Glacier park taking Sun Road reservations starting March 2

ASSOCIATED PRESS

KALISPELL – People who want to travel on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park this summer will need reservations again this year as the park works to manage congestion on the scenic alpine highway, park officials said.

The reservations will be available online at recreation.gov starting on March 2 for a $2 non-refundable service fee. Visitors must also have separate vehicle passes to enter the park.

Reservations will be required at the West Entrance and the Camas Entrance between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. from May 27 to Sept. 11. Sun Road reservations won’t be needed to enter the park near St. Mary before the Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open, which typically happens in late June.

The park this year is also requiring reservations for the Polebridge entrance after people turned away from the Going-to-the-Sun Road last year started showing up at the Polebridge entrance.

Park officials want to limit entries near Polebridge because that area of the park is managed more as a wilderness area and has rougher roads and limited services.

Reservations are not needed to visit the town of Polebridge, which is outside the park.

The reservations will be available starting 120 days in advance, with additional openings added a day before the effective date to allow area residents to book last-minute reservations.

Park officials estimate the reservation system prevented the park from having to shutdown the Going-to-the-Sun Road at least 35 times in 2021 as the park experienced its second-highest number of visitors on record.