Glacier visitation up in September, but down overall compared to last year
Nov. 30—By CHRIS PETERSON
Hungry Horse News
Glacier National Park's September visitation was up 2.1% over last year, with Many Glacier seeing a 65% increase over 2021.
The popular valley destination saw more than 70,331 visitors in September, compared to 42,566 the year before.
All told, the park saw 544,575 visitors for the month, compared to 533,388 the year before.
But for the year, Glacier is down slightly, at 2.76 million visitors, compared to 2.88 million in 2021.
That's a 4.4% drop.
Glacier again implemented crowd control measures in 2022, with reservations required from Memorial Day weekend through the second weekend in September for the Going-to-the-Sun Road and for the Polebridge Entrance.
The reservation system certainly curbed numbers overall in Polebridge, as it saw 77,307 visitors through September this year, compared to 98,567 the year before.
Another factor in the overall decline was the Sun Road didn't open to Logan Pass until July 13, one of the latest openings ever, as Glacier saw a wet and snowy spring and start to summer.
But it barely rained at all in August and September was pleasant as well.
Glacier is considering a reservation system of some sort for Many Glacier and Two Medicine next year, which would mean that all the major entrances to the park would need a reservation during the summer season next year, if it's implemented.
Two Medicine was actually down in September this year compared to last, with 222,624 visitors in September, compared to 241,555 the year before.
Last year was the second busiest year in Glacier's history. With October being unusually mild for the first half of the month, visitation could easily approach 2.9 million for year.
2022 will, at the very least, be the sixth busiest year ever.
