Areas of Glacier Park under construction
Access to the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park has been closed to vehicle traffic just before the St. Mary Entrance Station due to an ongoing construction project at the station.
There is no parking at the St. Mary Visitor Center. Hikers, bicyclists and campers accessing the Sun Road or the St. Mary Campground should park in available roadside spaces or at the 1913 Ranger Station.
Campers will need to hike or bike to the campground from their parking spot. The campground is in primitive status, but Loop C is open and has a functioning pit toilet year-round. Camping fees are $10 per night through Oct. 31, after which camping is free with a valid entrance pass.
The St. Mary Visitor Center is closed for the winter season. For park information including road closures, campgrounds and weather, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/glac.
Weather conditions permitting, bicycles and pedestrians can access the area beyond the entrance station on the newly completed bike path that extends from the park boundary at St. Mary to the St. Mary Campground.
Hikers and bikers who are not visiting the campground do not need to detour all the way to the St. Mary Campground, and can take a short detour on the bike path before rejoining the Going-to-the-Sun Road just past the St. Mary Visitor Center.
OTHER AREAS of the park are also under construction. Work crews are taking advantage of the fall season, when visitation is typically lower than during the summer season to accomplish priority projects.
The final phase of the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation project is scheduled to wrap up next spring and summer. The work spans 14 miles of parking and signage improvements from the park boundary in West Glacier past the Avalanche area. Paving improvements will occur from the park entrance station to the intersection with the Apgar Loop Road and Going-to-the-Sun Road.
At the Avalanche Creek area, visitors can use the boardwalk portion of the Trail of the Cedars leading to the Avalanche Lake trailhead. However, the southern portion of the trail is closed while a new pedestrian bridge is constructed over Avalanche Creek. A restroom along the Trail of the Cedars will also be rehabilitated to meet accessibility standards.
Work is also continuing on the 14-month rehabilitation of Many Glacier Hotel.
One of the historic features, the helical stairway, was removed in the 1950s to allow for expansion of the hotel gift store and is being rebuilt this winter in Kalispell and will be installed in the spring.
Plans are in place to restore other features, including restoring historic finishes, lobby lighting and hallway transom lighting. Essential electrical and plumbing systems will also be updated.
The Many Glacier Road will be closed to public vehicle traffic on or before the third weekend in November, depending on the weather. Administrative construction traffic will continue through Dec. 31 as weather allows.