Vehicle reservations for Glacier Park opening
A young cyclist and his mother make their way up the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
Vehicle reservations for Glacier National Park’s upcoming summer season will be available starting Feb. 13, at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
Reservations will be required this year for the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the North Fork between June 13 and Sept. 28. Each area requires a separate reservation, which can be made up to 120 days out from the planned entry date.
Visitors with advance plans to visit the park are encouraged to use the advance booking window, but a second booking window for next-day entry will be available starting June 12 at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
Two-hour time blocks will be available, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. Visitors may enter the park at any time within their chosen block and can stay in the park as long as they like on the day of their reservation. Visitors who miss their reservation can still enter after 3 p.m.
Reservations can be made online at recreation.gov or through the recreation.gov mobile app. Visitors without internet access can also make reservations through the Recreation.gov call center between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Mountain Standard Time at 877-444-6777. International callers should use 606-515-6777 and the deaf or hard of hearing can call 877-833-6777.
Reservations are subject to a $2 processing fee. Visitors also need a park pass, which can be purchased upon arrival for $35.
Park officials are reminding visitors to research the area before making reservations for the North Fork. It is remote with unimproved roads, few services and no cell phone coverage. Camping in the North Fork is first-come, first-served and may be arranged at the Polebridge Ranger Station upon arrival.
Vehicle reservations are not needed to access lodging, camping or activity reservations. Visitors with those reservations will be asked to provide confirmation of the lodging or activity reservation in lieu of a vehicle reservation. Reservations for Apgar, though, will not provide access beyond the Apgar checkpoint.
Vehicle reservations are waived for tribal members, per the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978.
Apgar Village, Two Medicine, and the East Entrance to Going-to-the-Sun Road at St. Mary do not require vehicle reservations, though park officials occasionally close overcrowded areas. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of free shuttles to Logan Pass to help mitigate traffic congestion.
Due to construction in the Swiftcurrent area, the park will restrict vehicles into Many Glacier. A temporary shuttle service will be available for a limited number of hikers. Shuttle reservations will be available under a separate system for dates between July 1 and Sept. 21.
For more information visit the Glacier National Park website.