Road construction on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park will slow your traverse of the 50-mile road this summer. And if you want to easily find a parking spot at Logan Pass, you need to factor that road construction into your schedule so you can reach the pass by 10 a.m. If you find yourself in a delay, enjoy the scenery, such as these cascades coming off Haystack Butte. Kurt Repanshek photos.
If you're in or near Glacier National Park, or plan to visit it later this summer, take note that you need to reach Logan Pass by about 10 a.m. if you want to easily find a parking spot there.
This spot on the high point of the Going-to-the-Sun Road is incredibly popular, both because of the nice hikes and wildlife viewing to be had as well as the incredible vistas and the restrooms.
When we were there a couple weeks ago we reached the pass's parking area after 11 a.m. and joined a conga line of rigs circling the small lot. Folks were heading clockwise and counterclockwise, stalking folks who were heading to their rigs to leave the area. It wasn't pretty. After about 15 minutes we aborted our stop, rather than risk getting into the cross-hairs of another visitor trying to zip into an open spot that materialized in front of us.
Compounding this stress generator is the ongoing reconstruction of the Sun Road. While this is much-needed work, waiting in line for upwards of 30 minutes can irritate folks who are trying to stick to a schedule and who didn't plan ahead to build time into their day for the delay.
If you do find yourself in a construction delay, relax and enjoy the scenery. It is spectacular!
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Comments
I am in complete agreement with you on the parking at Logan Pass. We were there 2+ weeks ago and we actually lucked out the one afternoon and managed to find a spot. We were escaping the rain down at our 2 Medicine Lake campsite. We witnessed tickets being written on vehicles that were parked alongside the GTTS road.
The next time, we got there early so we could have a parking spot when we did the Hidden Lake Overlook trail. When we came out the "parking lot vultures" were circling and we asked a driver if he'd like our spot when we left. He patiently waited and as he was pulling into it we saw another driver racing up to claim it. Don't know if it got ugly but I sure hope not.
All of the literature that is handed out explains the lack of parking at Logan Pass and to get there early. The motorcycles and Jammers are safe but as for the rest of us, get there early!!
Isn't it past time to start looking at a shuttle option?
They actually have a service already in place. Until they make it a regulation though like other Parks, people, sadly myself included, will still take our own vehicles. I remember hiking the Granite Park Chalet loop in 2005 and taking the shuttle back to our van at Logan Pass, it was nice having someone else doing the driving since I was worn out.
http://home.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm
I was in Glacier last fall and never drove anywhere that the shuttles went. I found them to be so easy to use, they are free, and the schedules were quite workable. Took only a minimum amount of extra planning to time hikes, etc. around the shuttle schedule. It was wonderful to just be able to enjoy the scenery while having someone else have to deal with the road.