Triple Arches
Three hand-fitted stone arches carrying the road across a cliff gap — the route's signature 1920s masonry. A rolling sight; no parking.
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An idea to explore—not a must-do.
The full road crossing depends on seasonal access—even in summer.
An idea to explore—not a must-do.
An idea to explore—not a must-do.
The view belongs to the uphill (eastbound) approach — the arches curve into sight ahead of you; downhill drivers pass over them without ever seeing them.
Passengers get the shot: the clean angle opens on the right side about a quarter-mile before the arches.
Do not attempt to stop at the arches - no shoulder, blind curve, cliff edge. If walking up from Big Bend for a look, stay inside the guard wall and face traffi…
Natural Attraction
Triple Arches is the moment the road shows off. Where the cliff simply ran out, the 1920s engineers bridged the gap with three elegant stone arches — native rock, hand-fitted, holding up the pavement over a drop that would otherwise have ended the route. It's widely considered the signature engineering feature of the entire road, and it's also the stop you can't really stop for: the shoulder here is a cliff edge, so Triple Arches is a rolling sight. Drive it uphill (west to east), passenger side to the view, and you'll see the arches sweep into frame on the curve approaching them.
MAKE ROOM FOR A MEMORABLE STOP
Is this stop worth your time?
Why go
- What Youll See
- On the uphill approach, the road ahead visibly leaves the mountain - three stone arches carry the pavement across a gap in the cliff, stacked masonry rising from the slope below. It reads as architecture, not infrastructure: rock from the mountain holding the road to the mountain.
- Unique Characteristics
- The signature engineering feature of a road that is itself a National Historic Landmark - and one of the few famous sights anywhere designed to be seen properly only from a moving vehicle.
When to go
- Best Visit Times
- Any open day - the arches are stone. Uphill direction, morning light, passenger-side camera.
- Seasonal Access
- Open only while the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road is open - typically late June through mid-October.
Getting there and doing it
- How To Get There
- About mile 30 on the west-side climb, roughly a mile above Big Bend and two miles below Logan Pass. There is no parking - the arches are seen from the moving car, best on the uphill (eastbound) approach where they curve into view ahead. Accessible only while the alpine section is open, typically late June through mid-October.
- Parking Availability
- None - the shoulder at the arches is a cliff edge. View from the moving car, or walk carefully up from Big Bend staying inside the wall.
Getting there & parking
- Road Type
- Paved Going-to-the-Sun Road carried across a cliff gap on three native-stone arches - the road's most celebrated piece of masonry.
When to go
- Best Time To Visit
- Any time the alpine road is open — the arches are stone, not seasonal. Morning light hits the masonry face on the uphill approach.
- Road Opening Dates
- Alpine section typically opens late June (June 22 in 2026) and closes in mid-October, varying with snowpack.
- Weather Patterns
- Alpine-section weather - fast-changing, with afternoon storms in summer.
What you will experience
- Attraction Type
- Three-arch stone bridge
- Main Features
- Three hand-fitted stone arches spanning a cliff gap, original 1920s-30s masonry, native rock construction, uphill-approach reveal, National Park Service rustic engineering
- Photo Opportunities
- Passenger-side shots on the uphill approach, about a quarter-mile before the crossing. Red buses crossing the arches are the classic frame. Morning light works the masonry face.
- Geological Formation Type
- Masonry arch bridge over a glacially carved cliff gap - native Belt rock, 1920s-30s construction
Facilities, fees & access
- Entry Fees
- $35 per private vehicle (7-day summer pass) for park entrance. No additional fee.
- Permits Required
- No
- Restrooms Available
- No
- Picnic Areas
- No
- Accessibility
- Viewed from the vehicle — there is no parking or walkway at the arches.
- Nearby Services
- Vault toilets at Big Bend below; full services at Logan Pass Visitor Center above.
- Nearby Facilities
- None at the arches. Big Bend (vault toilets, big lot) is just below; Logan Pass Visitor Center about two miles above.
- Family Friendly Notes
- A from-the-car sight — make it a game to spot the arches on the uphill curve. No stopping means no scramble risk.
Safety
Nearby
- Nearby Attractions
- Big Bend a mile below - the practical stop for this stretch. The Weeping Wall below that. Oberlin Bend and Logan Pass above. The Garden Wall rises overhead the whole way.
Planning advice
- Insider Tips
- The view belongs to the uphill (eastbound) approach — the arches curve into sight ahead of you; downhill drivers pass over them without ever seeing them.
- Passengers get the shot: the clean angle opens on the right side about a quarter-mile before the arches.
- If you want a standing look, the red bus tours slow here — or walk carefully from the Big Bend pullout below, staying inside the wall.
- The masonry is original: native stone fitted in the 1920s, still carrying every vehicle that crosses the pass.
Continue the drive
Location
Photos
Frequently asked questions
Can I park at Triple Arches?
No — there's no pullout and the shoulder is a cliff edge. It's designed to be seen from a moving car; the uphill approach gives the full view.
Which direction shows the arches best?
Driving uphill, west to east — the arches sweep into view on the curve ahead. Downhill you cross them without seeing them.
When were the arches built?
They're part of the road's original 1920s–30s construction — native stone masonry, hand-fitted, designed to carry the road across a gap in the cliff face.
Why arches instead of a regular bridge?
Stone arches used the mountain's own rock, needed no steel hauled up the cliff, and matched the National Park Service's rustic design ethos — the road was built to belong to the landscape.
Where exactly are they?
About mile 30 on the west-side climb, roughly a mile above Big Bend and two miles below Logan Pass.
More at Glacier National Park
Pyramid Peak
Granite peak sharpened by glacial ice; scrambling to Pyramid Peak from Pyramid Pass.
Grace Lake
Grace Lake: glacial cirque lake at 3,966 ft, reached via the Logging Lake Trail.
Rising Sun Picnic Area
A practical east-side pause where Glacier’s mountains meet the prairies.
Two Medicine Picnic Area
Two Medicine’s lake and peaks reward a future picnic; road access is closed as of September 9, 2026.
Monument Falls
215 ft waterfall fed by glacial meltwater; view from Avalanche Lake shore.
Lake McDonald
A west-side lakeshore pause: choose Apgar or Lake McDonald Lodge, then leave room for a separate walk or boat outing.
Sources
- National Park Service
- YourNPGuide Editorial
Editorial review: YourNPGuide Editorial Team. Information is compiled from official sources, verified traveler reviews, and editorial research; no firsthand visit is implied unless explicitly documented. Learn how YourNPGuide works.
Last updated July 2026. Report an issue.