Glacier National Park – Going-To-The-Sun Road

I feel in love with hiking in 2023 as I embarked on a week long solo adventure to Whitefish, Montana; which is the home of the spectacular Glacier National Park.  While Glacier is massive this article will focus what you need to know about the famous 51 mile long Going-to-the-Sun-road; which includes helpful tips, specific hikes, and safety. 

Getting to glacier:

Nearest Airport: Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell and is only 15 – 20 minutes outside Whitefish, MT.  Click HERE to read all about my trip to Whitefish and start planning your own adventure. 

Rent a Car: YES (preferably a 4WD vehicle) to explore all the beauty Montana has to offer.  You will need a vehicle for the National Parks as there is little to NO service and ubers are few and far between

NOTE: GNP is around 30 minutes outside of Whitefish and once you enter the park it will take AT LEAST 30 mins (more like an hour +) to reach your desired area within the park.  Also, there is NO/LITTLE CELL SERVICE in the park so be prepared. 

Planning your day(s):

ALWAYS start at the link below as it will give you the most up to date information about the park.

National Park Services – GNP: This link will provide you critical information you need to plan your trip including any road/trail closure, passes, warnings etc

NOTE:

• A portion of vehicle reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months in advance, starting on January 25, 2024, at 8 am MST on a daily rolling basis.
• Next Day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 pm MDT for next-day entry starting on May 23, 2024 on a daily rolling basis.

I purchased my vehicle registration passes the night before with no issues, so don’t stress if you don’t already have a pass.

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Hiking Trails:

There are so many trails trails in Glacier along the Going-to-the-SUn Road and there is NO WAY to do it all in one trip so I suggest pick a few based on your time, endurance and level. I highly suggest you start off your journey by driving all the way through the “Going-to-the-Sun Road”  It is magical and you there are a lot of trails that stem off here.  

Here are a few of my favorite trails off of the GTS Road:

• *Avalanche Lake –
  • Moderate. 5.9mi, Out and Back, 757 ft elevation. This was one of my favorites. It is a fairly easy hike and pretty accessible from the main road. It was very magical to walk through the tree lined forest next to the rushing creeks. I saw a ton of deer and beaver along this hike. This is an ABSOLUTE MUST!
• *Highline Trail –
  • Difficult. 14.9 mi, Out and Back, 2,621ft elevation. This is an advanced hike not for the faint of heart. The terran was steep, rocky, and I even had to pass over a glacier. I saw a TON of wildlife including deer, mountain goats and more. There have been a lot of bear spotting on this trail so make sure to bring your bear spray.
• Lake McDonald
  • Moderate. 13.8 mi, Out and Back, 1,256 ft elevation.
• Tail of the Cedars
  • Easy. .9mi Loop. 49ft elevate
• Logan Pass Visitor Center
  • This can get pretty packed but there is a reason why. It is a great midpoint off the GTS Road, and you can access the visitor center (restrooms and water stations) plus multiple trailheads come through here. This is where I parked to hike the Highline Trail.
• St Mary’s Lake
  • There are a few trails that stem from St. marys lake that are pretty difficult. I opted to pull over and snap some pics and have a snack by the beautiful glacier water.
• Bowman Lake
  • Moderate. 13.5mi, Out and Back 452 elevation

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Must Have Items:

Of course this will vary depending on the time of year you go but here are some general items I had in my pack:

• Refillable Water Bottles– for water, water and more water.  There are filtered water stations at visitor centers throughout the park.
• Hiking backpack – preferably one that holds water like the Osprey hiking pack
• Snacks and food that can easily fit into your pack.  I love bringing individual protein powder packs, bananas, Rxbars, stuff that leaves little trace.  You burn a lot of calories hiking so make sure to fuel up.
• Bear spray – hopefully you won’t need it but it comes in handy if you do. 
• Layers (including a rain jacket) – you will experience all types of weather while in the park.  One day I had snow, sleet, rain and sun.  One day it was freezing cold and raining  the next hot and sunny. 
• Hiking boots – Invest in good comfortable hiking boots, sneakers are not going to cut it out here.  There were times I hiked through dirt, rocks, water and even snow. I got these off amazon and LOVED them! 
• Sunscreen & Hat – This is a much as you need to shade your face from the sun and other weather conditions.  Plus you are A LOT closer to the sun so reapply! 
•  Insect Repellant – I didn’t need this for the time of year that I visited but Its nice to have as there are all sort of critters along the way.
• Camera/smart phone to capture some breathtaking views (even though pictures won’t do it justice) 
• External Charger – I LOVE this one HERE.  It literally travels EVERYWHERE with me and has a LONG battery life.
• All Trails App (or map)- This is a MUST! It has ALL trails for literally everywhere so you can adjust based on length, distance and skill level.  It works off-line and keeps track of you to make sure you stay on trail and how much of the trail you completed.  (Free 7 day trial as well)