The rules at the park’s busiest entrances change every year. This post is the working summary for the current season — what’s required to drive in, where the parking limits apply, when to arrive, and what to do when the lot you wanted is already full.
This year’s vehicle reservation rules
No vehicle reservations required anywhere in the park in 2026. Many Glacier, Two Medicine, the North Fork, and Going-to-the-Sun are all open to anyone holding a valid park pass at the entrance station — no advance ticketing, no timed-entry slot, no separate booking on Recreation.gov.
That doesn’t mean show-up-whenever. When an area gets full, the rangers at the entrance can turn vehicles around or hold them at the kiosk until things ease up. Guests holding a service reservation (a boat tour, a lodging booking, a horseback ride, a guided hike), a campground booking, or a backcountry permit get waved through during those restrictions — they may sit in the queue for a bit, but they get in.
Parking time limits at Logan Pass
New for 2026: a three-hour parking cap at Logan Pass, in effect from July 1 through Labor Day, September 7, enforced 24 hours a day. The process at the lot is straightforward — park, walk to the permit kiosk (signs point the way), pull a free timestamped permit, leave it on your dashboard.
Three hours is enough for the Hidden Lake Overlook out-and-back, a stop at the visitor center, and a ranger talk if one’s running. It is not enough for the Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet or the hike down to the Loop trailhead — those are now shuttle-only (see below). Overnight parking at the pass isn’t allowed unless you’re holding a backcountry permit or a Granite Park Chalet reservation.
The rest of Going-to-the-Sun Road — Avalanche, Lake McDonald, the pullouts — has no time limit. The three-hour clock is Logan Pass only.
When to arrive
Logan Pass
By 7 a.m. or after 4 p.m. in summer. The middle of the day is full. The trail to Hidden Lake Overlook fills up half an hour after the parking lot does — earlier is always better. With the new three-hour clock, the lot turns over faster than it used to, so an afternoon attempt isn’t as hopeless as it once was. Mid-morning is still the worst window.
Avalanche Lake
Lots fill by 9 a.m.; arrive by 8. The Trail of the Cedars boardwalk overflow lot is the next-best fallback if the main lot is closed. Important wrinkle for 2026: neither Avalanche nor Trail of the Cedars is on the park shuttle this year. If you can’t park, you can’t go. Drive early.
Many Glacier
Worth the early start. The drive is longer than people expect, and Iceberg Lake parking has been the first lot to fill in Many Glacier for the last several seasons. Leave the cabin by 5:30 a.m. on a weekend if Iceberg is the day’s plan.
When the lots are full
The pattern that works most days: drive past the closed lot, try the next one. The road is a string of trailheads. If Avalanche is closed, the McDonald Falls pullout and the Lake McDonald shore lots are quieter resets. If Many Glacier turned you around at the entrance, drive south to Two Medicine — it gets the second-lowest visitation in the park and runs at half Many Glacier’s pace.
Two things changed for 2026 worth holding in your head. Logan Pass is shuttle-only for the long hikes — Highline and the hike down to the Loop. And Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars aren’t on the shuttle at all this year, so there’s no backup to driving yourself there.
The Logan Pass shuttle
The Logan Pass shuttle in 2026 is ticketed-only. It replaces the old first-come, first-served park shuttle. Drivers without a ticket won’t be picked up.
Tickets themselves are free to ride. The only cost is a $1 Recreation.gov processing fee per ticket, and tickets are only available on Recreation.gov — there is no buying tickets in the park. Each ticket is valid for one day and tied to a specific boarding location and departure time. Kids 2 and up need their own seat and their own ticket. Infants under 2 ride as a lap child on a ticketed adult’s ticket.
Boarding locations
West side — the side we send guests to:
- Apgar Visitor Center — the closest boarding stop to us, just inside the West Glacier entrance.
- Lake McDonald Lodge — about ten miles further up the lake, inside the park.
East side — a long drive from us, but useful if you’re already in that part of the park (the Many Glacier or St. Mary side) for the day:
- St. Mary Visitor Center
- Rising Sun Picnic Area
Booking windows
Two windows. The first releases tickets 60 days out, daily at 8 a.m. Mountain (rolling release starting May 2, 2026). The second releases tickets the night before, daily at 7 p.m. Mountain (starting June 30). Both windows go fast on weekends and any clear-weather forecast. Set a calendar reminder.
What to know on the bus
The shuttle runs July 1 through Labor Day, September 7. Last westbound departure from Logan Pass is at 7:30 p.m. — miss it and there’s no other ride back to your car. Eastbound has a three-hour midday gap (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) when no shuttles leave Logan Pass for the east side. If you’re parked at St. Mary or Rising Sun, plan your return around that gap.
Most shuttles have bike racks. Bear spray has to be secured (no loose canisters in your pack). No smoking, no pets, no open alcohol. The buses are wheelchair-accessible.
What the shuttle doesn’t cover
- Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars — not on the route this year. Drive yourself, or pick a different hike.
- Many Glacier, Two Medicine, the North Fork — separate regions of the park, not on the Going-to-the-Sun shuttle. Always have been drive-yourself.
The full schedule, the boarding map, and any season-of updates live at nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/shuttle-service-2026.htm. That page is the source of truth — if our summary above conflicts with theirs, theirs wins.
A note from us
The rules change every year. We update this post each spring and send the latest version to almanac subscribers in May. If something here is out of date, that’s our fault — please tell us.
