Starting July 1, Montanans will be able to purchase a new specialty license plate that will raise funds and awareness for wildlife crossing structures on highways. These crossings help animals move safely over and under busy roads, reducing collisions and maintaining important movement and migration routes.
Based on expected sales, the plate could raise around $100,000 annually to support these efforts.
Crossing structures such as overpasses and underpasses, combined with fencing, can reduce vehicle collisions with deer, elk, moose and other wildlife by more than 90 percent. They provide safe passage across highways for Montana’s diverse wildlife and help save lives, while also avoiding millions of dollars in vehicle damage, medical bills and other costs.
The plate features artwork by Kylie Bute, a June 2025 graduate of Gallatin High School in Bozeman who won the Montana Big Game and Wildlife Highway Crossings License Plate Artwork Contest.
“My passion for art has always been about telling stories, and this design is a way to spread awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation and movement,” Bute said.
Each sale of the new specialty plate will generate a $20 contribution to the Wildlife Highway Crossings and Accommodations Account, created by the 2025 Montana Legislature and administered by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to help fund wildlife connectivity and wildlife collision-reduction projects across the state.
For more information on purchasing Montana license plates, go to the Montana Motor Vehicle Division website.
Glacier National Park posted this on their social media a few minutes ago:
As the rain subsides and rangers make safety assessments, many areas are re-opening across the park! Here’s what you should expect:
✅Open
▫️Going-To-The-Sun Road is open in its entirety.
▫️The Many Glacier road has been reopened, and the Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn are open for guest check-in and visitor services.
▫️Limited trails are open in Many Glacier:
🔹Swiftcurrent Lake Loop
🔹Trail to Grinnell Lake via Josephine South Shore (⚠️note that lake access is limited due to high water).
🔹Apikuni Falls (⚠️hikers are advised to stop at the end of the maintained trail. Do not attempt to climb the rocks to the base of the falls).
🚫Closures
▫️The Many Glacier Campground will remain closed until conditions are safe. It is projected to open July 2.
▫️Many Glacier public boating and AIS inspections are temporarily suspended due to unsafe conditions caused by submerged logs and debris.
▫️Commercial services offering boat tours and horseback trail rides are also suspended in the Many Glacier Valley.
🚨Safety reminder🚨
Visitors should be extra vigilant near water. Swift, cold streams and rivers, slick rocks, and slippery logs all present dangers. Never walk, play, or climb on slippery rocks and logs, especially around waterfalls. Visitors should expect rivers and streams to remain high and dangerous.
Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?
Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier:
Update: The Going-to-the-Sun Road has fully reopened. Also, the Many Glacier Valley was expected to fully reopen this morning, while the Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn planned to reopen for guest check-in and visitor services. According to the park website: "The Many Glacier campground is closed due to flooding. It is projected to reopen July 2. Most trails in Many Glacier are closed, but there are limited hiking opportunities available." Stay up-to-date: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Glacier National Park posted this on their social media a few minutes ago:
The sun will come out tomorrow, but is Going-to-the-Sun Road going to open? We can’t say for sure. Before visiting Glacier National Park this week, please check out some of our frequently asked questions below.🌞
💧Reopening. As the rain subsides, the work of assessing the damage begins. With rainfall and flooding, rock falls and washouts may occur, creating dangerous conditions. Areas won’t open until safe.
💧Safety. High-flowing rivers have fast-moving currents, the potential for freezing temperatures, and dangerous debris and other hidden dangers. Always keep a safe distance from water. Even 6 inches of water can sweep a person off their feet and pull them downstream.
💧Crowding. Due to closures at Many Glacier Valley and the alpine sections of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier is experiencing high volumes of visitors in other areas of the park.
💧Expectations. Be sure to pack your patience! You can expect long entrance lines to open areas of the park, busier than usual visitor centers, and crowded trails.
💧Options. Visit our Nearby Attractions page for areas to explore outside the park at go.nps.gov/GlacierNearbyAttractions
For the most updated information, visit go.nps.gov/glacconditions
📸: A flooded trail in Glacier National Park by NPS/Andrew Friedgen
Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?
Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier:
Heavy rainfall has caused significant flooding across Glacier National Park, prompting multiple temporary closures. Rising water levels and unstable ground conditions are affecting roads, trails, and infrastructure.
The entire Many Glacier Valley, including Many Glacier Hotel, Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, and the Many Glacier Campground is closed to the public to ensure visitor safety during ongoing flooding in the area. The Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Motor Inn have been evacuated due to flooding. All trails in the Many Glacier Valley are closed until further notice.
Commercial boat tours operated by the Glacier Park Boat Company and horseback rides operated by the Swan Mountain Outfitters in Many Glacier have been suspended for the duration of the closure.
Glacier National Park will work closely with the Federal Highway Administration when it is time to reopen the Many Glacier Valley to ensure that access is restored safely.
Heavy rainfall has also impacted access along Going-to‑the-Sun Road. A temporary closure was implemented on June 28 from Avalanche to Jackson Glacier Overlook. With the increase in water and debris along the road, closure points have been adjusted, the west side closure remains at Avalanche, and the east side closure has moved to Rising Sun. Visitors should expect detours, delays, and limited access while crews respond to hazardous conditions created by fast‑moving water, debris, and saturated soils.
There is no hiker/biker access past any road closures, and all closure points should be avoided.
The park urges visitors to practice responsible visitation during this weather event. Flooded areas should never be crossed, and all posted closures must be followed. Travelers should check current conditions before arriving and remain flexible with plans as weather and access may change quickly.
The National Weather Service issued a Prolonged Rain and Runoff warning from Sunday, June 28-Tuesday, June 30. Heavy rain in steep terrain may lead to possible rockslides, and rapid water rises from small streams.
Glacier National Park will evaluate and re-open areas when conditions improve.
Visitors are reminded that weather conditions can change quickly, and park travelers should always be prepared for inclement weather. Check the park website for the most up to date information. Visitors can also sign up for GNP notifications to receive road status updates by texting GNPROADS to 333111.
Here's a report from KRTV:
Here's some "raw video" from KPAX, reporting that the Going to the Sun Road was/is blocked:
Actually, we don't know the exact date, but construction on the first recreational hiking trail in the world was completed sometime this month in 1819.
The 8.25-mile Crawford Path was cut to the summit of Mt. Washington by Abel and Ethan Crawford, which they advertised in regional newspapers to help attract travelers to their crude lodges in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Here are two photos from the trail. It's not clear when either of these were taken:
Ramble On: A History of Hiking elaborates on the father and son team who built the trail, some of the remarkable accounts of the first adventurers to hike it, as well as the profound role the trail and the Crawford family had on hiking and early tourism.
Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure?Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.
