Glacier National Park will reintroduce a vehicle reservation system for the Going to the Sun Road and the west side of the North Fork in 2025, from June 13 through September 28. The park also offers a timed entry program at two locations, some of the most congested during the busy summer months.

Similar to this year, visitors will need to make reservations between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to access the park at the West Entrance and North Fork. However, now visitors will also be able to choose a time period during which they can enter the park. Multiple time blocks will be available, and once visitors enter Glacier, they can stay in the park for as long as they want on the day of their reservation. Additional information will be available in the program before pre-bookings begin on February 12, 2025.

Through September of this year, park officials reported 3,004,613 visitors had passed through Glacier’s gates. The highest number of visitors recorded in this time period since 2017Before October, the park had broken the overall visitation record (3,321,319 people) and recorded 3.206 million people. The park also recorded the busiest September in its history in 2024, with 602,339 visits.

A situation that could also increase congestion in the park next year, Swiftcurrent area of ​​Many Glacier Valley will be closed Cutting off public access due to ongoing construction will greatly reduce parking in the area.

“We are continuing successful measures from the 2024 season, including access outside the vehicle reservation system to Apgar Village, Two Medicines and the Road to the Sun East Entrance in 2025. Within this successful framework, we will experiment with timed entry to see if we can minimize congestion, optimize visitor arrivals, and improve visitor experiences,” Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer said in a prepared statement. “Timed entry has proven to be a valuable tool at other popular national parks and will reduce congestion and wait times at the West Entrance of Going to the Sun.”

Here’s what to expect in Glacier National Park next summer.

West Entrance
From June 13 to September 28, 2025, one timed entry reservation per vehicle will be required to travel along the Going to the Sun Road beyond the Apgar Village area between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Visitors can enter before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Without vehicle reservation. Visitors who have booked accommodation, camping, transportation or commercial activities will be able to access the service they want within the Road to the Sun reservation area, as in previous years, with documents documenting their reservation. Only commercial reservations originating beyond the Apgar vehicle reservation checkpoint and west of Logan Pass will gain entry to the vehicle reservation location.

As a reminder, lodging, camping (including Fish Creek and Apgar campgrounds), and commercial activity reservations originating from Apgar will not provide access beyond the Apgar vehicle reservation checkpoint.

North Fork
One timed entry booking per vehicle will be required at Polebridge entry station between 7am and 3pm from 13 June to 28 September 2025. Visitors can enter without a vehicle reservation before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. No reservations are required to access the Polebridge community, located outside the park entrance.

Two Valleys of Medicine and St. Mary
In 2025, as in 2024, it will be located in Two Medicine Valley, or Going-to-the-Sun Road in St. No vehicle reservations will be required to enter the St. Mary entrance. Entry may be temporarily restricted at certain times of the day (usually between 10 a.m. and 2 a.m.). pm) when spaces become too congested. Visitors who have booked services to these areas (e.g. boat tours, accommodation, horseback riding, guided walks) will be allowed entry to these areas during temporary restrictions.

Valley of Many Glaciers
As the park previously announced, the Swiftcurrent area of ​​Many Glacier Valley will be closed to public access in summer 2025 due to ongoing construction. The closure will greatly reduce the amount of parking available at Many Glacier Valley. The park is currently exploring alternatives to access the valley in 2025.

Vehicle reservations and passes
Vehicle reservations only recreation.govVia the Recreation.gov mobile app or the Recreation.gov Call Center (Reservation Line: 877-444-6777). Each of the designated areas of the park will require separate reservations. Visitors will need to create an account at Recreation.gov to receive reservations. The only cost to make a reservation is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee.

Vehicle reservations can be made through two reservation windows.

• A portion of the reservations will be available on a rolling basis at Recreation.gov starting at 8 a.m. MST on February 12, 2025, 120 days, or approximately four months, in advance.
• Remaining vehicle reservations will be available at 7:00 PM MDT for next-day check-in starting June 12, 2025.

In addition to the vehicle reservation, every vehicle entering the park must have an access card for the park entrance points. These passes may include any of the following: a $35 vehicle pass valid for seven days; a valid Interagency Annual/Lifetime Pass; or Glacier National Park Annual Pass. Vehicle reservation does not include the entrance card and the parking entrance card does not replace the vehicle reservation.

Under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, tribal members are not required to reserve vehicles throughout the park.

Visitors are encouraged to check out: park website frequently for updates and additional information.

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