Sun Road opens to Avalanche Creek

The Going-to-the-Sun Road opened to Avalanche Creek for motor vehicles Saturday morning for the season.

On Monday the Park Service announced the hard closure was at Bird Woman Falls Overlook, even when crews are working. That means the alpine section of the road is accessible every day of the week.

Park plows are working near Triple Arches, less than 3 miles from Logan Pass.

The free weekend hiker biker shuttle began as well, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the Apgar Visitor Center. It will make stops at Lake McDonald Lodge and at Avalanche.

The shuttle has bike racks for transporting bicycles.

The shuttle operates on a first come-first served basis. Full shuttle operations begin July 1 or when Going-to-the-Sun Road opens all the way, whichever comes first.   

Folks should be aware there is construction activity on the road from the foot of the lake to the North McDonald Road.

On the east side, the Sun Road is now open to Jackson Glacier Overlook. The hiker-biker closure is at Siyeh Bend.

East side secondary roads are open.

The Chief Mountain Border Customs crossing opened on Monday.

The border crossing has been closed for the past three years due to the pandemic. It will close for the season Sept. 20.

The park also has plans to reopen the primitive Cut Bank Creek motor campground this season. It also has plans to open the Goat Haunt crossing as well, though exact dates haven’t been set.

North Lake McDonald Road is closed to public access including vehicles, hiking, or biking at the intersection with Going-to-the-Sun Road due to the Upper McDonald Creek Bridge replacement project. Parking at the intersection is also closed. Hikers will be unable to complete the Johns Lake Loop Trail and will need to turn around where trail closed signs are posted.   

Due to bridge construction and road conditions, all roads in the North Fork area of the park are closed to vehicle traffic until May 25. The Inside North Fork Road will remain closed between Logging Creek and Fish Creek in 2023.  

The Apgar Wilderness Permit office opened May 1. Two Medicine, St. Mary, and Many Glacier offices open May 26, and Polebridge opens May 27. The St. Mary and Polebridge permit offices are always accessible without a vehicle reservation. Apgar, Many Glacier and Two Medicine permit offices are inside the vehicle reservation areas. Once vehicle reservations go into effect for the season, these offices can be accessed without a reservation before 6 a.m. and after 3 p.m. Permits will also be available at the Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre in Alberta for trips originating from the Belly River, Waterton Townsite and Goat Haunt trailheads. Waterton Lakes Visitor Centre hours are currently 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.