Full length of Glacier's Sun Road opens
The entire 50-mile length of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road opened to vehicles Sunday morning, allowing visitors to drive to Logan Pass for the first time this year.
The full length of the scenic highway was expected to open Saturday, however the road remained closed to vehicle traffic between Avalanche Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook due to winter-like weather, including freezing rain and snow.
By Sunday morning, conditions were rainy and foggy on the west side, but good enough for safe travel, park officials determined. The Logan Pass parking lot was at capacity by 1:40 p.m.
Last summer the Sun Road opened on June 22. The road opened on June 28 in 2017.
Park crews last week were busy finishing snow removal, removing rocks and other road debris, installing guard rails, and preparing Logan Pass facilities for another busy summer.
Services at Logan Pass on Sunday included restroom facilities and potable water. The Logan Pass Visitor Center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sept. 2, and with reduced hours until Oct. 1. The visitor center offers information about the park, ranger-led programs, and a Glacier National Park Conservancy bookstore.
Interpretive bus tours on the Sun Road and in other areas of the park are available through Sun Tours and Glacier National Park Lodges.
Vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet, and wider than 9 feet, are prohibited on 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 spring hiker-biker shuttle service has ended operations for the season. Bicyclists are reminded that bicycle safety restrictions on the Sun-Road are in effect, and remain in effect through Labor Day, Sept. 2. Bicycles are prohibited between the Apgar turnoff near the Apgar Picnic Area and Sprague Creek Campground from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bicycles are prohibited eastbound (uphill) between Logan Creek and Logan Pass from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The park’s fare-free summer shuttle system will begin operating on July 1, and will run from approximately 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., seven days a week.
While driving along the road, particularly through the Rim Rock area (approximately one mile west of Logan Pass), visitors should be aware of possible rockfall. Rocks and other debris continue to fall throughout the summer, requiring daily clean up along the road.
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 continues to anticipate a closure from Sept. 16-30 on the west side of the Sun Road from Avalanche to Logan Pass due to road work. Logan Pass will remain accessible during this period of time from the St. Mary entrance.