General information about the National Park
Glacer NP protects the northern part of the Rocky Mountains in the state of Montana. It has several special ecosystems and has been protected since 1910. Together with its Canadian neighbor, Waterton Lakes NP, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
Current 2024: As of this year, a permit is required not only for driving on the Going to the sun road, but also for four other roads in the park. Information on this can be found on the website of recreation.gov.
Number of visitors
In 2023, Glacier NP ranked 11th in the visitor statistics of the most visited national parks.
Best time to visit: The weather is best in summer, but the park is also the most crowded. Spring and autumn are less busy, but there may be snow.
Our visits:
So far 1 visit: June 1998
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 35$/car and all passengers valid for 7 days
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open 24h all year round. Due to the altitude, most facilities are closed from mid-October to mid-May. The Going to the Sun Road is not passable then.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Description: The Going-to-the-Sun Road is a panoramic high mountain road. It is 80km long and connects the eastern and western entrance to the national park. It leads over the 6647ft high Logan Pass. Since there is often more than 66ft of snow in winter, the road is extremely difficult to clear. Therefore it is usually only open in summer. Between mid-October and mid-May the pass is often not passable. In 2011, the pass was opened only on July 13.
Our rating: The Going-to-the-Sun Road is a great road. Even though our trip was already a felt eternity ago (June 1998) we still remember it very fondly. Unfortunately, the park is a bit off the beaten track, so we haven't made it back yet. Someday, though, we'll be sure to stop by again. A drive here over Logan Pass is definitely worth it and offers great views and photo opportunities.
St. Mary Fall Trail
Description: A ranger at the visitor center had recommended this hike to us, because in addition to the waterfalls you can also find beautiful flower meadows in the spring. Although you hike mostly through or along the forest, you often have very nice views of the mountains, meadows and waterfalls around.
Trail length: 3.60mi roundtrip
Altitude difference: 574ft
Time needed: 2-3 hours
Difficulty level: easy - The path is well maintained which makes it easy and pleasant to hike.
Our rating: We really enjoyed the trail. It's great for stretching your legs a bit and enjoying some beautiful scenery. If the weather is nice, this trail has our absolute recommendation.
