via two windows: a 60-day advance window (opening May 2 at 8:00 a.m. MDT) and next-day releases (7:00 p.m. MDT starting June 30). Tickets fill within 1–2 hours during peak weeks (July–August), so book early if your dates are fixed. Every passenger age 2 or older needs a ticket, and the $1 charge is a non-refundable processing fee. Shuttle runs July 1–September 7 only; June has no shuttle service.
What are the must-see stops on Going-to-the-Sun Road?
Logan Pass Visitor Center (6,646 ft, the highest and primary hub) is the must-stop. On the west side, don't miss Weeping Wall (spring snowmelt cascade) and Jackson Glacier Overlook (climate-change story). On the east side, Wild Goose Island Scenic Overlook is the most photographed vista, especially during golden hour.
Can I bike Going-to-the-Sun Road?
Yes, with restrictions. Spring hiker-biker season (May–early June) opens progressively during plowing to cyclists and hikers before full vehicle opening. Once the full road opens, bicycles are restricted: eastbound prohibited 12 p.m.–6 p.m., westbound prohibited 3 p.m.–6 p.m., for the rest of the vehicle season. The elevation gain (~3,300 ft from west) is significant; it's a serious endurance ride.
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