Going-to-the-Sun Road is the most beautiful road in America. There are so many different things to see on this 50 mile-long road. Going-to-the-Sun road is a true highlight of Glacier National Park, showcasing so much of the beauty is has to offer.
About Going-to-the-Sun Road
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road in Glacier National Park that crosses through the middle of the park, crossing the continental divide, being the highest road in the park at 6646 feet in elevation. The road took almost 20 years to complete and was finished in 1932.
Being so high in elevation, a lot of snow covers the road for most of the year, with around 80 feet of snow covering the road at it’s highest point every year. It takes months to clear the road to allow for visitors to access the complete entirety of the road. The road opens on a different date every year, depending on the amount of snow that covers the road, with the latest opening date being in mid July some years.
However, most years the road opens sometime in June and will close in early October. The road is named after the Going-to-the-Sun mountain that can be seen on the road, whose name is derived from a Native American legend. There are so many beautiful sites along the Going-to-the-Sun Road that cannot be missed.
How to go on Going-to-the-Sun Road
To drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road, you can either start from the west side of the park in the West Glacier and Apgar areas and drive east OR you can start at Saint Mary on the east side of the park and drive west. Either way, you will be able to stop at all of the stops listed in this guide. I recommend driving from west to east because many of the stops listed will be on the right side of the road if you drive this direction. Some of the stops will be a little more difficult to stop at if you drive from east to west.
There are several ways to access the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The best way is by car as you can have more flexibility with timing and the stops you are able to make. However, with a car you will have to worry about finding parking in busy areas and driving on roads with sheer drop-offs on the edge. The road will be very crowded, especially if going in the middle of the day, so I recommend starting early in the morning if possible for you. If this is something that you would be uncomfortable with, then maybe one of the other options would be better for you.
If you choose not to drive, Glacier National Park runs a shuttle service throughout the Going-to-the-Sun Road. This is merely a shuttle system and does not provide a “tour” or give information about the park during the ride. Usually it is free to ride the shuttle, but due to increased visitation, a reserved ticket will be needed to board the bus. The ticket is free, but has a $1 reservation fee. Your ticket can be reserved on recreation.gov. Make sure you reserve your ticket leaving from the correct side of the park. Once you have a ticket for the day, you can board and de-board the bus at any of the stops at any time of that day. Please check the NPS website for latest updates on which stops will be available on the date of your visit.
Another option if you would prefer not to drive or take the free shuttle is taking a tour bus. This option would be great for anyone that wants a relatively hands-off experience or that may have accessibility needs. There are a variety of tour buses that run throughout the park, giving information about the park during your ride. There are a few options, but the most classic tour bus tour through the park is the Red Bus Tour. The Red Bus Tour is an open air tour on the oldest touring fleet vehicles in the world. Red Bus Tours have been running throughout the park since the 1930’s. For more information on both tour bus options, please visit the National Park Service website.
How to Get a Pass for Going-to-the-Sun Road
As of 2021, due to increased visitation numbers, a reserved ticketed entry pass is needed to drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The ticketed entry pass must be reserved in advance and are usually sold out. The pass is $2 in addition to your park entrance fee. You will need this pass to enter the park at Saint Mary or Apgar anytime between 6 am and 5 pm. Reservations for this pass can be made on the recreation.gov website. More information about the pass reservation system can be found on the NPS website.
-How can I enter the Going-to-the-Sun road without a ticket or pass?
If you were like us and have difficulty getting a ticketed entry pass for Going-to-the-Sun Road, there are a few things you can do to access Going-to-the-Sun road WITHOUT the ticketed entry pass. One way to bypass this requirement is to have a “service reservation” in this part of the park. This could mean that you have a reservation for a campsite, a lodge, a guided hike, a boat trip, bus tour, park shuttle, or horseback ride.
One of our days in the park, we purchased boat tickets for the sole purpose of being able to access the Going-to-the-Sun road. Another option, which we also utilized, is to enter the park outside the hours of 6am-5pm. This means that you do not need the pass if you enter the area BEFORE 6 am or AFTER 5pm. We entered the Going-to-the-Sun Road at 5:05 pm and did not need the ticketed entry pass. You could also enter early in the morning before 6 am and spend the entire day in the park without the pass.
-Insider tip: if you enter the park outside the 6am-5pm time, you also do NOT need to pay the park entrance fee and can enter the park completely for free.
13 Places You Must Stop on Going-to-the-Sun Road
All of the stops listed here are listed as if you were driving eastward from West Glacier/Apgar to Saint Mary, however if you will be driving the opposite direction, you can use this list backwards.
Lake McDonald
Lake McDonald is located on the west side of Glacier National Park. This can either be your first or last stop on Going-to-the-Sun Road depending on what direction you come from. Lake McDonald is a gorgeous clear lake. It is unique due to the millions of brightly-colored rocks lining the entire bottom of the lake. The lake is surrounded by pine forests and mountains. There are so many colors here. The most well known way to see Lake McDonald is the lodge on the lake with boat tours leaving multiple times a day for most of the summer.
However, I think the best way to see Lake McDonald is on one of the roadside pull-offs. The Going-to-the-Sun Road borders Lake McDonald from several miles from Apgar Visitor Center to Lake McDonald. There are many roadside pull-offs along the road where you can walk 10 to 20 feet off the road on unmarked trails to the lakeside. In this way, you have the entire lake view all to yourself AND get the view of mountains in the background. We sat on the lakeside, admiring God’s gorgeous creation in awe that we can experience something beautiful as this.
McDonald Falls
McDonald Falls is located just up the road from Lake McDonald. It is a roadside waterfall that can be viewed from the pull-off area. There is a sign noting where to pull-off. McDonald Falls has bright blue water and is surrounded by bright green pine trees. The sound of the falls is deafening as many gallons of water flow down the falls every second. There are a few stairs that you can take to a small viewing platform, but the best views are from the parking area. There is a trail that continues on from here, but you will not be able to see the waterfall anymore the farther you go. If you prefer to hike to the waterfall, the McDonald Falls Trail leaves from near the McDonald Lodge and is 0.7 miles with minimal elevation gain.
The Loop
The Loop is a 180 degree turn in the road up the mountain, but also a starting place for several popular trails. There is a parking area here and bathrooms available. From here there are some of the first views you will see above the tree line. The trails that you can start from here are intense trails, but if that is not for you, it is still a great place to stop, take pictures, and soak in the view. The trails that start from here include the 11.4 mile Grinnell Overlook Trail, the 14.2 mile The Loop and Garden Wall Trail, and 8.1 mile Granite Park Trail. The Continental Divide Trail also runs near this area.
Roadside Pull-offs for the View at Multiple Points Prior to Logan Pass
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is absolutely gorgeous from every single angle. The more the road gains in elevation, the more stupendous the views are. We couldn’t stop looking in every direction at the giant snow-capped peaks, bright green trees, and ginormous waterfalls cascading off the sides of cliffs. There are many unnamed pull-offs in-between The Loop and Logan Pass. While there aren’t any specific ones that I recommend, any that you will stop at will be amazing all the same. We stopped at several of these unnamed pull-offs along the way to take pictures and soak in the view. Be sure to pull-off at some of these pull-offs to see the many different angles, mountains, and varying scenery.
Weeping Wall
Weeping Wall is another roadside feature that can be found in between The Loop and Logan Pass. The Weeping Wall is about 4.7 miles from The Loop and exactly 3 miles from Logan Pass. Here you will find a wall that literally appears like it is weeping. The wall on the mountain-side of the road is a 100 foot-long cliff wall, but spring water and snowmelt comes out of the rocks and drips down from every little rock. This is something you can experience from your car, or there is a pull-off a little farther down the road that you could pull-off at to get out an experience this phenomenon.
Logan Pass
There are so many things that I could say about Logan Pass, but there is not enough space. Logan Pass is the highest road in the park at 6646 feet in elevation and is absolutely stupendous. Here there are views of amazing mountains in all directions. There is a large parking lot at Logan Pass for you to park. Here there are bathrooms with running water, a visitor center, a gift shop, and trailheads for so many trails.
At Logan Pass, there are sweeping fields of brightly-colored wildflowers surrounded by the most beautiful mountains. There are many bighorn sheep that live in this area, as well as many ground squirrels that are not scared of humans. We enjoyed watching the animals here before beginning our hike. We visited Logan Pass on the very first day it was open for the year (which was the last week of June) and there was still so much snow everywhere.
The trails that will be available to hike will really depend on what time of the summer you are visiting. Late June and early July, Logan Pass may be open, but many trails may be snow covered or impossible to access depending on your skillset. From the visitor center, there is a walking trail that is paved and board-covered in parts before it became snow covered. The trail that some of us hiked was the Hidden Lake Trail .
The trail was very snow-covered and slick, but many people were still able to hike here. My husband and brothers made it all the way to the lake, but I only made it 1 mile in because I was wearing sandals (while the people beside me were wearing skis). Regardless, the views are absolutely stunning. Another fun thing about the snow is that on your way down you can slide down the snowy slopes instead of walking down. I felt like a kid again riding down the snowy mountain with my rain jacket as my sled.
Some of the highly recommended trails in the area are the 3.5 mile Mount Oberlin Trail, the 8.2 mile Haystack Butte Trail, and 5.2 mile Reynolds Overlook Trail.
Jackson Glacier Overlook
From the Jackson Glacier Overlook, you can see Jackson Glacier from a distance. There are several parking spots here for you to get out of the car and explore. There are also several trails that leave from here including the 15.4 mile Jackson Glacier Trail. We encountered a grizzly bear very close-up here, so definitely be on the lookout. Luckily, we were in our car, but he was only a few feet away and walking on the road!
Baring Falls
Baring Falls is a pretty 25-foot waterfall that can be accessed on a short trail from Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Baring Falls Trail is 0.7 miles long round-trip. It leaves from the Sunrift Gorge Parking area. Take the trail south towards the lake to access the waterfall. The waterfall is gorgeous and feels very private, hidden in a pine grove. Take note as you walk through many dead trees, the trees in Glacier National Parks have been damaged by a wide range of things including fires, fungus, and bugs.
Sunrift Gorge Viewpoint
Before driving away from the Sunrift Gorge Parking area, cross the road (or in the tunnel under the road) and walk on the trail up the hill and away from the lake. Take the stone stairs to the flat viewing platform of Sunrift Gorge. Sunrift Gorge is a narrow gorge with bright blue water running through it, the same water that will end up cascading over Baring Falls. You can also walk a little bit up the trail that continues up the mountain to get different views of Saint Mary Lake and the surrounding mountains. In late summer, there are supposedly many huckleberry bushes full of ripe huckleberries in this area.
Sun Point
Sun Point is an area located along Saint Mary Lake. Here you will find the Sun Point Nature Trail. The Sun Point Nature Trail is a 1.7 mile round-trip trail to Sun Point. At Sun Point you will find unique views of Saint May Lake and the mountains towering all around it. It is a great hike that is family friendly and enjoyable by those of all ages.
Wild Goose Island Overlook
Wild Goose Island Overlook is one of my favorite places that we stopped on Going-to-the-Sun Road. This is a stop that you cannot miss. Wild Goose Island is a small island located in the Saint Mary Lake that the Going-to-the-Sun Road borders on the eastern side of Glacier National Park. The island is dwarfed by the ginormous lake it sits in and the huge mountains that tower around it.
We came here several times during our stay in the area because we really thought it was that beautiful. The viewing area has several parking spots and a landscaped gravel area stand in. There are also several boulders you can climb up on easily if you’re wanting a slightly different view. The island is big enough to have multiple trees, but in the entire view it looks miniscule.
During the day, everything appears so blue- the water, the mountains, the sky. We also watched sunset here and it was such a magical scene. Purples, blues, and oranges in every hue danced on the mountains and lake until the sun finally went behind the mountains. I would totally recommend sunset here, but any time of day it is gorgeous.
Two Dog Flats
Two Dog Flats is located very close to the Saint Mary Visitor Center. This stop is not necessarily one that you will get out and hike at, but one to pull over on the side of the road to see.
Here there are open fields that are against the pine forests before the rising mountains. They are filled with wildflowers, but that’s not the only thing to see. This is one of the best places in the park to see a grizzly bear. Ladies from the local Blackfoot tribe told us that there is a family of grizzlies that live in this area and that they can usually be found at the Two Dog Flats.
There are few unnamed pull-offs in between Rising Sun and the Saint Mary Visitor Center. Two Dog Flats is on the side of the road towards the mountains (opposite side of road from the lake). The description of location may sound confusing, but trust me–you will see what I mean when you are on the road. When we came through here, we saw a grizzly out in the distance. Since it was getting dark in the evening, he was close to the tree line, but apparently at other times of day they come much closer to the road. Definitely be on the lookout for grizzly bears when you are in this area.
Saint Mary Visitor Center
Saint Mary Visitor Center will either be your last (or first) stop on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Here you will find a visitor center with various exhibits and all the latest information on the park. There are facilities like restrooms and water-filling stations. If this is your first stop on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, you will be amazed by the views from the visitor center, but just wait, it gets even better the farther in you drive.
Also good to note: There is fast FREE WIFI at the Saint Mary Visitor Center! This was fantastic for us because most of the area in and around Glacier National Park does NOT have internet, Wi-Fi, or cell service. I was taking an online college class with mandatory attendance, so the Saint Mary Visitor Center wifi was an absolute lifesaver! It was good enough internet to stream a 2 hour long class on Microsoft Teams. Overall, Saint Mary Visitor Center is a great stop to make on your time on Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Have you been on the Going-to-the-Sun Road? What did you think about it? Do you have any questions for me?
Thanks for Reading!
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