Introduction
Glacier National Park covers almost 1,600 square miles in the northern part of the state of Montana. The park is set in a remote location far from major cities or airports. However, Glacier still attracts many visitors – and it is easy to see why.
This amazing park combines all the best of the Rocky Mountains, including majestic mountain peaks, glaciers, scenic valleys, alpine meadows, lakes and waterfalls.
Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR), an engineering marvel, is one of the greatest vehicle adventures in North America. But Glacier also offers world-class alpine hiking, boat tours on its fantastic lakes, and more, all set in the stunning beauty of the park.
In this Essential Guide to Glacier National Park, we’ve provided a brief orientation to the park and logistical information for planning your trip. For details on the different sections of Glacier, please see our individual guides for the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine areas.
And check out our detailed guides to the Hiking the Highline Trail and the Grinnell Glacier hike.
The Grandeur of Glacier National Park
Planning Your Time
The “best” sections of Glacier National Park are the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine areas. You need a minimum of two days for Glacier if you’re not hiking. Spend one day driving the GTSR with stops for a picnic and short walks, and the other day exploring the Many Glacier area. With more time, add the Two Medicine area. If you’ll be hiking the Highline Trail or the Grinnell Glacier Trail, you’ll need another day or two.
The following spreadsheet shows our itinerary for our Glacier visit. Below the itinerary is a map showing our route and some of the key stops and sights. Note that this itinerary can be reduced or expanded for your schedule and rearranged to suit your interests and arrival/departure particulars.
Download as Open Document Sheets and use in Excel or a cloud spreadsheet tool (e.g., GoogleDrive or Office 365). Then, update your arrival date in cell A2. Next, get started on your itinerary (automations/equations are embedded to make a few things quicker). This file can serve as a template for other trip plans as well. In this map, the route shows starting and ending with the Glacier Park Airport in Kalispell, MT but we actually flew in and out of Calgary (YYC).
Note that the route generated by Google will not show using Going-to-the-Sun Road in the winter months since it is closed. Even in the summer, Going-to-the-Sun and some other roads have restrictions on vehicle lengths (see our Going-to-the-Sun Guide). Vehicle passes are also required.
Download as a KML file and use in Google Maps, Google My Maps, OpenMaps, or other mobile apps. Start from the full screen view of the map.
Entrances to Glacier National Park
While there are seven entrances to the park, four entrances are the most used since they provide access to the most-visited areas. These are the West Glacier entrance at the southwest end of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR), St. Mary Entrance at the northeast end of the GTSR, the Many Glacier Entrance north of St. Mary, and the Two Medicine Entrance, which is south of St. Mary.
Entry Fees / Passes
For 2025, entrance fees to Glacier National Park are $35 per vehicle (less in winter). Other reduced passes, such as senior passes, may suit your needs. To purchase your pass in advance, or to read about other passes including the America the Beautiful Pass (which gets you access to all national parks, and many other federal land attractions), visit the National Park Service’s Glacier National Park Entrance Fees page.
Vehicle Reservations Required When Visiting Most of Summer Season (with exclusions)
Glacier National Park now requires vehicle reservations for most of the roads in the park for most portions of the tourist season. Please study the information at the Vehicle Reservations page for dates and reservation requirements and to make your vehicle reservations.
A note on exclusions to vehicle permit requirements – according to the National Park Service website (see link above): “Visitors with lodging, camping, or commercial activity reservations (e.g., boat tours and horseback rides) within the specified reservation areas can use proof of their reservation for entry instead of a vehicle reservation to gain access to the vehicle reservation area for which they have a service reservation.”
Transportation within Glacier National Park
Driving
Driving your personal vehicle in Glacier NP is a joy, especially on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Having your own wheels gives you the flexibility to stop at the numerous pullouts, parking areas, and visitor centers whenever you want for photos, to take in the views, and to access hikes. However, it’s important to be aware that timed-entry reservations are required for some roads within the park. To check restricted dates and make your reservations (as early as possible!), visit this Recreation.gov page. Note that lodging or campground reservations, or ticketed excursions within a section of the park, exempt you from the road reservation requirement for that section of the park.
Park Shuttles for Going-to-the-Sun Road
The park offers free shuttles for the Going-to-the-Sun Road during peak season. The Westside shuttles run from the Apgar Visitor Center to Logan Pass. Eastside shuttles run from St. Mary Visitor Center to Logan Pass. You don’t need a reservation to take these hop-on, hop-off shuttles, which are comfortable, climate-controlled mini-buses. See the schedules and get more information here.
We used the shuttle to get back to our vehicle which we had left at Logan Pass to do our Highline Trail hike down to The Loop.
Red Bus Tours
Since 1914, Glacier National Park has offered tours of the park in classic red buses and cars. There are a variety of options for tours on the iconic Red Bus Tours, as well as multiple pickup locations, so check the website carefully. Reservations need to be made well in advance. (This urgency may not apply for those staying in one of the park lodges.)
While a ride in one of the open-air buses would have been nostalgic and enjoyable, they make very few stops. We want to stop as we like for photography and hiking.
Going-to-the-Sun Road (see link below for a detailed guide to this area)
This section centers around one of the most breathtaking drives in the United States. Completed in 1932, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel designed to showcase the most dramatic area of Glacier National Park. Driving it is a joy, one best taken slowly and savored. The GTSR connects the west side of the park at West Glacier to the east side at St. Mary.
The GSTR offers stunning views of glacier-carved peaks, alpine meadows, and pristine lakes. It can be enjoyed in your own private vehicle (road permit required unless you have reservations for accommodations, campground, or ticketed concession), by reserving a seat on the Red Buses, or by riding the in-park shuttles.)
Please follow the link to our mile-by-mile Guide to the Going-to-the-Sun Road for details, photos, and to plan your experience. And for a world class hike in the GTSR section, please see our Hiking the Highline Trail guide.
Many Glacier Area (see link below for a detailed guide to this area)
The Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park is another incredibly beautiful area. It showcases rugged mountain peaks, pristine alpine lakes, and glaciers. Offering boat excursions on pristine glacial lakes, world-class hiking, and dramatic scenery, Many Glacier has plenty to keep every type of traveler happy. The historic Many Glacier Hotel is a centerpiece of this region and worth a stop, or a stay!
Please follow the link to our Guide to the Many Glacier Area for details, photos, and to plan your experience. For a world class hike in the Many Glacier section, please see our Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail guide.
Two Medicine Area (see link below for a detailed guide to this area)
The Two Medicine area of Glacier National Parks is quieter and less visited. However, it is an absolute jewel, a gorgeous valley surrounded by dramatic peaks, and featuring alpine lakes and rugged landscapes. The main center of activity is Two Medicine Lake, which is surrounded by towering giants like Rising Wolf Mountain and Sinopah Mountain. Trails and lake excursions leave from there.
Please follow the link to our Guide to the Two Medicine Area for details and to plan your time.
Other Related Guides
It’s handy to think of Glacier National Park in sections. We have created separate guides for:
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Many Glacier Area
Two Medicine Area
Longer Day Hikes:
Hiking the Highline Trail Guide
Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail Guide
Also see our: