Glacier National Park Announces a Pilot Vehicle Reservation System in 2024

Glacier National Park will implement a pilot vehicle reservation system in 2024, beginning May 24 for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and North Fork and on July 1 for Many Glacier.

“Our balanced approach for the 2024 pilot reflects feedback from Tribes, the public, partners, and stakeholders, particularly regarding access to the Apgar Village area and Two Medicine,” said Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer. “We also heard that knowing what park operations and access will look like sooner, rather than later, is important.”

West Entrance
One reservation per vehicle will be required to travel Going-to-the-Sun Road beyond the Apgar Village area from May 24 through Sept. 8, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can enter before 6 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a vehicle reservation. New in 2024, vehicle reservations will be valid for one day only, down from three days in 2023. Data from 2023 indicates that only two percent of three-day reservations were used for all three days. By changing to a one-day reservation, consistent with other park areas, a greater number of reservations can be made available.

Also new in 2024, visitors will be able to access Apgar Village amenities, including the Apgar Visitor Center, without a vehicle reservation. Lodging, camping (including front country developed campgrounds and backcountry camping permits), transportation, or commercial activity reservations originating in Apgar will no longer provide access beyond the Apgar filter check point.

North Fork
One reservation per vehicle will be required at the entrance station May 24 through Sept. 8, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are good for one day. Visitors can enter before 6 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a vehicle reservation. There are no changes in the North Fork from 2023.

Many Glacier Valley
One reservation per vehicle will be required at the entrance station July 1 through Sept. 8, 2024, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are good for one day. Visitors can enter the valley before 6 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a vehicle reservation. There are no changes in Many Glacier from 2023.

Also new in 2024, visitors will be able to access the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the east side beyond Rising Sun without a vehicle reservation. Visitors will also have access to the St. Mary Visitor Center and shuttle stop on the east side of Glacier National Park, as in 2023.

Vehicle reservations and entrance passes
Vehicle reservations will be available on https://www.recreation.gov/, the Recreation.gov mobile app, or the Recreation.gov Call Center (Reservation Line: 877-444-6777). Each of the specified areas of the park will require a separate reservation. Visitors will need to set up an account on Recreation.gov to obtain reservations. The only cost associated with booking a reservation is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee.

Pursuant to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, vehicle reservations are not required for tribal members throughout the park. Vehicle reservations will be available through two booking windows:

* A portion of reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months advance, starting on Jan. 25, 2024, at 8 a.m. MST on a rolling basis on Recreation.gov.

* New in 2024, the remaining vehicle reservations will be available at 7 p.m. MDT for next-day entry starting on May 23, 2024.

In addition to a vehicle reservation, each vehicle entering the park is required to have an entrance pass for any entry point into the park. These passes could include any of the following: a $35 vehicle pass, good for seven days; a valid Interagency Annual/Lifetime Pass; or a Glacier National Park Annual Pass. A vehicle reservation does not include an entrance pass, and the park entrance pass does not serve as a vehicle reservation.

Like previous years, visitors with lodging, camping, transportation, or commercial activity reservations within the specified reservation areas can use proof of their reservation for entry in lieu of a Recreation.gov reservation to gain access to the portion of the park for which they have a reservation.

As in past years, entry will be temporarily restricted in areas of the park that become too congested for visitor safety and resource protection. Parking at Logan Pass, Apgar Village, and other areas may be unavailable. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of free shuttles for hiker access to Logan Pass although waits for shuttles may be long depending on the time and location. Visitors are encouraged to plan their visit outside of peak hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Visitors with service reservations (e.g., boat tours, lodging, horseback ride, guided hikes) in these areas will be permitted entry during temporary restrictions.

Visitors are encouraged to check the park website frequently for updates and additional information.

This will be the fourth year of piloting vehicle reservations in the park. The pilots help test the effectiveness of different approaches to manage high traffic volumes within the park while delivering quality visitor experiences. During an open comment period for 2024 Visitor Use Management Strategies, a total of 1,408 comments were received. Input from these comments has helped inform strategies for how visitors will access park areas in the summer of 2024. The comments along with a summary report can be found on the park’s 2024 Visitor Use Management Strategy web page.

* Don't forget to pick-up a copy of Exploring Glacier National Park, the mobile version of HikinginGlacier.com, the most comprehensive website on the internet for hiking trail information in Glacier National Park. This eBook was published to provide hikers with convenient access to trail information while on the trail, where internet access is most likely unavailable.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Nat Geo Trail Maps for Glacier National Park

National Geographic now publishes a total of four Trails Illustrated Maps for Glacier National Park. The original map (map 215) encompasses both Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.

For much greater detail, National Geographic also publishes three sectional maps: Many Glacier, Two Medicine and North Fork. The original map has a scale 1:100,000, however, the three new sectional maps have a scale of 1:50,000, and provide much greater detail such as backcountry campsite locations, footbridges, fords/stream crossings, points-of-interests, shuttle stops, nature/interpretive trails, as well as water and snow hazard locations.


Many Glacier Sectional Map:

The Many Glacier Map (map 314) includes: the Many Glacier area, Cracker Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Goat Haunt, Belly River, Upper Kintla Lake, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, and more.



North Fork Sectional Map:

The North Fork Map (map 313) includes: Lake McDonald, Apgar, Avalanche Basin, Sperry Chalet, Kintla Lake, Bowman Lake, Waterton Lake, Flathead River, Pacific Northwest Trail, National Park Headquarters, and more.



Two Medicine Sectional Map:The Two Medicine Map (map 315) includes: Cobalt Lake, Dawson Pass, Logan Pass, Piegan Pass, St. Mary Lake, The Loop, Cut Bank, and more.




If you're looking to purchase all three sectional maps you're much better off purchasing the three-map bundle pack, which provides a fairly steep discount.

The Nat Geo maps provide far more information and detail than the official national park map. Additionally, all Trails Illustrated Maps are waterproof and tear-resistant.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Who Was Chief Two Guns?

If you've ever had the pleasure to visit the Many Glacier area, chances are you're familiar with Chief Two Guns, the tour boat that cruises the waters of Swiftcurrent Lake. Many people take this boat to shorten their hikes up to Grinnell Glacier or Grinnell Lake:

Many people, however, may not be aware that Chief Two Guns was a real person. Born in 1872, Chief John Two Guns White Calf was the son of White Calf, who was known as the last tribal chief of the Pikuni Blackfeet, and was responsible for many of the Blackfoot Tribe's treaties, including the sale of lands that would become Glacier National Park.

After the death of his father in 1902, Two Guns became a tribal leader, and would arguably become one of the most famous Native Americans in the 20th century. One of his claims to fame is that he was a model for the Indian head nickel, more commonly referred to as the Buffalo nickel. Actually, he was among a couple of models that were used to create a composite image of an Indian -- or maybe not.

The famous five-cent piece, designed by sculptor James Fraser, was issued by the U.S. Mint between 1913 and 1938. Fraser claimed to have used Iron Tail, Two Moons, "and one or two others." Fraser would later write that he had used three Indians for the piece, including "Irontail, the best Indian head I can remember. The other one was Two Moons, the other I cannot recall." However, Chief Two Guns always claimed that he was the other model, and based on what I've read there was much controversy, or even political conspiracy as to why he was never given credit for being the third model.

In short, some in the U.S. Government feared that the influencial Native American would try to incite his tribe into a war with the United States in order to regain lands that were ceded to the country for the future national park. By refusing to recognize him as a model for the nickel, government officials believed they could discredit Two Guns, and thus limit his influence within the tribe. The dispute between the United States and Two Guns arose as a result of the government's refusal to honor the stipulations of the 1895 treaty, which sold the Blackfoot lands that would become the eastern portion of Glacier National Park. Two Guns eventually traveled to Washington D.C. to confront the Commissioner of Indian Affairs about the funds that were still owed to the Blackfeet tribe. After telling the Commissioner that he wouldn't leave until he had their money, the Commissioner finally relented and handed him a check.

In The Father of Glacier National Park, the author, Hugh Grinnell, relates this quite hilarious tale where Two Guns effectively and emphatically makes his claim to being the model for the coin:

When meeting visitors during the Great Northern exposition in Washington D.C., one year, he was approached by a U.S. congressman who gave Two Guns his business card. Two Guns reached into his pocket and retrieved an Indian head nickel, gave it the congressman and said, "Here is my card".

Here's the famous Indian head nickel:

Below is a short video from a 1926 Fulton Petroleum business film in which Chief Two Guns appears. You be the judge as to whether he was one of the models:



Long after his death, Chief Two Guns White Calf would once again gain national fame and become a symbol in American pop culture. Frustrated by the simple burgundy and gold "R" logo on the helmets of the Washington D.C. pro football team, Walter “Blackie” Wetzel submitted several design proposals to Redskins team owner Jack Kent Cooke in 1971. Wetzel thought that a depiction of a Native American would be a much better representation for the Redskins name. Born near Cut Bank in 1915, Wetzel grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation. As an adult, he rose through the ranks of the Blackfeet tribal council, and in 1960, was elected as president of the National Congress of American Indians in Washington, D.C. In 1972, after reviewing the various design proposals, the Washington Redskins adopted a new logo. The team ultimately chose the depiction of Chief Two Guns as their new logo, which would remain in place until 2020:

In recent years, Wetzel's son, Donald, stated that his father "had a vision of putting a real Indian on that helmet." He also added, “The Native Americans were forgotten people. That logo, lets people know these people exist," and that "It's a symbol of red nation unity."



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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.

Trail to Grinnell Glacier is now open

Great news for visitors and hikers in the Many Glacier area: the park just announced on their Facebook page that the trail to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook is now open.

Here is the statement from the park:

Hikers are now getting all the way to the end of the Grinnell Glacier trail! Trail crews shoveled the remaining snow hazards yesterday and the trail is in good shape. Upper Grinnell Lake is still mostly frozen, and both Grinnell and Salamander Glaciers are still covered by last winter’s snow. Hiking to shrinking Grinnell Glacier is an iconic Glacier National Park experience. The hike is 11 miles roundtrip from the trailhead or 8 miles roundtrip if you take the boats. Either way, the elevation gain is 1600 feet. A ranger leads an interpretive hike to Grinnell Glacier each day, using the 8:30 boat from the Many Glacier Hotel. Boat tickets almost always sell out in advance, so make a boat reservation ahead to join this hike.

For more detailed information on hiking the trail to the Overlook, please click here.


Jeff
Glacier National Park Hiking

Majestic Many Glacier

I think most people would likely agree that Many Glacier is the most scenic area in Glacier National Park. Several of the most memorable hikes in the park begin from this valley.

Many people experience the grandeur of Many Glacier for the first time from the parking lot above the historic Many Glacier Hotel:
From there you can take an easy stroll around Swiftcurrent Lake. It's quite common to see bears and moose in this area:

Iceberg Lake is one of the most popular hikes in Glacier. Below is my wife Kathy as we approach the Ptarmigan Wall, an arête, or thin ridge of rock separating two valleys that have been carved by glaciers:

Of course you can't name a lake "Iceberg Lake" if you don't have any icebergs floating around:

The other extremely popular hike in Many Glacier is the one to Grinnell Glacier. The 300-acre glacier sits below Mt. Gould and the Continental Divide:

Due to the glacier retreating in recent decades, the melting ice has created a new lake next to the glacier:

Although not quite as popular as Iceberg and Grinnell Glacier, the hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel is one that should not be passed up. The highlight of the hike is passing through the 240-foot tunnel, which cuts a hole through the Ptarmigan Wall. The tunnel was built for horses and early park tours by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's, so that visitors could pass over into the remote Belly River area.
After hiking all day in the Many Glacier Valley, walking to the other side of the tunnel is like walking into another world. Just beyond the tunnel the trail hugs the red rock cliffs below Crowfeet Mountain:
The views from the other side are simply stunning. You can see Old Sun Glacier on the slopes of Mt. Merritt, Natoas Peak, and the Belly River as it flows into Elizabeth Lake more than 2300 feet below you:








Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Sectional Trail Maps for Glacier National Park

National Geographic now publishes a total of four Trails Illustrated Maps for Glacier National Park. The original map (map 215) encompasses both Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.

For much greater detail, National Geographic also publishes three sectional maps: Many Glacier, Two Medicine and North Fork. The original map has a scale 1:100,000, however, the three new sectional maps have a scale of 1:50,000, and provide much greater detail such as backcountry campsite locations, footbridges, fords/stream crossings, points-of-interests, shuttle stops, nature/interpretive trails, as well as water and snow hazard locations.


Many Glacier Sectional Map:

The Many Glacier Map (map 314) includes: the Many Glacier area, Cracker Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Goat Haunt, Belly River, Upper Kintla Lake, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, and more.



North Fork Sectional Map:

The North Fork Map (map 313) includes: Lake McDonald, Apgar, Avalanche Basin, Sperry Chalet, Kintla Lake, Bowman Lake, Waterton Lake, Flathead River, Pacific Northwest Trail, National Park Headquarters, and more.



Two Medicine Sectional Map:

The Two Medicine Map (map 315) includes: Cobalt Lake, Dawson Pass, Logan Pass, Piegan Pass, St. Mary Lake, The Loop, Cut Bank, and more.




If you're looking to purchase all three sectional maps you're much better off purchasing the three-map bundle pack, which provides a fairly steep discount.

The Nat Geo maps provide far more information and detail than the official national park map. Additionally, all Trails Illustrated Maps are waterproof and tear-resistant.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

What happened to the other 7 backcountry chalets in Glacier?

Did you know that there were a total of nine backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park at one point? So what happened to the other seven?

In the early 1900s some Americans were becoming alarmed over the increased spending of American dollars on European travel. While discussing Glacier one day, Senator "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman of South Carolina stated: "It is very ridiculous to me to see the amount of money spent by Americans to see the scenery of Europe without having first seen what we have at home." This concern provided one of the motivations for creating a national park at Glacier. Having an "American Alps," or a "Switzerland of the United States," such as Glacier, allowed America to compete against Canadian and European resorts and tourist attractions.

The Great Northern Railway played an extremely important role in the establishment of a national park during this time period as well. The Great Northern had a rail line running along the southern edge of Glacier, and saw the establishment of a national park as a way of increasing passengers on their trains, while also increasing their revenues.

So it was against this backdrop that the president of the Great Northern Railway, Louis W. Hill, began building a number of hotels and chalets throughout the park in the 1910s as a way of promoting tourism. These buildings were modeled on Swiss architecture as part of Hill's plan to portray Glacier as the "American Alps" or "America's Switzerland". Included in this project was a network of 9 European-style chalet complexes. Thus, leaving from one of Hill's luxury lodges, guests could hike or ride to one these rustic chalets in less than a day.

The chalets, built between 1910 and 1915, included Sperry, Granite Park, Cut Bank, Goat Haunt, Going-to-the-Sun (Sun Point), St. Mary, Gunsight Lake, Many Glacier, and one of the Two-Medicine Chalets (the other was converted into a store, which is still in use today). In their prime, several of the Chalets would host 100 to 150 guests a night.

Today, only Sperry and Granite Park remain. Both owe their survival to the use of native stone as their primary construction material. The masonry of these chalets made it possible to withstand Montana’s brutal winters. In contrast, the wooden structures of the other chalets deteriorated so badly that many had to be razed during the late 1940s.

St. Mary Chalet:

The first chalet to meet its demise was Gunsight Lake when it was destroyed by an avalanche in 1916. The Many Glacier Chalets burned down during a massive forest fire in 1936. During WWII the remainder of the chalets were closed. The lack of use during the war years forced a reassessment of the facilities, and by 1944 park officials agreed that the St. Mary Chalet was no longer necessary and was subsequently destroyed. Similarly, the chalets at Cut Bank and Sun Point were regarded as "beyond repair" and an "eyesore" and were destroyed by 1949. Finally, the structure used for lodging at Two-Medicine was razed and burned in 1956.

It’s a shame that America had to lose these historic structures. Too bad the Great Northern Railway didn’t have the foresight to build more of the chalets out of native stone. Modern day hikers would have even more overnight destinations from which to consider.

For more historical perspective on this subject, check out Glacier's Historic Hotels And Chalets, which traces the creation and use of the Great Northern Railway’s hotels and chalet colonies in Glacier National Park, and includes many old photographs.






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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.