Vehicle Reservation Requirement for the East Side of Glacier National Park - 2023 Update

These recommendations are based on vehicle reservation requirements for the 2023 season. Requirements for the 2024 season have evolved. Please visit our updated blog post and NPS.gov for the most current information.

A vehicle reservation for the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor, Many Glacier & Two Medicine valleys will be required for the 2023 summer season. Read on for an overview of the reservation requirements and visit nps.gov for detailed information. The information below is specific to the east side entrances and may differ from west entrance requirements.

Overview:

  • Reservations will be required from July 1st through September 10th on the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier & Two Medicine.

  • Reservations will be required between the hours of 6 am & 3 pm.

  • Reservations will be available for the east side entrances from recreation.gov starting March1st at 8 am MST.

  • A portion of the vehicle reservations will be available in a block release roughly 120 days in advance. The remaining vehicle reservations will be available online the day before the effective date.

  • Reservations for the Going-to-the-Sun Road are valid for three days and cost $2. Reservations for Many Glacier & Two Medicine are are valid for one day and cost $2.

East Side Information:

  • You will be able to access the St. Mary Visitor Center as well as the portion of the Sun Road between St. Mary and Rising Sun without a vehicle reservation at anytime.

  • You will not need a vehicle reservation to utilize the park shuttle service on the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the St. Mary Visitor Center. The shuttle is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Shuttle system operations continue to evolve post-pandemic and we recommend checking back with nps.gov closer to your visit for current information.

  • The Belly River & Cut Bank entrances will not require a vehicle reservation to access.

Helpful Tips:

  • You can access the east entrances anytime prior to 6 AM or after 3 PM without a vehicle reservation.

  • Visitors with service reservations in Many Glacier, Two Medicine or for the Going-to-the-Sun Road do not need a vehicle reservation for the day of the service reservation. Valid service reservations include lodging, camping, commercial tours, etc. within the vehicle reservation requirement zones. For example, you could book a boat tour with Glacier Park Boat Co in Two Medicine or a guided hike with Glacier Guides in Many Glacier to provide access to those areas the day of your service reservation.

  • We recommend that you register for an account with recreation.gov in advance of when you will be applying for your vehicle reservation. While there, purchase your park pass to save time at the entrance station.

  • Be prepared to book at 8 AM MST on the day your desired reservation is released. If you’re in need of multiple reservations, try dividing the attempts to reserve between your traveling companions.

Additional Info:

  • For hiking suggestions that don’t require a vehicle reservation to access, visit our blog post.

  • See our itinerary recommendations that don’t require a vehicle reservation here.

Questions? Feel free to email us at parkcabinco@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to assist.

Claire Stone