Your view from the Going-to-the-Sun Road could be delayed this summer and next due to scheduled road maintenance/NPS, Tim Rains
Road maintenance could impact your visit to Glacier National Park in Montana this year and next, so read the following carefully and plan your vacation accordingly.
Crews will be working to apply a protective coating to the Going-to-the-Sun Road and some other routes in the park this summer and next, and that will impact when the roads will open for traffic. The treatment is expected to protect the $200 million investment in the Going-to-the-Sun Road, including preserving significant roadbed and pavement work that was undertaken during the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation project over the last decade.
The $9 million project will focus on both the east and west sides of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Chief Mountain Road, the west portion of the Camas Road, Apgar Village Loop, the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn Loop and Parking Area, and other minor areas. Pavement preservation requires warm temperatures and dry conditions.
Pavement preservation will impact spring hiker and biker access and restrictions will likely be in place on both sides of the pass between Avalanche and Rising Sun. The park will update its road status webpage with restrictions, and issue more information about restrictions once the work schedule is known.
In 2019, the Going-to-the-Sun Road will not open to Logan Pass before June 21, and in 2020, the road will not open before June 22 if necessary in order to complete pavement preservation activities. Road and snow conditions vary from year to year, and these dates should not be relied upon to anticipate the actual road opening date. Weather and plowing conditions typically allow for a road opening to Logan Pass sometime between mid-June and mid-July.
This coming fall, night work for pavement preservation is planned to begin on September 2 on the Going-to-the-Sun Road with traffic control and intermittent night closures. A full closure will likely be in place from September 16-29 between Avalanche and Logan Pass. Logan Pass will remain accessible from the St. Mary Entrance during this time period. Traffic control will be in place at Logan Pass so pavement preservation can occur in the Logan Pass parking lot. The road is anticipated to reopen in its entirety on September 30 before its routine winter closing scheduled this year for October 21, weather dependent.
The park worked with the Federal Highway Administration to select a pavement preservation material that would be compatible with multiple road uses, including bicycle access.
In 2020, the park in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration will award a contract to finalize the multi-year rehabilitation work on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Final work includes repairs to some masonry features, additional log rail replacement, and signing improvements.
Pavement preservation will not occur on most of the Many Glacier Road. That road is undergoing evaluation to determine the effectiveness of a new drainage system before long-term improvements are attempted. The road is in poor condition. However, last year with a donation from the Glacier National Park Conservancy the park purchased a durapatcher that was able to temporarily repair some of the most significantly damaged areas.
Stories about:
Story Categories:
A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.
Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:
- Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
- Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
- Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
- North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
- Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
- Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
- Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.
National parks and their natural resources belong to you. The National Parks Traveler works to ensure you know how these essential places are being cared for.
Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter
Unsubscribe at any time.
INN Member
The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.
Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
Comments
WE booked a trip 2 months ago and NOW just finding out that Logan Pass eill be closed when we are there due to road construction. We are staying at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Rising Sun Lodge. How are we suposed to get to our destinations? Also it would have been nice at the time of booking that we were told about this. Even the nps-gov/glac.org site have this listed.
If you're coming from the west, drive around the "bottom" of the park along highway two. Stop and walk the grounds and interior of Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier. Seek huckleberry pie. Enjoy the beauty of the twisting divides as you head up the east side of the park. If you have time, stop through Two Medicine. GTSR is beautiful indeed-- and it is not the only sight to be seen. Enjoy! You'll be in Glacier, and it will be amazing.
PJHORVATH, the Many Glacier area/st. Mary area are two of the best hiking areas of Glacier. I'd suggest you still go.
Go! You won’t have difficulty reaching your lodging and Swift Current is in an amazing location to hike Iceberg Lake, Red Rock Falls, Grinnel Glacier, list is endless. Rising Sun, if I read this correctly, will have to be accessed from the St Mary side of the Park, but sounds as if you are focusing on that side of the park anyway. It will be the time of your life! No worries, our first visit, we couldn’t get to Logan Pass either due to snow, but it only served as a reason to go back!
As we are doing a road trip we were planning to start in Havre and arrive in Kalispell on 2019-06-15. We thought we could start in St. Mary in the west and arrive in the area of Apgar in the east. Will that be possible or do we have to plan a detour?
As I understand: We probably have to take highway 2 in the south to arrive in Kalispell. Will it be possible to drive to Logan pass an then turn around? Thats not what we planned but should still be great.
We will be heading there the middle of June, i do not believe the Going to the Sun Rd will be completely open, what is the best way to travel on the parts that are closed? We have six adults and one child that is 15. Can you rent side by sides, bikes or scooters? Are we better to hike it or can you go horseback riding?
6 Motorcycles going North to Alaska, we are to be at Going to the Sun on June 16........should we cancel Glacier NP?
"The road (i.e. The Pass) will not open before the 22nd." The only remote possibility to see the pass under 6-12' of snow that early, is sometimes on weekends when the Road Crew is not working, you can hike or bike to the pass. Often, during those last weeks of opening, they work OT to get the road open, so even then it would be closed. Arriving before July 1st is a often a risky proposition to be able to drive over the pass. Safe travels.
Will any of Going to the Sun Road be open between June 15th - June 22nd? Any section that we are able to drive, hiking or bike? It seems like the whole Going to the Sun Road will be closed off during this period of time which I planned a trip and 6 months in advance too. What main trails will we have access to during this time? Can we even get to Lake Mcdonald?
Check out this story, Aaron. It provides a little more information. And the following page on Glacier's website is good to have to check on the latest road status:
https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm
We are planning on visiting Glacier NP in September after the 15th. We were planning to start in St. Mary and drive the Going to the Sun road to West side and end up in Whitefish. Never been there. Do we need to cancel our trip?
We only have one day to spend. Should we still go? Are there alternate roads to travel? Sights to see?
How far in advance will they post road closures for 2020?
I am curious about this as well. When will we have more insight for 2020. I am planning a huge trip and need to determine if I should push it out to ensure access to GNP areas via GTSR.