United States
Montana (MT)
Glacier National Park
Things to Do in Glacier National Park
Going-to-the-Sun Road
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Going-to-the-Sun Road

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Going-to-the-Sun Road
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A spectacular and scenic 52-mile highway through Glacier National Park, which crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass in Montana.
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  • HIBBIE
    Sarasota, Florida581 contributions
    Awesome
    Really worth the time. Amazing views. Took lots of pictures. The day we went, Sunday, traffic was heavy but not bad. We left the east side at 11am and got to the west, after a few stops, around 1:30. Had lunch and returned. We took our rental car but it was not a driving experience for the faint of heart. The Red Buses were sold out so I jammed the gears in the rental.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 25, 2023
  • MomofAPN
    Matawan, New Jersey104 contributions
    Spectacular views
    This is truly a must-do in Montana! What views, it is a truly spectacular drive. You do need to reserve a spot ahead of time. Even though parking can be an issue, there simply isn’t much space on that road.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 8, 2023
  • Twig
    49 contributions
    Do it!!!
    We were on the fence about going. Family of 8 with kids ranging from 14-23. It is a must do. Wished we would have taken more time and pulled over at more stops. Absolutely gorgeous. I am a backseat driver and one dtr tends to get car sick but no issues! Highly recommend!
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 19, 2023
  • LegalEyeDallasTexas
    Dallas, Texas177 contributions
    Bucket list item.
    Gorgeous, not too crowded. Wow scenery. So many hike options. Plan to see baby mountain goats at the hike at Logan’s pass. Maybe see bears at dusk. But guaranteed to see jaw dropping vistas and turquoise water.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 23, 2023
  • rogersober
    Clermont, Florida28,520 contributions
    Glad I was not driving
    Scenery that cannot be well described is everywhere on this trek. The frightening heights could only be outdone by just how much you could see. The road is a marvel for the single switchback on the west side. The pull outs were breathtaking. This is not to be missed.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 26, 2023
  • Sara T
    Ellicott City, Maryland952 contributions
    Amazing experience
    What an amazing experience! I recommend you drive a small car, there are some narrow areas and cliff over the side. We went in July, there was construction which added a lot of time! Take advantage of the pull offs.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 6, 2023
  • Suzanne
    Dallas, Texas158 contributions
    Beauty amongst the glaciers
    Driving this road is the most beautiful experience and a definite must do! It goes without saying, arrive early. We had our pass and got there shortly after sunrise to ensure getting spots at the pulloffs, etc. We entered at the St Mary entrance and were successful stopping at all the places we desired and got fantastic pictures. As the day progressed, you can feel the traffic becoming more and more congested. As far as Logan Pass area, it is absolutely true, don't even try to get in the parking lot after 8:30. We drove by and saw some bighorn sheep laying in the grass. I attempted to pull in the lot and it was chaos just trying to get back out, no less see the wildlife or go in the visitors center. It's a shame there can't be designating parking for those who are going to take up parking for long term hiking and some of us who just want to see the visitor center and overlook/snap a few pics. Instead, we only got to drive by the whole area. Even the goat study area was packed, so no go there either. Nonetheless, it did not take away from the beauty of the remainder of the experience of GTTSR. It is magnificent!
    Visited July 2023
    Written August 7, 2023
  • Patrick K
    2 contributions
    Ban bicyclists on Going to Sun Road
    The park is amazing! But, Almost died in head on collision with another car swerving to avoid bicyclists. They need to ban all bike traffic on this road. It is not designed for bikes. There are many other options for bike riders.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 10, 2023
  • Postcards From Carrie
    Frederick, Maryland37 contributions
    Bucket List Drive
    This is a bucket list drive! Rivals Road To Hana in Maui but the scenery on this road is superior. Pictures and descriptions do not do justice to the awe inspiring, majestic scenery along this drive. It gets better as you climb higher on the road, even when you think it can’t get any better, it does. It really makes you feel small and it is a bit intimidating as well. Just know that there is no cell service anywhere in Glacier National Park. Saw a few families with 2 way radios which I thought was really smart!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 13, 2023
  • Amanda J
    16 contributions
    Another planet!
    Not that this needed a review but man it was like another planet! Be warned though the beginning of the trek involves about 10 miles of unpaved roads due to construction and expect delays! But it is so worth it! You need a reservation for the road though and we saw multiple people turned away without one so don’t let that happen! The site to reserve is easy to use and even though we didn’t get one ahead of time, we were able to get up at 8am to get one for three days! Be warned- not for the faint of heart so have your most confident driver do it!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 15, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
5.0
3,268 reviews
Excellent
2,825
Very good
299
Average
83
Poor
31
Terrible
30
Michael M
Silver Spring, MD22 contributions
A Wasted and Costly Trip
Jun 2021 • Family
What an unfortunate trip! We traveled across the country to Glacier for my daughter's graduation trip only to be denied entry. Despite having a park pass, the Going to the Sun Road tickets sold out within seconds each day. I spent most of the trip getting up before 8am trying to get them, to no avail. So, we drive an hour and a half up a gravel road to at least see Bowman Lake, only to be told the parking "just filled up" and were turned away. We spent a boatload of money to see nothing. I get why they are doing this, but there has to be a better way!
Written June 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scuba instructor
San Diego, CA13 contributions
Glacier NP new rules
May 2021 • Couples
Glacier National Park is one of the most beatiful parks in the USA, but they now have a strange process to limit entry. Now they require a 2 dollar ticket that you can only get online two days in advance and they sell out in a matter of minutes. There is no way to plan a trip if you are from out of state. The workers at the park were interviewed on the news saying other roads in the park were open if you don't have the ticket, but this is simply not true. We went around different areas and we were turned away. We were told to come back after 5 pm or before 6 am. There was such a line at 5 pm, that I don't see how this can be good for the park. So much for our annual pass!
Written May 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rockcole
Doylestown, PA557 contributions
Almost a ruined day
Aug 2021
We have been to most of the National Parks and as far as scenery this Park is by far the prettiest. You drive along the going-to the-sun road. It is single lane each way but plenty of opportunities to park. It took us three hours and worth every minute.

We entered at the East Gate and ran into a problem. They are limiting the number of cars - you need a reservation. It was 9 AM and the ranger said generally reservations open up around 11. ???

Fortunately the ranger at the entrance booth mentioned that reservations were required unless you have a National Park Senior Pass! We do!!Thank You!!!!!
Written September 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
michellehouse
Evansville, IN274 contributions
Amazing
Jul 2021
I know people have complained about the new ticketed system but I was able to get a pass 60 days before my travel date without any problems. We got to the West Entrance about 8AM and the road was already fairly busy. I'm assuming that ticket entry has made morning crowds a little worse with people trying to get in before 6AM without a ticket. But we were able to drive West to East and able to stop at just about all the pull outs. Avalanche Lake and Logan Pass were full no matter how what time of day we passed by (we only tried Logan Pass once on the way East and again on the way West). We stopped at Sun Point (got there about 8:45-9) and the parking lot was empty. We hiked the 3 falls trail (about 5ish miles out and back) with minimal other hikers on the way out (much busier on the way back). We picnicked after our hike at Sun Point before finishing at the East Visitor's Center where the kids turned in Jr Ranger books. We drove back West (we were staying in Whitefish) and stopped at a pull out by Lake Mcdonald and let the kids burn off steam by splashing around in the lake.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lahanson
Lake Benton, MN414 contributions
Beautiful Views
Jun 2021
This road has an amazing view, but it's a lot of driving to see it all. And if you want to stop and see things you have to keep your eyes peeled for parking spots. And then of course starting in 2021 you will need ticket to drive the road. Some tickets are released 60 days in advance and then some are released 2 days in advance. Those tickets are hard to get. They are released at 8 AM mountain time each day and they are gone by 8:01 AM. And really if you aren't staying in the park or have some other reservation in the park that is the only way to get in.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
County-Hunter
Tacoma, WA3,179 contributions
Get in the Car!
Aug 2020
While Glacier National Park is known as the hiker's park with some incredible hikes for people of all abilities, you absolutely can not miss the opportunity to drive on the Going to the Sun Hwy. I can remember my Dad talking about it and my Mom squirming in the font seat as she felt she was too close to the edge. That was 50 years ago and now, I finally got the chance to return with my wife. It's different than I remember it as there isn't nearly as much snow as there used to be. But the drive is one of the best in the country.

Because of Covid, the road is closed at Rising Sun so you can not traverse the park. My recommendation would be to drive all the way to Rising Sun with minimal stopping and checking out which viewpoints you would like to explore in more depth and than stop there on the way back. That way, you will be hitting these spots later in the day when the crowds have thinned a bit and parking will be easier to find.
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SCoxygenman
Columbia, SC281 contributions
Amazing Drive to the Top of the World 🏔
Sep 2020 • Couples
This is definitely one of the most scenic drives in America. The views are breathtaking. The pictures do not even compare to the feeling you will have from the top of the mountains unlike any other. Make sure you get a park map when you enter the park. There was no phone service or GPS at all when we went up there. There is alot of pull offs, many trails some easy off the road and some advanced depending on your motivation. I would recommend going in the middle of the week vs a weekend. There is still lots of people but its more manageable. Make sure you drive slow, lots of walkers along certain areas of the road. Don’t take a large vehicle the roads are very narrow in certain places with sharp turns. The east entrance in St Marys is closed so don’t try to enter the park from that direction. You can go as far as Sun Point before you have to turn around. There is a nice parking area and bathroom there with some good easy walking trails down by the lake where you can get good pictures, but then again you can get great picture everywhere. Its a beautiful place you’ll never forget.
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GK1959
Centreville, MD235 contributions
Restrictions in place so plan ahead
Jul 2021 • Couples
Five years ago we came here when the road wasn’t fully open due to snow cover. This year in the heatwave and insanity of the post COVID travel boom we learned a reservation ticket is require to travel into the park at both west glacier and st Mary’s entrances from 6am-5pm. Couldn’t get in at two other entrances but finally drove in as far as Lake McDonald Lodge which is a spectacular setting and wonderful to see. Just be prepared. This park has limited access as it is and these unexpected and overly regulated limitations would be reason to hesitate this year.
Written July 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dabo71
Chicago, IL70 contributions
A long tiring drive.....
Aug 2022
The Road To The Sun is a very scenic drive on a two lane roadway with few pulloffs. Unfortunately, the person driving can see very little of the breath taking scenery as it is 100% eyes on the road due to the very heavy traffic. I drove this road alone during one of the peak months for visitors, and it took me almost 2 hours to drive from the west entrance to Glacier to Logan's Pass. This was due to heavy traffic, the abundance of large slow moving motor homes, large pull behind trailers, and the tour buses that would often stop in the roadway to let the passengers take photos or to just enjoy the views. The NPS instituted in 2021 an additional pass that is required to be purchased before one is permitted to travel the RTS. The pass supposedly was to help limit the number of vehicles on the roadway, but from the people that I spoke with at Logan's Pass that have driven the road before, not much has changed congestion wise. I am glad that I made the drive; however, I would recommend that if one wants to travel this road during peak vacation months, be at the entrance gate when the park opens. Otherwise, try and go during off peak vacation times like May and September. This was a one and done trip for me.
Written September 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy B
New Jersey343 contributions
Beautiful park disappointing road maintenance and lack of reservation enforcement
Sep 2023 • Couples
Beautiful park! We had the opportunity to visit the park from 8/30 to 9/2/23. We reserved for all dates as instructed! We arrived at park before 7:00 am on 8/31 and 9/2/23. Both days, the gates were unattended. The reservation system states you need a reservation between the hours 6 am and 3 pm. My guess is the system was designed to restrict access to a very busy park and it's beautiful natural resources. By not having the gates properly manned has the potential to create crowding which it did as both days we could not get into the parking area at Logan's pass in the morning. The other set back was the construction or lack there of it! A 12 mile stretch of going to the sun road (at the west gate) had a surface that was rougher than the surface of the moon. Word has it, there was no active construction being performed all summer. It took us 45 mins to drive from the west entrance to Lake McDonald stables after entering the park before 7 am! The road conditions prove that park maintenance is not a priority. What a shame!
Written September 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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