Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park

You'll experience pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes here in this northern National Park. This place is a hikers paradise with over 700 miles of trails to explore for wilderness and solitude. You can also relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the world-renowned "Going to the Sun" road.

At a glance
Entrance $35
Hours Open 24 hours
Camping 13 campgrounds
Alerts 1 active
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Current Park Alerts

Live from the National Park Service · Official park site →

Plan Your Visit

Hours & Season

Glacier National Park is open 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. An entrance fee is required, even when entrance stations are not staffed. Instructions are available at each entrance for self-payment.

Entrance Fees
  • $35 – Entrance - Private Vehicle
  • $20 – Entrance - Per Person
  • $30 – Entrance - Motorcycle
  • $100 – Nonresident
Weather

Glacier's weather is highly variable and can be extreme. Expect warm, sunny summer days but be ready for any type of conditions. In the winter, temperatures can fall well below freezing and typically the park receives considerable amounts of snow. Glacier's geography, straddling the Continental Divide, sets the stage for clashes of two very different climates. Warm, wet Pacific air moves in from the west, and cold, dry Arctic air flows from the northeast. They meet at the Divide.

Things to Do

Listen to Glacier's Podcast
Listen to Glacier's Podcast

Rangers recommend Glacier's podcast, Headwaters: a podcast about how Glacier is connected to everything else!

Red Foxes
Red Foxes

Red foxes are found throughout the northern hemisphere. In Glacier, they are adapted to a wide range of habitats, from open grasslands to dense forests. Most abundant in riparian areas and along the edges of forests, they are the smallest of the canids found in the park. Red foxes occur in several color phases, but they usually have reddish-yellow coats that are somewhat darker on the back and shoulders, black "socks" on their lower legs, and a white-tipped tail.

Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep live in a variety of habitats throughout the year. During the summer, they can be found in meadows, fellfields, and on mid-elevation slopes bordered by cliffs and ledges. In the winter, sheep frequent windswept and south-facing valleys and ridges where forage is blown free of snow. Bighorn sheep can often be seen in the parking lot of Logan Pass licking antifreeze from the pavement, which is the most easily accessible source of salt in their diet.

Gray Wolves
Gray Wolves

The subspecies of gray wolves (Canis lupus) found in Glacier is called the northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf (C. l. irremotus). There are three color variants: gray, white, and black. Wolves are secretive and elusive creatures, with sightings primarily being of lone wolves or pairs.

Elk
Elk

Glacier provides a summer range for a significant number of elk, while most winter at lower elevations outside the park. The subspecies occuring in Glacier is the Rocky Mountain elk (C. c. nelsoni). They feed on grasses, sedges, other herbs and shrubs, bark of aspen trees, conifer needles, burned bark, and aquatic plants.

Wolverines
Wolverines

A mid-sized carnivore in the weasel family, the wolverine is active throughout the year in cold, snowy environments to which it is well-adapted. Wolverines are rarely seen and inhabit remote terrain. They are also known as one of the rarest and most elusive carnivores on the planet.

Getting There

Address: 64 Grinnell Drive West Glacier MT 59936

Glacier National Park is located in the northwest corner of Montana along the spine of the Rocky Mountains. By car you can access Glacier via Highway 2, which runs along the southern boundary of the park. You can reach the east side of the park via Highway 89. The nearest airports are in Kalispell and Great Falls, Montana.

Get driving directions → Official NPS directions →

Where to Stay – Campgrounds

Apgar Campground

194 sites · $30/night

Apgar Campground is the largest campground in the park. It is situated in trees and provides tent and RV campers with shade and some privacy. Evening sunsets o…

Avalanche Campground

87 sites · $30/night

Avalanche Campground is located in one of the most popular sections of Glacier National Park west of the Continental Divide. The campground accommodates tent a…

Bowman Lake

48 sites · $25/night

Bowman Lake Campground is located in the North Fork area of Glacier National Park approximately 32.5 miles from the west entrance and 30 miles from the Canadia…

Cut Bank

14 sites · $20/night

The Cut Bank Campground is located on the east side of Glacier National Park and provides a sense of peace and quiet that may not be found in larger campground…

Fish Creek

178 sites · $30/night

Fish Creek is the second largest campground in the park and is one of the campgrounds in the park that takes reservations. Sites within the campground are surr…

Kintla Lake

13 sites · $25/night

Kintla Lake Campground is Glacier National Park's most remote frontcountry and car camping campground. It is located in the uppermost northwest section of the …

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to enter Glacier National Park?

The entrance fee for Glacier National Park is $35. See Plan Your Visit above for vehicle, per-person, and annual-pass rates.

Do I need a reservation or permit to visit Glacier National Park?

Some entry windows or activities at Glacier National Park require a reservation or permit. Check the Current Park Alerts and Things to Do sections above, and confirm on the official NPS site before you go.

When is Glacier National Park open?

Glacier National Park is open 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. An entrance fee is required, even when entrance stations are not staffed. Instructions are available at each entrance for self-payment.

What are the best things to do in Glacier National Park?

Popular things to do in Glacier National Park include Listen to Glacier's Podcast, Red Foxes, Bighorn Sheep, Gray Wolves. See Things to Do above for photos and details.

Are there campgrounds in Glacier National Park?

Yes — Glacier National Park has 13 campgrounds, including Apgar Campground, Avalanche Campground, Bowman Lake. See Campgrounds above for site counts, fees, and booking links.