What to Expect in Glacier National Park This Summer
Plan Ahead and Know Before you Go

To enhance visitor experience, Glacier National Park will again implement a vehicle reservation system for the 2023 peak season, May 26 through September 10. When entering during that time (and in addition to a normal park pass) you will need a separate vehicle reservation for each of the following areas: the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) corridor, the North Fork, and Many Glacier and Two Medicine valleys. Booking windows for half of the available vehicle reservations are being released in date blocks 120 days in advance. The other half will be released 24 hours in advance for next-day access. Reservations can only be booked on recreation.gov.

Anyone can access park entrances without a reservation before 6 a.m. (with the exception of the West Entrance to Going-to-the-Sun Road due to construction) and after 3 p.m. all summer long. Catch the sunrise and set out early for adventure, or take advantage of Montana’s extended summer daylight hours and plan a late afternoon visit. You also do not need a vehicle reservation if you have a reservation for a campground, lodge, rental or guided trip within the park.

The National Park Service is committed to a positive visitor experience and maintaining the sustainability of our most cherished places. The vehicle reservation system upholds this commitment by reducing congestion and maintaining traffic flow.

NEW in 2023: Avalanche, Two Medicine and Many Glacier campgrounds will require advance reservations. Most park campgrounds are available by reservation only and must be booked on recreation.gov. Plan ahead by making reservations well in advance and have a backup plan in place if you are not able to secure a spot. The fare-free park shuttle will be running this year and service is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Unique Lodging
Experiences

Book a unique and authentic lodging experience, because lodging is part of the adventure in Western Montana. Make a treehouse retreat your home base while exploring the Flathead Valley or set up camp in a teepee on the Blackfeet Reservation. Stay in a renovated grain silo with panoramic views in Kalispell. Trek to a yurt in the backcountry, or, for a luxury camping getaway (complete with electricity, an en suite bathroom and your own butler), try glamping along the banks of the legendary Blackfoot River.

Incredible
Spring Fishing

Any local angler will tell you spring is an excellent time to be on the river with your fly rod in hand. It’s a time of epic hatches and dry-fly fishing, with an added bonus of shoulder-season quietude. Come see what it’s like to have the river to yourself against the breathtaking backdrop of a landscape emerging from winter. The trout are biting, visitation is lower and the scenery is fantastic. Let the expert fly-fishing guides at outfitters like Wild Trout Adventures, Kootenai Angler or Clark Fork Trout show you the way.