Going-to-the-Sun Road General Info

Going-to-the-Sun Road was designed to blend into its mountain setting.

NPS/Tim Rains

Open Season

Portions of Going-to-the-Sun Road remain open all year and provide access to many locations and activities. The opening of the alpine portion varies, based on snowfall and plowing progress. There is no set date for the road to open. Typically the road has been fully open in late June or early July.

Closing portions of Going-to-the-Sun Road is also weather dependent. Typically the road is fully open until the third Monday of October, but that can change due to weather conditions at any point.

To help you plan, check out past opening and closing dates. (60 KB pdf)

Plowing

Plowing Going-to-the-Sun Road is a monumental challenge each year. Unpredictable spring snow storms or other weather related events can slow down plowing progress. It is not uncommon for plowing crews to need to re-plow sections of park roads when weather events happen. Safety for our plowing crews, contractors, and the public is our utmost concern and priority. These unknown factors make predicting the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road impossible.

Our plowing status page provides information on where plows are working. You can also watch the action each spring through an annual flickr album. As the status of the road changes, we immediately update our road status page.

 

Regulations

 

Limit 21 ft (6.4 m) long, 8 ft (2.4 m) wide, 10 ft (3 m) tall

Vehicle Size Restrictions

Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east.

Bicycling

From June 15 through Labor Day, the following sections of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are closed to bicycle use between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm:

• From Apgar turnoff (at the south end of Lake McDonald) to Sprague Creek Campground
• Eastbound from Logan Creek to Logan Pass

Due to ongoing road rehabilitation on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, portions of the roadbed may not be paved. Bicyclists should use caution riding on gravel portions of the road.

Speed Limit

For safety reasons, 45 miles per hour is the speed limit in the lower elevations of the road and 25 miles per hour in the alpine section. Please be careful around blind curves as animals and pedestrians do cross the road.

 

By the Numbers

• Without stopping, it takes at least 2 hours to drive the full 50 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
• Logan Pass is the highest point on Going-to-the Sun Road at 6,646 feet.
• Logan Pass is 32 miles (51.5 km) from the west entrance and 18 miles (29 km) from the east entrance. The parking lot at Logan Pass usually fills between the hours of 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, though this can vary during peak weekends.
• There is no cost to driving Going-to-the-Sun Road. Your normal entrance fee allows you to experience this engineering marvel.

 

Along the Road

Amenities

• Gas is not available anywhere in the park or on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
• Food and lodging can be found along the road at Rising Sun, Lake McDonald Lodge, and Apgar Village.
• Picnic areas may be found at Rising Sun, Avalanche Creek, Sprague Creek, and Apgar.
• 5 out of 13 campgrounds in Glacier are located along the road: Apgar, Sprague Creek, Avalanche, Rising Sun, and St. Mary. Please see our Camping section for more information.
• There are three visitor centers located along Going-to-the-Sun Road: Apgar Visitor Center, Logan Pass Visitor Center, and St. Mary Visitor Center. All have restroom facilities, trip planning information, bookstores, drinking water, and exhibits.
• For information on specific points of interest along Going-to-the-Sun Road, visit the Shuttle Stops page.

Viewing Opportunities

Glacier National Park is wild country, and wildlife may be present anywhere along Going-to-the-Sun Road. Mountain goats and Bighorn sheep are consistently seen near Logan Pass.

Jackson Glacier Overlook affords the best opportunity to see a glacier from the road. Jackson Glacier Overlook is located on the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road between Logan Pass and St. Mary.

Travel Alternatives

There are transportation options if you prefer to leave the driving to someone else. Visit the Getting Around page.

There are incredible sections of the park not found along Going-to-the-Sun Road. Check out the Places to Go page for information on all districts.