Glacier shatters all-time visitation record; delays Sun Road plan

Glacier National Park saw 468,802 visitors in September, up 33.4 percent over last year. For the year, the Park has seen 2.7 million visitors, which shatters last year’s record by 356,000 visitors, with three months left to go in the year.

Last year’s total visitation was 2.366 million. This is the fifth year in a row Glacier has seen more than 2 million visitors. The last time it was below 2 million was in 2011, when 1.853 million came to the Park.

Backcountry camping in Glacier also appears to have set a new record, with more than 38,000 people camping in Glacier for the year. Camping in general was way up, with more than 134,000 staying in tents for the year and 124,000 staying in RVs. Nearly 400,000 people stayed overnight in Glacier so far this year, which is up more than 20 percent from 2015.

But the proverbial party is likely over for this year. A snowstorm has closed Logan Pass for the season and the Going-to-the-Sun Road is gated at Avalanche Creek.

In addition, Glacier National Park’s Sun Road Corridor Management Plan will be delayed until next year, Park spokesman Tim Rains said last week.

A draft environmental impact statement of the plan was expected to be released this month, but after record crowds visited Glacier this summer, the regional office wants to take a closer look at the plan and make suggestions.

During a visit with Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell earlier this summer, Park Superintendent Jeff Mow indicated the park may use a queue system, similar to what they used during the Reynolds Creek Fire, when the Park controlled traffic along the highway and used lit billboards to tell motorists how long of a delay they could expect.

The crowds this year were pervasive. Several factors came into play to boost the crowds. For one, there was a national ad campaign sponsored by Subaru encouraging to visit national parks on the Park Service’s centennial. In addition, gas continues to be cheap, hovering around $2.50 a gallon or less most of the summer. Also, the Park is becoming a destination of sorts, as people flock to see its disappearing glaciers.