[ROAD] Chief Mountain Highway closed
Chief Mountain Highway is closed because of winter weather.
NP.GUIDE / FIELD GUIDE / FALL 2026
Glacier National Park
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Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.
Current conditions
Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed for the season between Avalanche Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook, so Logan Pass is not reachable by car. Two Medicine Road and Campground and Inside North Fork Road have construction closures. Most campgrounds are closed or primitive.
[ROAD] Going-to-the-Sun Road alpine section closed for the season
NPS: Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed for the season at Avalanche Creek on the west side and Jackson Glacier Overlook on the east side. Logan Pass is not reachable by car. Open lower sections can close at any time for winter weather.
[ROAD] Inside North Fork Road closed for the season
Inside North Fork Road is closed to vehicles for the season. The closure is due to winter weather.
[X] Two Medicine closed for construction
Two Medicine Campground is closed for all of 2026. Two Medicine Road was scheduled to close at the Highway 49 junction in mid- or late September for road rehabilitation that runs into late 2027. Check road status before you drive.
NPS conditions (large page)
Services by place
Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.
- West Glacier
Food: Yes Water: Yes Toilets: Yes Fuel: Yes Signal: Strong - Apgar
Food: Seasonal Water: Seasonal Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: Limited - Lake McDonald Lodge
Food: Seasonal Water: Yes Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: Unknown - Avalanche
Food: No Water: No Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: None - Logan Pass
Food: No Water: No Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: Unreliable - Rising Sun
Food: Seasonal Water: Yes Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: Weak - St. Mary
Food: Seasonal Water: Limited Toilets: Yes Fuel: Yes Signal: Unknown - Babb
Food: Seasonal Water: Unknown Toilets: Unknown Fuel: Yes Signal: Variable - Many Glacier
Food: Seasonal Water: No Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: None - Two Medicine
Food: No Water: Seasonal Toilets: Yes Fuel: No Signal: None
West Glacier ↑
Do this: Buy fuel, food, and other supplies before entering the park.
- Food: Yes. Restaurants, groceries, and basic supplies.
- Fuel: Yes, outside the west entrance.
- Signal: Usually the strongest mobile service on the west side.
West Glacier is outside the park and has more services than Apgar.
Apgar ↑
Do this: For fuel or groceries, drive 2 miles to West Glacier. Use the visitor center for public Wi-Fi.
- Food: Seasonal. The Apgar Village camp store may still be open in fall.
- Water: Yes, seasonal at developed facilities.
- Toilets: Yes, at the visitor center.
- Fuel: No. West Glacier is about 2 miles away.
- Signal: Limited. Calls and texts may work; data is weak. Free public Wi-Fi at the visitor center.
Visitor center open 10 am–4 pm daily through Oct 11, then weekends through Oct 25. Restrooms open all year.
Lake McDonald Lodge ↑
Do this: Buy fuel in West Glacier before driving east.
- Food: Yes, seasonal restaurants and campstore.
- Fuel: No. Buy fuel in West Glacier.
- Signal: Poor or none.
It is 10.5 miles from the West Entrance. Parking may fill.
Avalanche ↑
Do this: Bring food and water. Do not expect shuttle service here in 2026.
- Water: No. The campground is closed for the season.
- Toilets: Yes, in the picnic and campground area.
When Going-to-the-Sun Road closes for winter, the west gate moves here or to Lake McDonald Lodge, depending on weather.
Logan Pass ↑
Do this: Bring food, water, and enough fuel. The visitor center is closed for the season.
- Food: No. Bring food.
- Water: Logan Pass currently has no water.
- Signal: Unreliable. Do not rely on data service.
Elevation is 6,646 ft. Weather can be cold, windy, or snowy when lower areas are warm.
Rising Sun ↑
Do this: For fuel, continue 6 miles east to St. Mary.
- Food: Yes, seasonal restaurant and campstore.
- Water: Yes when developed facilities are operating.
- Fuel: No. Continue to St. Mary.
- Signal: Weak or absent. It improves toward St. Mary.
About 6 miles west of St. Mary.
St. Mary ↑
Do this: Refuel and buy supplies here before Logan Pass or Many Glacier.
- Food: Yes. Restaurants, camp stores, and basic groceries are available. Many are seasonal.
- Water: Limited. The visitor center is closed and campground water is off.
- Fuel: Yes, outside the entrance.
- Signal: Generally good in town and for a few miles into the park.
The visitor center is beside the entrance and is open late May through early October. The commercial village is outside the park.
Babb ↑
Do this: Refuel here before turning toward Many Glacier. Fuel hours may be limited.
- Food: Basic restaurants and convenience supplies, mostly seasonal.
- Water: Available at businesses. Public drinking water may not be available.
- Toilets: Available at businesses.
- Fuel: Yes. Hours may be limited.
- Signal: Variable. It is stronger than in Many Glacier.
About 15 minutes north of St. Mary on US 89, before the Many Glacier turn.
Many Glacier ↑
Do this: Refuel in Babb before turning off US 89. Do not rely on mobile service.
- Food: Yes, seasonal restaurants and campstore.
- Water: No water at the primitive campground. Bring your own.
- Fuel: No. Babb is the nearest fuel stop.
The campground is primitive, with no water, and closes Oct 20. Many Glacier Road usually closes the third weekend in November.
Two Medicine ↑
Do this: For fuel or a full meal, use East Glacier Park, about 13 miles away.
- Food: No. The campstore closed Sep 7.
- Toilets: Yes when the developed area is operating.
- Fuel: No. Use East Glacier Park.
Two Medicine Road is scheduled to be closed at Highway 49 for road work into late 2027. The campground is closed in 2026.
Other places
- Polebridge — Buy fuel and carry food and water before entering the North Fork. Food: Basic seasonal food and supplies. · Water: Limited. Bring water. · Fuel: No. Buy fuel before the North Fork. The road is slow and often rough. Services beyond Polebridge are minimal.
- Bowman Lake — Carry food and backup water. Buy fuel before entering the North Fork. Water: No. The campground is primitive through Oct 31 with no drinking water. · Toilets: Vault toilets. The final road is narrow, rough, and slow. It is not suitable for large vehicles or trailers.
- Goat Haunt — Carry all food and treat natural water. There is no road access. Water: Treat natural water. · Toilets: Limited developed facilities. Bring a passport or approved document if continuing across the international boundary into Canada.
Drive times
Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.
Going-to-the-Sun Road · west to east
West Glacier → 5 min → Apgar → 25 min → Lake McDonald Lodge → 20 min → Avalanche → 50 min → Logan Pass → 40 min → Rising Sun → 20 min → St. Mary
Apgar to Logan Pass takes about 90 min. St. Mary to Logan Pass takes about 60 min. Allow 2½–3 hr for the full road.
Many Glacier branch
St. Mary → 15 min → Babb → 25 min → Many Glacier
The trip from St. Mary takes about 40 min. Babb has fuel and basic food. Glacier has no fuel.
Two Medicine branch
St. Mary → 60 min → Two Medicine
East Glacier Park has fuel and food. Two Medicine Road is scheduled to be closed at Highway 49 for road work, and the campground is closed in 2026.
If Going-to-the-Sun Road closes
West Glacier → US 2 → East Glacier Park → US 49/89 → St. Mary · about 2–2½ hr
This route goes outside the park. Check Montana road conditions.
North Fork
West Glacier → 60 min → Polebridge → 45 min → Bowman Lake
Expect slow gravel roads, dust, uneven surfaces, and no mobile signal. Low-clearance vehicles may have trouble.
Help
Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.
Park information: 406-888-7800
Road text alerts: text GNPROADS to 333111.
This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.
Permits
Hours and entrance fees
Glacier is open year-round. You can enter at any time; unstaffed entrances have self-registration for a 7-day pass. 7-day pass: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, $20 per person on foot or bike; Nov 1–Apr 30: $25, $20, $15. Glacier annual pass: $70. America the Beautiful pass: $80 for US residents, $250 for non-US residents. Non-US residents 16 and older also pay $100 per person unless they have an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Card only. No vehicle reservation is needed in 2026.
Campgrounds
Most campgrounds are closed for the season. Apgar and St. Mary are open as primitive sites with no drinking water. Many Glacier is open until Oct 20, and Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake until Oct 31, weather permitting. Two Medicine is closed in 2026.
Wilderness camping
Each backcountry overnight stay requires a wilderness permit. A Recreation.gov confirmation is not a permit. Get the permit before your trip. Advance sites are available through Sep 30, 2026. Permit offices may have additional sites.
Boats
Watercraft must meet Glacier's aquatic-invasive-species inspection rules before launch. Rules and inspection locations vary by craft and season.
Short hikes
Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.
- Logan Pass / Hidden Lake Overlook: 1.4 mi. A short alpine hike. Snow and wildlife closures are common.
- Logan Pass / Highline Trail to The Loop: 11.6 mi one-way. Plan transportation for the end of this one-way hike. The trail is closed due to snow hazards.
- Avalanche / Trail of the Cedars: 0.7 mi loop. A short trail with accessible boardwalk sections.
- Avalanche / Avalanche Lake: 2 mi. Parking often fills. There is no park shuttle here in 2026.
- St. Mary corridor / St. Mary Falls: 0.8 mi from the shuttle stop or 1.2 mi from the trailhead. Bring water. Some roadside trailheads have no water or toilets.
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Nearby guides: Yellowstone · Grand Teton