Reminder: Glacier Park's Sun Road ticketed entry starts Friday

Glacier National Park will begin its experimental journey this week into ticketed entry for the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

From Friday until Labor Day, most visitors will be required to have a reservation ticket to drive the road from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Before 6 and after 5 a ticket is not required. Tickets are not required for other Park roads.

Acting Superintendent Pete Webster recently spoke to some concerns from visitors about the system during a conference call with members of the Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Some folks wanted to know why the Park didn’t require the tickets farther up the road — like Lake McDonald Lodge on the west side, for example.

Webster noted the Park tried to close the gate last year at Lake McDonald when the Park became overcrowded, but the Apgar area quickly overfilled and traffic backed up for miles outside the Park.

The Park Service will try to warn visitors who don’t have a ticket ahead of time. It’s hoping to work with the state on using the warning signs on Highway 2. It will also have an informational trailer at Hungry Horse and another stop at Park headquarters to help people.

Tickets are available 60 days in advance on a rolling basis and then will become available two days in advance. All told, the Park is trying to limit traffic on the Sun Road to about 4,600 vehicles a day when the road is fully open, as the road corridor has become overcrowded and the Park Service is short staffed due to coronavirus restrictions.

The Hungry Horse News was able to secure tickets rather easily using the advanced system. Tickets cost $2 and are nonrefundable. Tickets are available only on the recreation. gov website. They are not available at the entrance station. Folks with previous reservations in the Park, such as campgrounds or lodging, do not need a ticket. They just have to show proof of the reservation.