Park outlines boat inspection process

Glacier National Park will begin allowing non-motorized, non-trailered boats and other watercraft on its waters beginning May 15 on Lake McDonald and North Fork Waters.

On Two Medicine, St. Mary and Many Glacier waters, they will be allowed June 1.

Motorized and trailered boats, outside of those rented from concessionaires, won’t be allowed. All watercraft, including, canoes, kayaks, row boats, sailboats, paddleboards, inner tubes, float tubes and wind surfboards must be inspected before launch.

Boats should be clean and dry prior to inspection as well. Visitors staying overnight do not need a daily inspection.

Inspection stations at the Apgar Backcountry permit center are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 15-31 and will move to the boat launch at Lake McDonald from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 1. Boaters going to the North Fork must get an inspection at Lake McDonald prior to going up the North Fork. North Fork residents should contact the Polebridge Ranger Station for an alternate inspection.

At Two Medicine, inspections are at the ranger station from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. At St. Mary and Many Glacier, inspections are at the visitor center and the ranger station respectively, at the same time as Two Medicine.

The Park has clamped down on boat use after invasive mussels were found last fall on the Tiber and Canyon Ferry Reservoirs in central Montana.

The idea is to stop the spread of mussels into Park waters. To date, no mussels have been found in any Montana water body west of the Divide.