Drives The Rockies
Going-to-the-Sun Road
West Glacier to St. Mary · Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park end to end: from Lake McDonald up the cliffs of the Garden Wall to the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, and down to St. Mary Lake. A National Historic Landmark, and a road that's fully open for only a few months a year.
- Distance
- 51 mi
- Drive time
- 2 hr
- Climbing
- 4,600 ft
- Highest point
- ≈ 6,600 ft
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The drive
From West Glacier the road follows Lake McDonald and McDonald Creek, then climbs along the Garden Wall, carved into the mountainside, to Logan Pass at 6,646 feet on the Continental Divide. The east side drops past Jackson Glacier Overlook to St. Mary Lake and tiny Wild Goose Island, one of the most photographed views in the park.
Vehicle reservations aren't required anywhere in the park in 2026, but you'll need a park entrance pass, and Logan Pass's parking lot usually fills by sunrise in summer.
Stops along the way
- Lake McDonald The road runs along its shore for miles at the start of the drive.
- Big Bend and the Weeping Wall Where water streams down the rock face beside the road, heaviest early in the season.
- Logan Pass 6,646 feet on the Continental Divide. The Hidden Lake Overlook trail starts here, and mountain goats are common.
- Jackson Glacier Overlook A view across the valley to Jackson Glacier.
- St. Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island The tiny island in the lake is one of the park's most photographed sights.
When to go
The full road usually opens in late June or early July, once plows clear the alpine section (June 22 in 2026), and stays open until the third Monday of October, October 19 in 2026, weather permitting. Snow and storms can close the section over Logan Pass at short notice; it closed twice in September 2026. Outside the season, you can drive the lower ends from either side.
Good to know
- Between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun, vehicles may be no longer than 21 feet and no wider than 8 feet, including mirrors. Anything over 10 feet tall may not clear the rock overhangs west of Logan Pass.
- There's no gas inside the park. Fill up before you enter.
- Text GNPROADS to 333111 for road status updates.
- Some stretches may be unpaved while the road is being rehabilitated.
More drives
- Beartooth Highway US-212, Red Lodge to Cooke City · 65 mi · Sweeping
- Million Dollar Highway US-550, Ouray to Silverton · 24 mi · Twisty
- Tioga Pass Tioga Road and CA-120, Crane Flat to Lee Vining · 59 mi · Sweeping
Free to plan and drive with a signal. Carve Apex downloads the whole route for driving with none.
Sources: Going-to-the-Sun Road (NPS), Glacier vehicle reservations (NPS), Glacier 2026 summer operations (NPS), Glacier hours and seasons (NPS), Flathead Beacon, Wikipedia: Going-to-the-Sun Road. Distance, time, elevation and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-06.