Early visitation numbers indicate another busy year for Glacier

While Glacier National Park’s visitation numbers are down slightly compared to this point in 2021, the park remains poised for another busy year.

While March 2022 visitation was down 16% from the previous year, that comes after the park set a new record with 18,461 visitors in February. Overall, the park has seen 60,175 visitors so far in 2022, second only to last year’s 71,752 through March.

“I think it’s safe to say that we are on track to have another busy year,” park spokeswoman Gina Kerzman said.

Glacier National Park saw 3,089,642 visitors in 2021, overtaking 2019’s 3,049,839 for the second-busiest year on record and trailing only 2017’s all-time record of 3,305,512.

As to be expected, nearly all visitors have arrived via the west entrance, though there have been 1,056 visits to Polebridge through March. That number is down from 1,215 at this point last year.

While this year may be off to another quick start for the park, things could slow down in the summer months as Glacier’s road reservation system goes into effect and construction begins along the Going to the Sun Road.

Glacier is again requiring reservations this summer to drive the Sun Road from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the West Entrance to Rising Sun from May 27 through Sept. 11.

In addition, the Going-to-the-Sun Road will see utility work beginning June 1, which includes replacing sewer, electric and telephone lines from the foot of Lake McDonald to 1,000 feet west of Sprague Creek campground.

Crews will work overnight from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and that section of road will be closed, except for emergency travel.