State working with Glacier National Park on phased reopening in mid-June
A hiker heads up the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park. (Hungry Horse News file)
Gov. Steve Bullock said Thursday the state is working with Glacier National Park on a phased reopening for the second week of June.
He said at this point, however, an exact date has not been set. Glacier has been closed since March 27 due to the coronavirus crisis.
When Glacier reopens it appears it will only be the west side. The Blackfeet Tribe announced Friday that it would extend its restrictions through June 30.
In conversations with Park superintendent Jeff Mow, Bullock said initially the Camas Entrance and the West Entrance would open and folks would be able to bicycle the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
The park has previously said the Sun Road this year wouldn’t open fully to motor vehicles before June 22 because of work being done of the road.
Crews are still plowing the road, working in the Big Bend area on the west side.
Bullock said the Montana has requested that the Montana entrances to Yellowstone National Park be opened on June 1, which is Monday.
On Wednesday, Glacier released a phased reopening plan.
Phase 1 would allow vehicle access to some of the park roads with no services other than restrooms. In Phase 2, some visitor services and facilities would open if they can be staffed and operated safely. If conditions allow, the opening of the Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass would happen during Phase 2.
In Phase 2, some park campgrounds would open, lodges would open gradually and folks could go boating on Lake McDonald. But meals at restaurants would be takeout.
Bullock said the state will help by providing grants to businesses up to $5,000 in gateway counties like Flathead to pay for personal protective gear and other equipment, like Plexiglass shields.
The state also has plans to do testing of people and employees who routinely come in contact with visitors and others. Testing locations would be set up at sites adjacent to the park. The idea is to determine if there are asymptomatic people in the workforce and elsewhere, who could infect others.
The Montana National Guard is training soldiers to be contact tracers if need be. All told, about 150 soldiers will be available.
The testing effort will soon be underway in communities near Yellowstone as well.
Full details of the Glacier Park plan are available here: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/openingplan.htm
Note: This story has been updated to reflect restrictions extended by Blackfeet Tribe.