The facility is brand new, built just in 2019, and features amenities to make your stay comfortable. Located just outside of the busiest part of West Glacier Village lies the West Glacier RV Park which features fully-equipped RV sites and cabins. Of the Alpine Lodges in the region, the Belton is renowned for being the most luxurious without sacrificing the classic, rustic charm that Montana is known for. Attractions in West Glacier Belton Chalet įound just outside the west entrance to Glacier National Park, the Benton Chalet is a deeply historic hotel originally built by the Great Northern Railway. Just outside of the West Entrance of the Park is the small town of West Glacier, where you can find plenty of accommodations, dining, and tourist information. If you’re traveling along the road in the other direction, simply follow it in reverse. Below you’ll find a guide to some of the most popular places to see, do, and stay, arranged from west to east. There are many trails, viewpoints, and attractions to see along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Things To See Along The Going To The Sun Road Though the road may seem precarious in places, these choices were made intentionally to do as little harm as possible to the surrounding lands. It was built as a collaboration between the Bureau of Public Roads and the National Parks Service and is managed by the latter to this day.īecause it was being constructed within a national park, a lot of care was taken to ensure that it would both blend in with the landscape as much as possible and offer the best access to the lands it traverses. It was originally called the “Transmountain Highway” when it was still in the planning stages, describing how it was to connect either side of Glacier National Park by crossing the mountainous continental divide. A Brief History of Going to the Sun RoadĪfter more than two decades of planning and construction, the Going-to-the-Sun Road finally opened on July 15th, 1933. The most common reason for car crashes along the Going-to-the-Sun Road is excessive speed, so the best way to mitigate the risk of driving along it is to make sure you’re following all marked speed signs. Has anyone died on Going to the Sun Road? The best thing you can do to stay safe is to ensure that your vehicle is in proper working condition and that you’re following all posted signs and guidance laid out by the National Parks Service. The inherent nature of the road – that it traverses a portion of the Rocky Mountains – almost requires that there is a certain amount of danger involved, though the vast majority of visitors traverse it without incident.

Is it safe to drive Going to the Sun Road?Įach year, Going to the Sun Road sees more than 3 million visitors, though whether it is engineered or designed to handle the amount of traffic is open for debate. For more precise information, you can check the Glacier National Park website. The exact dates are dependent on many factors, but chief among them is the sometimes unpredictable weather. While portions of the road at either end are open year-round, the pass usually opens to thru traffic by early July and closes near the end of October. However, most folks choose to make at least a stop or two along the way, if only for pictures. Without stopping, it takes about two hours to complete the drive along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. How long does it take to drive the Going to the Sun Road? These trails were later appropriated by settlers, particularly fur trappers and hunters who flooded the region beginning in the mid-1800s. Parts of the Going-to-the-Sun Road were once trails and paths used by the indigenous people from the region. The most common diminutive used is Sun Road, as it is sometimes called in National Park Service documents. When Congress first allocated the funds for the first surveys of the road, it was noted in the records as the “Transmountain Highway,” though this name isn’t used today. What is the Going to the Sun Road called? Mary Lake, and the trailhead for the famous Highline Trail.

It helps to create easier access to many of the park’s most famous and unique natural attractions including Lake McDonald, St. Often called a marvel of engineering, it passes through the Garden Wall that cuts across the park and climbs to a height of 6,646 feet where it crosses the Continental Divide. Mary over Logan Pass, the Going-to-the-Sun Road formally opened in a special ceremony on July 15, 1933, after nearly two decades of ideation, surveying, and construction. Guest Reviews Going to the Sun Road – What You Need to Knowīuilt to connect West Glacier with St.

Going to the sun road opening date 2019