Going-to-the-Sun Road, west to east

Route description

From Whitefish, US-2 leads east through the Flathead Valley to West Glacier, the western entrance to Glacier National Park. Going-to-the-Sun Road first follows the long shore of Lake McDonald through cedar forest, then climbs along the cliffs of the Garden Wall with the valley dropping away below. The road tops out at Logan Pass at 6,646 feet, where the visitor center and trails into the alpine meadows make a natural stop.

Between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun, vehicles or combinations longer than 21 feet, wider than 8 feet including mirrors or taller than 10 feet are not allowed, so larger motorhomes must drive around the park on US-2 over Marias Pass. The road is usually fully open only from late June or July to mid-October, and in some years a vehicle reservation is needed in summer, so check the park website before you set off. Parking at Logan Pass fills early in the morning.

From Logan Pass the road descends the east side past St. Mary Lake, where the land opens toward the plains, to the village of St. Mary. From there, US-89 runs north to Babb and the road west into the Many Glacier valley, ending at a trailhead campground among lakes and peaks. This is grizzly country, so keep bear spray within reach on every trail and store food as instructed.