The Going to the Sun Road is arguably one of the most iconic and scenic drives in the United States. The Sun Road was originally constructed from 1921 to 1932 in an attempt to connect all of the scenic points in the park. It is a 50-mile-long drive runs right through the middle of Glacier National Park on a narrow, curvy road that is a whole engineering feat of itself. The 20 years it took to construct the Sun Road were spent working on sheer cliffs, massive solid rock excavations, >50 ft snow drifts, short construction seasons and a whole load of other unique challenges that building a road across the continental divide provided.
Today, the Going to the Sun Road is a breathtaking 50 miles of spectacular Montana Mountain scenery. The road traverses through glacial lakes, dense cedar forests, massive cliffsides, colossal mountain ranges, epic waterfalls, wildlife oases, and so much more! It is truly the highlight of Glacier National Park and one of those bucket-list things that you must do at least once in your lifetime!
If you’re looking to do some hiking and other adventures while visiting Glacier, make sure to check out our Glacier National Park Guide! And, as always, carry the 10 essentials with you on your trip!
As the road has become more and more popular throughout the years, there is a lot of logistics you need to consider before your trip. Make sure to read this all the way through and get stoked to drive the most scenic road in the U.S.!
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Should You Drive or Take a Tour?
Self-Drive the Going to the Sun Road
You have a few options for travelling on the Going to the Sun Road. The first option would be to drive it yourself. Self-driving the Sun Road provides you with the most flexibility and allows you to stop whenever you please and travel at your own pace. If you are comfortable with driving narrow, steep, & curvy mountain roads then you should absolutely choose this option!
Red Bus Tour of the Going to the Sun Road
Option two would be to take one of the famous red bus tours! These are vintage red buses with roll back tops that come equipped with your own Glacier tour guide! This is a GREAT way to enjoy the Going to the Sun Road if you prefer not to drive; not only do you get to relax and take in the scenery the entire time, but you also get to hear about some of the history and significance of the things you’re seeing. These tours tend to sell out daily, so make sure to book your spot in advance here!
Going to the Sun Road Shuttle System
The Third option would be to use the Going to the Sun Road shuttle system. This is a first-come, first-served free shuttle that runs from one side of the park to the other, while stopping at all the major attractions/areas. This isn’t an ideal option to enjoy the road because you will be in an enclosed bus the entire time, which doesn’t allow you to see much of the road itself (the whole point). The shuttle system is great for hikers or bikers that are doing one way hike/route and need a ride back to where they parked. More details on the shuttle system can be found here.
How Many Days to Spend on the Sun Road
The amount of time you should spend heavily depends on what you plan to do. If you enjoy mostly staying close to the car or easy/quick hikes, then 1 day is PLENTY of time to enjoy the whole Sun Road. For those that are willing to take moderate hikes to get to waterfalls/viewpoints, then 2 would be ideal.
If you are a serious hiker and are planning to do the super popular highline trail (or something else), then I would spend 2 days driving the Sun Road and designate a third day to the highline trail!
Best Time to Drive the Going to the Sun Road
The Going to the Sun Road does not fully “open” until late June-early July of each year and usually “closes” around mid to late October. These dates vary each year depending on the amount of snowfall the year has seen. You CAN access the lower elevation portions of the Going to the Sun Road year-round, but to get the full experience I would wait until the entire road is open to visit.
Do You Need a Reservation?
YES! Vehicle reservations are required during peak season (May-Sep) when entering from the WEST entrance. If entering from the EAST entrance, reservations are required from July-Sep.
You need 1 reservation per vehicle and each reservation is good for 3 consecutive days. Most of the reservations will be released 4 months in advance and can be reserved here. The remaining reservations will be released the DAY PRIOR to the entry date. We have had great luck reserving our pass the day before by logging onto recreation.gov and snagging the tickets as soon as they’re released.
If you fail to get tickets during both releases, then you do have one more option. The ticketed entry times are from the hours of 6 am to 3 pm, therefore if you go in the park BEFORE 6 am or AFTER 3 pm, you can enter without a reservation!
Best Stops Along the Going to the Sun Road
HERE WE GOOOOO! Now it’s time for the good stuff… where to stop and what to see along the Going to the Sun Road!! Starting from the WEST entrance here are all the exciting things to see and do on your 50-mile drive:
Quick tip: West Glacier is the LAST full-service town before entering the park so if you need gas or snacks or anything you should stop here to get it!
STOP 1: Glacier National Park Sign!
Did you even visit the park without a sign pic?! The sign will be off to the right after you pass the ticket entry booth.
STOP 2: Lake McDonald & Apgar Village
Lake McDonald is a great spot to watch the sunrise in the park! The lake has the famous colorful pebble beach with glassy clear water and gorgeous surrounding mountains. Once the sun rises, the area gets VERY crowded.
STOP 3: Lake McDonald Lodge
The Lodge was built in 1895 & was originally accessed by tourists via steamboat from Apgar. In 1978 it was deemed a national historic landmark and the original structure and entity has been protected! The interior is a SIGHT to be seen as there are many taxidermy collections of mountain animals on the walls, a huge social fireplace, hanging lights and a grand piano. Even if you’re not staying at the lodge, it is worth a stop to admire it.
*Horseback rides, lake cruises and other activities depart from lodge.
STOP 4: McDonald Falls
This is a little roadside waterfall along the Sun Road! The best view of the falls is from the road, but you can also take the little trail that leads to the specific “viewing area” to enjoy the scenic overlook.
STOP 5: Sacred Dancing Cascade Falls
This is a short 2 min walk that takes you to a bridge overlooking the falls. If you want, you can connect both the Sacred Dancing Cascade Falls and McDonald Falls via the Johns Lake Loop Trail.
STOP 6: Avalanche Creek Area
This is a very popular area that has a couple of must-do hikes! The first of which is Trail of the Cedars. This is a wheelchair accessible hike through a forest of beautiful (& very old) cedar trees! The entire walk is about 0.5 mi of flat terrain: easy for the whole fam!
If you’re up for a little more hiking, then you should also do the Avalanche Lake Trail (which starts with the Trail of the Cedars trail). It’s a total of 6 mi out and back with about 800 ft elevation gain. The trail winds through a GORGEOUS canyon until eventually spitting you out at Avalanche Lake!
STOP 7: Red Rock Point
A quick stop to see some beautiful red rocks contrasted by the deep turquoise of the river. This stop is not on a lot of itineraries, but we thought it was SUPER beautiful… and we saw a bear there!
***Haystack Falls is a waterfall that runs under the road and cascades down the side of the mountain. Drive slow and look for it as you pass!
***West Side Tunnel: This is one of the tunnels that they built into the mountain because it was not possible to create a stable cutout for road in this specific area. We enjoyed just passing through, but if you WANT to stop, there is a little pullout right past the tunnel where you can park and walk back to it.
STOP 8: The Loop & Heavens Peak
This is the Going to the Sun Road’s famous hairpin turn!! At the peak of the bend, you will have to make a full 180 deg turn to continue onward. It is exhilarating!!
After making the turn, you will find the parking area on the right side and from there, you will have gorgeous views of “Heavens Peak”, which is an 8987 ft snowcapped mountain peak.
The Loop is also where the Loop Trail begins, which is a popular hike that people use to connect to the highline trail.
***Weeping Wall is a wall along the Sun Road that (depending on what time of year it is) has a cascade of water flowing off the wall and onto road! Windows up for this section!
***Triple Arches is one of the most impressive sections of the entire road! The construction of this three-arch bridge was used to span deep rifts in the mountainside. It is a wildly effective design that, at the time, was an engineering feat! Pretty cool!
STOP 9: Oberlin Bend
The bend is a viewpoint (right before Logan Pass) overlooking the entire portion of the Sun Road that you just drove! Just a few short stairs lead you to the viewing platform, where you will be blown away (if it’s a clear day)!! ALSO, mountain goats frequent the area so keep your eyes peeled!
STOP 10: Logan Pass
Situated right on the continental divide, Logan pass is the highest point in the drive and one of Glacier National Park’s most famous spots! There are MANY beautiful hikes in this area and it’s also a good place to spot wildlife. Two of my favorite hikes start here: Hidden Lake Trail & Highline Trail.
The Hidden Lake Trail is a good hike to do while on your Going to the Sun Road drive; whereas for the highline trail, you should plan for an entirely separate day to come back and hike it.
STOP 11: Lunch Creek
This is a nice place stop and have lunch BUT it does get crowded mid-day.
STOP 12: Siyeh Bend
Siyeh bend is another hairpin turn on your drive. It is also the parking area for some of the longer hikes in the park.
STOP 13: Jackson Glacier Lookout
Jackson Glacier is the 7th largest glacier of all the remaining glaciers in the park. The glacier itself is far from the lookout, so it is difficult to see with the naked eye.
When we visited the park, there was a park ranger at Jackson Glacier Lookout that had a telescope that was pointed at the glacier so we could get a better look at it! I would suggest bringing binoculars in case there isn’t a ranger there.
STOP 14: St. Mary and Virginia Falls
These two stunning waterfalls are both reachable by one hike! Both are gorgeous and unique in their own right and are worth the extra effort that it takes to see them. The one downfall of the area is that there is very limited parking. We waited in our car for 30 minutes until a spot became available, so unless you get lucky you may want to plan for a little extra time here.
2.5 mi round trip to St Mary’s Falls ONLY
3.5 mi round trip to St Marys AND Virginia Falls
STOP 15: Sunrift Gorge & Bearing Falls
The Gorge itself is a little anticlimactic, but it’s a great spot to hike to Bearing Falls from!
*** you can connect all the waterfalls (St. Mary’s, Virginia, and Bearing Falls) via the Sunpoint Nature Trail
STOP 15: Golden Staircase
This is the grand finale of Going to the Sun Road construction. It is a big retaining wall that took about 5 weeks to build. (TBH I did not even notice it while driving the road…)
STOP 16: Wild Goose Island
This little island was made famous by being in the movie “The Shining”. There are a bunch of different viewpoints that you can stop at to see the island, just take your pick (and your pic) lol!
STOP 17: St Mary Visitor Center
Well, your drive has officially come to an end! St. Mary’s visitor center is a great place to grab a souvenir that will help you reminisce on your epic Going to the Sun Road Drive! The visitor center also has a lot of interactive informational exhibits where you can learn about the history of the park as well as the Blackfeet Tribe that lives in the area.
What to Pack for the Sun Road
Shoes: We LOVE these Salomon’s in women’s and men’s!
Pack: A good day pack makes ALL the difference! We both use this 30L Ortovox pack. It’s the perfect size for day hiking and we love that it unzips all of the way down the front!
Sun protection: a brimmer hat and sun hoodie (women’s and men’s) are essentials for hiking!
Cooler: Keep a few snacks and drinks cool in the car with this affordable soft sided cooler! It’s a game changer on a hot day!
Water: Be sure to bring a water bladder for your daypack. Plus this packable water cube and a reusable water bottle are great to keep in the car!
Snacks: Make sure to pack some trail snacks too! We love these meal replacement bars (although we use them as a snack not a meal!)
First aid kit: Just this standard first aid kit should suffice if anything were to happen on the trail!
Light: A headlamp and extra batteries are important to carry in case you are out hiking later than you suspect.
OF COURSE you should always carry the 10 essentials as appropriate to your hike & environment! 🙂
Tips for Driving the Sun Road
- Go early: The Going to the Sun Road is busy no matter what day of the week it is! The only time you can really “beat the crowds” is by going in the park super early!! I would suggest enjoying sunrise at McDonald Lake and then starting your Sun Road drive quickly after. This should put you ahead of the main rush of people and tours that will be driving the road.
- Guide along: We recommend this for every single national park! Guide along is a location-based audio tour that gives you tips and stories about the location your driving along. The tour operates totally offline and hands free! Check it out here!
- Be bear aware: The park is FULL of bears so be sure that you know what to when you encounter a bear on the trail! And make sure to carry bear spray.
- Pack food/water and fill up on gas: There are no facilities along the road. Be sure to take care of all the essentials before entering the park.
- Drive the road both ways: driving the opposite way provides an entirely different view for the full 50 miles! It feels like you’re on a completely different road.
- Pack binoculars: You never know when you will encounter some wildlife and the safest way to view them is from FAR away! Binoculars will help you enjoy them from afar.
