Updated January 2026
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. Still, Glacier attracts many visitors—and it’s easy to see why.
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The park brings together many of the Rocky Mountains’ best features, including majestic 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. Beyond the drive, Glacier offers world-class alpine hiking, boat tours on its lakes, and a wide range of outdoor experiences set amid dramatic scenery.
Using This Guide
This essential guide is designed to help first-time visitors understand how Glacier National Park is laid out, how much time to plan, and how to navigate reservations and transportation before diving into specific areas.
Here, we provide a brief orientation to the park along with practical 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.
Explore Glacier by Area & Trail
- Going-to-the-Sun Road – mile-by-mile scenic drive guide
- Many Glacier Area – hiking, boat tours, and alpine lakes
- Two Medicine Area – quieter valleys and classic Glacier scenery
- Hiking the Highline Trail – one of Glacier’s most iconic hikes
- Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail – a challenging hike to an active glacier
Planning Your Time
The most popular 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.
Layered mountain cliffs rising above dense forest in Glacier National Park
Entrances to Glacier National Park
While there are seven entrances to the park, four see the highest use because they provide access to the park’s most popular areas. These are the West Glacier entrance at the southwest end of the 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 2026, a standard park entrance pass is typically $35 per private vehicle (valid 7 days) or $20 per person for those arriving by bike/foot. Annual passes remain an excellent value: U.S. residents pay $80 for the America the Beautiful interagency pass, while a new non-resident annual pass is available for $250. Note that non-U.S. residents may also encounter an additional $100 per person non-resident fee at Glacier and other high-visit parks unless covered by the annual pass. Selected fee-free days are offered each year for U.S. residents only.
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 in 2026: What’s Changed
As of early 2026, the National Park Service has not yet finalized vehicle reservation requirements for Glacier National Park. Park officials have indicated that the timed-entry vehicle reservation system used in recent summers is expected to be suspended, but a definitive announcement has not been made.
Visitors should plan on needing a valid park entrance pass and should check the official NPS website closer to their travel dates for the most current access requirements. Even without reservations, popular areas may still experience congestion, parking limits, or temporary closures during peak season.
Note: When vehicle permit requirements are in place, exclusions exist. From 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.” Always check the park website to ensure these policies still apply.
Transportation within Glacier National Park
Driving
Driving your personal vehicle in Glacier National Park 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 may be required on certain roads within the park.. To check restricted dates and make any necessary reservations (as soon 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 road reservation requirements for that section of the park.
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 Road Guide). Also, vehicle reservations may be required, depending on the season and access rules in effect at the time of your visit.
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.
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.
Sample Itinerary & Planning Tools
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 or departure plans.
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 (equations are embedded to make a few things quicker). This file can serve as a template for other trip plans as well.
On the map, the route begins and ends at Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, Montana, although we actually flew in and out of Calgary (YYC).
Going-to-the-Sun Road
This section focuses on 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 GTSR 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
The Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park is another strikingly 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 Grinnell Glacier Trail guide.
Two Medicine Area
The Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park 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.
Related Guides
It’s handy to think of Glacier National Park in sections. We’ve created separate guides for:
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Many Glacier Area
Two Medicine Area
Trail Guides in Glacier National Park
Hiking the Highline Trail
Hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail
Planning a trip to both Glacier and Banff National Parks?