Glacier National Park - Sun Road East Access Closes Early this year!

It's fall in Glacier National Park. People always want to know, "when will the Going to the Sun Road close?" Today, we have the official answer. The Sun Road will close, from the east side (Saint Mary) on September 22, 2014, but Logan Pass Visitor center parking lot will remain open, from the West Side (Lake McDonald) into October -  weather permitting.

Going to the Sun Road - fresh snow in Glacier Park. The sun road, on Glacier Park's east side, will close September 22, 2014, plan accordingly. ©tonybynum 

Here's the latest press release from Glacier National Park . . .

The Road is currently entirely open to public travel. At 7:00 a.m. on September 22, the section between Logan Pass to the foot of St. Mary Lake will close to vehicular travel to accommodate accelerated shoulder season construction. Logan Pass will continue to be open and accessible from the west side (West Glacier). Hiker-biker use east of Logan Pass will be permitted for approximately 2 1/2 miles to Siyeh Bend. Between Siyeh Bend and Rising Sun, travel of any sort is restricted during active construction (M-F).

A 5 mile long sewer forcemain project will simultaneously be occurring between Rising Sun and the St. Mary Campground expanding the active construction to 14 miles and forcing a closure to vehicular travel here as well. Hiker-biker access west of the campground along the Going-to-the-Sun Road will be limited and variable following the progress of the forcemain work.

The shared-use summer season was very active with notable milestones such as a realignment adjacent Wild Goose Island scenic turnout, 9 miles of grading work, improvements to major scenic and trailhead areas and the replacement of the Rose Creek Bridge in Rising Sun. Stone masonry retaining wall and guardwall work, including the new Rose Creek Bridge was noteworthy as well. This effort will continue until the majority of the Road closes to vehicular travel (including Logan Pass) on October 20, 2014, weather permitting.

STAY TUNED for more from the Glacier Park Photographer!  We're on tap to bring you glacier park photographers some interesting developments from glacier national park. . . I'll give you a hint, you wont like the news, in fact, what I'm going to describe to you may cause you to pick up the phone or worse throw stuff!  

Tony Bynum