#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; the summer parking limit and the $1 shuttle ended September 7, and parking at the top is back to first-come, first-served. Here is the road as it actually runs, not the encyclopedia entry.
Quick facts
- No vehicle reservation is needed in 2026.
- The road fully opened June 22, 2026 and usually stays open until the third Monday of October.
- Logan Pass parking is first-come, first-served with a free timestamped permit.
- The summer shuttle and 3-hour parking limit ran July 1–Sept 7 and have ended.
- Bikes: no eastbound riding noon–6pm, no westbound 3–6pm, through Sept 27.
- Entrance is $35 per vehicle for 7 days.
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.
Short walkBoardwalk
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
No limitParking: first-come, first-served
- Hidden Lake and Highline trailheads
- Long hike? Parking is first-come, first-served; the 3-hour limit ran July 1–Sept 7, 2026 and has ended
#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.
Short walkFrom 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 national park entrance fee-free dates for U.S. citizens and residents are February 16, May 25, June 14, July 3-5, August 25, September 17, October 27, and November 11.
February 16 : Presidents Day (Washington's Birthday) May 25 : Memorial Day June 14: Flag Day/President Trump's birthday July 3-5: Independence Day weekend August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service September 17: Constitution Day October 27 : Theodore Roosevelt's birthday November 11: Veterans Day Beginning in 2026, free entrance on these days will be for US citizens and residents only
The $1 Logan Pass shuttle reservation fee is non-refundable.
There are no refunds for the $1.00 reservation fee per ticket.
Logan Pass shuttle operates July 1-September 7.
Shuttle service begins July 1, 2026 and continues through Labor Day, September 7, 2026
Glacier National Park entrance costs $35 per private vehicle for a 7-day pass in summer.
Private Vehicle $35.00
NPS lists the Avalanche Lake hike at 3-6 hours round trip.
3-6 Hours
Glacier National Park shuttle tickets are non-transferable.
Shuttle tickets are non-transferable and cannot be resold.
No vehicle reservations are required anywhere in Glacier National Park in 2026.
Vehicle reservations will not be required anywhere in the park in 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
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.
The alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road typically runs late June to mid-October, with no fixed fall closing date - NPS closes it when snow arrives.
Shuttle releases 60-day advance tickets opening May 2 at 8 a.m.
Tickets will be available 60 days in advance, starting on May 2nd at 8 am MDT, and the night before (7 pm MDT) starting June 30th .
Logan Pass shuttle tickets carry a non-refundable $1 processing fee.
e ticket includes a non-refundable $1 processing fee. S
There is no Glacier shuttle service in June - the Logan Pass shuttle does not run before July 1.
Logan Pass sits at about 6,647 feet.
OpenStreetMap ele tag: Logan Pass 6,647 ft.
The Sperry Chalet hike is 12.3 miles round trip with 3360 feet of total elevation gain.
Roundtrip Length: 12.3 Miles Total Elevation Gain: 3360 Feet
Glacier's 2026 Logan Pass shuttle season ran through September 7, Labor Day.
Shuttle service begins July 1, 2026 and continues through Labor Day, September 7, 2026.
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 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.
Logan Pass parking is first-come first-served: drivers take a free timestamped permit from the kiosk and display it on the dashboard.
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
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.
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 was 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 were released 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). Every passenger age 2 or older needed a ticket, and the $1 charge is a non-refundable processing fee. The shuttle ran July 1–September 7, 2026 and has finished for the season; there was no June 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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