Going-to-the-Sun Road Alpine Loop
America's most spectacular mountain drive
They said it couldn’t be built. This 50-mile mountain road climbs from cedar forests to alpine tundra, hugging cliff faces so narrow that RVs over 21 feet are banned. Carved into Glacier National Park’s Continental Divide between 1921 and 1932, the route reaches 6,646 feet at Logan Pass, where mountain goats wander parking lots and Hidden Lake reflects glacier-carved peaks. The western approach from Apgar follows McDonald Creek through old-growth forest, while the eastern climb from St. Mary delivers prairie-to-peak drama in 12 switchbacking miles.
This is scenic driving, not technical 4WD, but don’t underestimate the pucker factor. The road is barely two lanes with stone retaining walls and thousand-foot drops. Plowed fully only July through October due to snowpack that can reach 80 feet deep. No permit required but arrive early—parking at Logan Pass fills by 8 AM in summer. Vehicle restrictions include 21-foot length and 8-foot width limits. What you get is America’s most spectacular mountain drive, period.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Easy |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Scenic Drive |
| Surface | Gravel |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 50 mi / 80.5 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6646 ft |
| Best season | July-October |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock vehicle |
| Nearest town | West Glacier, Montana |
| Land manager | National Park Service |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | Spotty |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | nps.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can I drive Going-to-the-Sun Road in a full-size truck or with a trailer?
Vehicles over 21 feet long (including tow hitches) or wider than 8 feet are prohibited between Avalanche Creek and the St. Mary Visitor Center. Full-size pickups without trailers are generally fine, but leave the 5th wheel at camp.
When does the road actually open and close each year?
The full road typically opens sometime in late June or early July depending on snowpack — NPS plows it every spring and the timeline shifts year to year. It closes to through traffic by mid-October, sometimes earlier if early snow hits. Check nps.gov/glac for the current season status before you go.
Do I need a permit or reservation to drive it?
Yes — during peak season (typically late May through early September) a timed-entry vehicle reservation is required to drive the corridor. Reservations are released in advance on recreation.gov and sell out fast. Outside those dates and hours, no reservation is needed but the park entrance fee still applies.
What's the hardest or sketchiest part of the drive?
The stretch near the Triple Arches and the Garden Wall approaching Logan Pass is where things get real — one lane of crumbling pavement, guardrail-free drop-offs of hundreds of feet, and oncoming RVs. It's rated easy overall, but if you're uncomfortable with exposure on narrow mountain roads, that section will get your attention.
Is there anywhere to camp along the road, and how far is the nearest gas?
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary campgrounds are the closest NPS sites and require reservations — dispersed camping is not permitted inside Glacier. Fuel up in West Glacier or St. Mary before entering; there's no gas on the road itself, and cell service is spotty throughout the corridor so don't count on finding a station on the fly.
Trail track
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