Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road opens for 2022: What you need to visit

Eve Chen, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Glacier National Park's scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road had one of its latest seasonal openings on record Wednesday.

Park officials said late winter weather and continued avalanche danger hampered crews from clearing the road sooner.

The alpine highway also opened on July 13 in 2011 due to a late snowpack and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The only later date was when the road first opened to the public on July 15, 1933.

While Going-to-the-Sun Road is now open for the 2022 season, most visitors will need vehicle reservations to travel along the famed roadway during peak hours this summer.

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Driving along Going-to-the-Sun Road is a must for many Glacier National Park visitors.
Driving along Going-to-the-Sun Road is a must for many Glacier National Park visitors.

Is Going-to-the-Sun Road fully open?

The full length of Going to the Sun Road is open between its West Glacier and St. Mary entrances by day, but the park says there will be nightly road closures between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. for construction from Lake McDonald to west of the Sprague Creek Campground.

Do you need a reservation for the Going-to-the-Sun Road?

With few exceptions, motorists who want to travel the famed corridor between the park's will need vehicle reservations between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily through Sept. 11.

However, visitors with same-day service reservations, like for camping, hotels or commercial tours along the roadway, don't need vehicle reservations. They aren't required for tribal members or people who own land within the vehicle reservation area or their guests either. People who enter the road by bike don't need reservations either, but portions of the road close to bicycles from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Labor Day.

Visitors can also take the park's free shuttle service along Going-to-the-Sun Road on a first-come, first-served basis.

How do you get tickets for Going-to-the-Sun Road?

Vehicle reservations can be made at recreation.gov. They cost $2 on top of the $35 entry fee required for each vehicle entering the park.

Each reservation is valid for three days.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road opening: What to know