Glacier National Park drops reservations for Going‑to‑the‑Sun Road

Glacier National Park has dropped the vehicle reservation requirement for Going-to-the-Sun Road for the 2026 season, replacing the system with a new mix of ticketed shuttle access and time-limited parking at Logan Pass, according to National Park Service visitor guidance updated in May. The change means drivers can enter the park’s road corridors without securing a separate reservation in advance, though they still must pay the park entrance fee or use a valid pass. The park’s 2026 operations plan says the biggest new restriction will fall at Logan Pass, where private vehicle parking is scheduled to be capped at three hours beginning July 1, weather permitting. Glacier officials said the shuttle system this summer will be aimed more narrowly at visitors planning longer day hikes and alpine trips. ### If reservations are gone, what do drivers still need to enter? Glacier National Park’s fees page says no vehicle reservations are required in any area of the park in 2026, but visitors still need an entrance pass. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass costs $35 and is valid for seven days, according to the National Park Service. The park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road information page also says reservations are not required in 2026. (nps.gov) That marks a break from the reservation systems Glacier used in recent peak seasons to manage traffic on the road and in other high-demand areas. ### What is replacing the old reservation system at Logan Pass? Beginning July 1, 2026, private vehicle parking at Logan Pass will be limited to three hours or less through Labor Day on September 7, according to Glacier’s Logan Pass visitor page. (nps.gov) Drivers who find a space must obtain a free timestamped parking permit from a kiosk and place it on the dashboard. (nps.gov) Superintendent Dave Roemer said in a February 18 park release that the trial measures are intended to improve short visits to Logan Pass and make the shuttle system “perform more reliably for a more specific purpose.” The park said the time limit is meant to increase turnover in one of Glacier’s most crowded parking areas. ### Who will need a shuttle ticket instead of a parking spot? (nps.gov) Visitors planning longer hikes from Logan Pass, including the Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet or to the Loop Trailhead, will need a shuttle ticket under the 2026 system, the park said. Overnight parking at Logan Pass will not be allowed except for permitted backcountry users and registered guests of Granite Park Chalet. (nps.gov) The 2026 shuttle will run as a ticketed-only service to Logan Pass, with early morning express routes for day users, according to the National Park Service. Shuttles to Logan Pass will not stop at Avalanche or board riders who do not have shuttle tickets. ### When and where can visitors get shuttle tickets? May 2 was the start date for one portion of Glacier’s 2026 shuttle ticket release, with tickets made available 60 days in advance on a rolling basis, the park said. (nps.gov) The remaining allotment is scheduled to be released at 7 p.m. MDT for next-day entry beginning June 30. Recreation.gov is the booking platform, and the park said tickets are first-come, first-served and carry a $1 processing fee. (nps.gov) Glacier also said a Recreation.gov account is required, tickets are nontransferable, and visitors should print or save a digital copy before arriving because cell service in the park is unreliable. ### Is Many Glacier still under construction this summer? (nps.gov) The National Park Service’s current Many Glacier construction page says the 2025 Many Glacier-Swiftcurrent project has been completed and that construction is not anticipated there in 2026. The page says the work added 171 parking spaces in the Swiftcurrent area, bringing the total to 339. A broader Glacier infrastructure page says road-construction impacts on travel times in 2026 should be minimal. (nps.gov) That current park guidance differs from some earlier and secondary reports that warned visitors to expect significant Many Glacier construction this summer. ### What should visitors watch before they go? Glacier National Park says the full Going-to-the-Sun Road opening depends on snow removal and weather, with Logan Pass typically opening to vehicle traffic between mid-June and early July. (nps.gov) The park’s summer operations release says July 1 is the target date for timed parking at Logan Pass, weather permitting. (nps.gov) The park’s latest visitor pages direct travelers to its Logan Pass and vehicle-reservations information pages for updates as the season develops. Shuttle tickets for next-day entry are due to begin releasing on June 30, and the $35 private-vehicle entrance pass remains the baseline cost for drivers entering the park. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2)