Parking woes continue in Glacier

Glacier Park continues to see unprecedented traffic this summer with areas filling to capacity.

The Logan Pass parking lot has been filling up between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. most mornings and the Avalanche Creek parking area is filling up by about 10 a.m.

On Saturday, the Many Glacier, Two Medicine, Bowman, Kintla, Avalanche and Logan Pass parking areas were all full. Last Friday, the Many Glacier Valley was closed completely due to congestion at 4 p.m.

Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said the traffic generally clears later in the day and rangers are allowing folks with reservations at places like the Many Glacier Hotel in if there’s available parking spots for them.

But if there’s no parking, people will have to enjoy the sights along the road for an hour or so before traffic starts flowing again, Alley noted. She said the delays haven’t been much longer than an hour.

The parking problem is particularly acute at Avalanche, where cars are parking in the ditch. Last year, a car even tipped over, Alley said.

Marc Ducharme, the general manager for Glacier National Parks Lodges, which operates the lodges in the Park, said parking hasn’t been a big problem for guests, as the earliest guest can check into the lodges is 4 p.m.

Most lodges in the Park, save for the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn cabins and the Rising Sun Cabins do not have reserved parking.

Ducharme said guests have more complaints about the lack of parking at attractions, rather than at the lodges themselves.

While parking can be a problem, it also means business is brisk. Ducharme said the lodges are completely booked for the summer as is the Cedar Creek Lodge in Columbia Falls.