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Few landscapes are as magnificent and pristine as the USA's Glacier National Park in Montana, where grizzly bears roam in a wilderness that’s both easily accessible to humans and authentically wild. The park is renowned for its historic lodges, intact pre-Columbian ecosystem and spectacular . This landmark 53-mile mountain route is purpose-built for you to drive into this untamed country.

Due to staffing cuts, the National Park Service is stretched this year. Travelers can expect longer wait times, fewer services and the potential closures of certain areas. Stay prepared with this guide.

Duration: 2 or 3 days
Distance: 76 miles
When to go: July through September is prime time, once the road has been plowed. Summer months, though more crowded, are especially lovely because the wildflowers are in full bloom. For 2025, the park has a , so be sure to register your vehicle beforehand.

Start: Whitefish

This charismatic and caffeinated New West ski town would merit a long-distance trip in and of itself. It is a square mile of rustic chic, with welcoming shops and restaurants surrounded by the great outdoors. Summer at sees intrepid explorers touring the treetops via suspended canopy, mountain biking on white-knuckle trails and finishing with beers at Summit House.

The drive: From Whitefish, head south on Hwy 93 and go left on MT 40 East, which runs into Hwy 2. While early travelers had to lower their wagons down the steep walls of Badrock Canyon just west of Columbia Falls, where the Flathead River slices like a knife through the Swan Range, it’s now an easy 26-mile trip to West Glacier.

Stop 1: West Glacier

West Glacier is little more than a rail depot and an entryway to Glacier National Park, albeit a busy one. Services, including a visitor center and backcountry permit office, are found in the nearby hub of . In Apgar, you can also ditch your car and travel the rest of this route on the park’s free , which stops at all major trailheads and sights. Mind-boggling amounts of snow must be plowed off Going-to-the-Sun Rd, and opening times vary. If the road is closed, don’t fret. It means you have an excellent opportunity to bicycle one of America’s most scenic routes car-free.

The drive: Apgar is 2.5 miles north of West Glacier on the paved Going-to-the-Sun Rd. Services and lodging are left at the intersection, the visitor center is straight, and Going-to-the-Sun Rd is right. There is a large campground just beyond.

Stop 2: Lake McDonald

The lush, verdant glacier-carved valley of Lake McDonald holds some of the park’s oldest temperate rainforest. Paddling a rowboat over the glassy surface of the largest lake in the park may be the best way to attain serenity on a super scale. Rent a boat from  at the lodge dock. Shrug off the crowds and , our favorite lakeside campground – only tent camping is allowed, and with just 25 sites, you’ll feel like the lake belongs to you. On the eastern end of the shore, rustic Lake McDonald Lodge was first built in 1895, though it was replaced with Swiss-style architecture in 1913. Enter via the back door, which faces the lake to welcome guests who historically arrived by boat.

The drive: Rimmed by pines, this 11-mile section skirts Lake McDonald’s eastern shore, serving up views of Mt Stanton beyond the northern shore. Both Sprague Creek and Lake McDonald Lodge are to the left. Vehicles over 21ft long, 8ft wide and 10ft tall are not permitted on Going-to-the-Sun Rd beyond Avalanche Creek at the north end of Lake McDonald.

Stop 3: to the Loop

The road runs parallel to blue-green McDonald Creek and McDonald Falls, a seemingly endless cascade gushing through rock chasms along the longest river in the park. Though it’s often crowded, make the stop to appreciate the old-growth cedars and hemlocks – the easternmost outpost of this decidedly Pacific Northwest forest type – of  (north of Lake McDonald) and consider hiking the pleasant and popular trail to snow-fed Avalanche Lake for superior views for little effort. The 192ft West Tunnel took two years to drill in 1926. An interior sidewalk opens to a view of Heaven’s Peak through observation windows. 

The sharp hairpin turn known as  is an elegant engineering solution to one very vertical climb. Instead of making a proposed 15 switchbacks to Logan Pass, this section created a more subtle line that would be easier to plow. The road has a maximum slope of 6%, the grade at which 1920s automobiles could climb without downshifting to second gear.

The drive: At the Loop, the road breaks from McDonald Creek to angle sharply toward the Garden Wall, the 9000ft spine of the Continental Divide 14 miles beyond McDonald Falls. In early summer, there may be standing water on the road from the Weeping Wall.

Stop 4: Garden Wall

Powerful glaciers carved this dramatic arête running parallel to Going-to-the-Sun Rd millions of years ago. Wildflower meadows traversed by the Highline Trail carpet the steep western slopes of the Garden Wall. Below, the glistening Weeping Wall, formed when drilling during road construction unleashed a series of mountain springs, produces seasonal waterfalls. Water falls over the lip of a 30ft artificial cliff and frequently gives westbound car passengers a good soaking in early summer. By early August, the torrent reverts to its more gentle namesake. 

For a more natural waterfall, look across the valley to the distant Bird Woman Falls, a 500ft spray emerging from a hanging valley between Mt Oberlin and Mt Cannon. This phenomenon was created when a small glacier above the falls fed into a larger glacier along Logan Creek. The Logan glacier had significantly more mass, gouging deeper into the rocks as it flowed down Lake McDonald Valley.

The drive: The next section of the roadway provides ample evidence for Going-to-the-Sun Rd's renown as a marvel of civil engineering. Highlights include Haystack Creek Culvert and , which blend almost seamlessly with the landscape. Stop at designated pullouts along this 3-mile stretch for both Big Bend and Oberlin Bend. Wildlife may get close here.

Stop 5: the Bends

Just beyond the Weeping Wall, Big Bend frames magnificent views of Mt Oberlin, Heaven’s Peak and Mt Cannon amid blooming beargrass and fireweed. It’s midway between the Loop and Logan Pass and is a good spot for a break. Bighorn sheep blend well into the cliffs – grab your binoculars to find them. Just west of Logan Pass, sits below the cascading waterfalls of Mt Oberlin. Take the short boardwalk for breathtaking views of hanging valleys and Going-to-the-Sun Rd itself. On a clear day, views extend all the way to Canada. It may also be the best spot to see the park’s signature mountain goats hanging out on steep rock ledges.

The drive: Continue the ascent to Logan Pass, about a mile beyond Oberlin Bend.

Stop 6: Logan Pass

The highest point of Going-to-the-Sun Rd, panoramic Logan Pass (6646ft) also marks the Continental Divide. Stop at Logan Pass Visitor Center, which has interesting natural history displays and a browse-worthy bookstore. Take the 1.5-mile boardwalk trail behind it to the wildflower meadows of Hidden Lake Overlook. 

Across the way, the Highline Trail is lauded as one of America’s best hikes. Cutting daringly across the Garden Wall, this rugged path traces mountain goat terrain along the Continental Divide, with vistas of glaciated valleys and jagged peaks. Though it isn’t difficult (there’s minimal elevation change), the trail is quite exposed. For a classic romp, turn back at , 7.6 miles one way. Five hikers’ express shuttles run from Apgar to Logan Pass, leaving between 7am and 7:36am. Many people start here, hike the Highline Trail to the Loop and catch the return shuttle from there.

The drive: Descend Going-to-the-Sun Rd heading east. The road makes a relatively straightforward descent, passing through the 408ft and switchbacks on its way to St Mary Lake. The Jackson Glacier Overlook comes up on the right, 4.7 miles from the pass.

Stop 7: Sunrift Gorge

Pull out near Gunsight Pass trailhead for telescopic views of Jackson Glacier. It’s a short walk to the overlook of the park’s fifth-largest glacier. As it has melted over the years, it has actually split into two glaciers called Jackson and Blackfoot. In 1850, the park had 150 glaciers. Today, there are a scant 26, and scientists predict that they will completely disappear by 2030. Just off the road and adjacent to a shuttle stop to your left, Sunrift Gorge is a narrow canyon that’s 80ft deep and 800ft long. The picturesque is considered the most beautiful artificial feature on the road. Follow the 0.25-mile wooded trail to Baring Falls.

The drive: The road skirts north of St Mary Lake for the remainder of the drive and has a few pull-offs to let other drivers pass. Sun Point is approximately 3.5 miles beyond Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Stop 8: St Mary Lake

On the park’s drier eastern side, St Mary Lake, known to the Blackfeet as the Walled-in Lake, fills a deep, glacier-carved valley famous for its astounding views and ferocious winds. Its long shoreline features numerous trailheads and viewpoints. Windy and spectacular, Sun Point is a rocky promontory overlooking the lake. Take in views of Going-to-the-Sun Mountain (9642ft) to the north. You will also see Wild Goose Island, a tiny stub in the middle of St Mary Lake. Lace up your boots if you want to take the trails linking to Baring Falls and St Mary Falls.

The drive: Services at Rising Sun are 4 miles beyond Sun Point, and St Mary Visitor Center is 6 miles further. If you’re traveling this route east to west, vehicles over 21ft long, 8ft wide, 10ft tall are not permitted on Going-to-the-Sun Rd beyond Sun Point. Park at Sun Point and take the free shuttle.

End: St Mary Visitor Center

Handy shuttle stop Rising Sun has a lovely backdrop, hotel, campground and services. A 90-minute lake cruise can be combined with a 3-mile hike to St Mary Falls with Glacier Park Boat Company. The amazing biological diversity at  is a result of the eastern prairies butting against massive mountains. The restored 1950s St Mary Visitor Center has classic lines that imitate mountain silhouettes. Rangers present evening programs here throughout the summer.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet's .