Six Ways to Enjoy Glacier National Park Without an Entry Ticket
Due to capacity restrictions, visiting Glacier National Park is a little more difficult these days. More specifically, if you don’t have lodging, campground or tour reservations during the peak summer season, you need to have a special entry ticket to get into the park (https://emerginghorizons.com/new-glacier-vehicle-entrance-system-for-2023/ ). In theory getting an entry ticket only takes a few clicks on www.recreation.gov ; however because of limited availability many get left out in the cold. With that in mind here are six ways to enjoy Glacier National Park without an entry ticket.
Get an Early Start
Get up with chickens and get to the entrance station before 6 AM. Since entrance tickets are only required after 6 AM you won’t need one if you arrive early. And with fewer people in the park at that hour, you’ll also have a more peaceful experience.
Enjoy a Scenic Drive
Although entry tickets are required for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and Many Glacier Valley, the portions of southern area of the park along Highway 2 and the Two Medicine area are open to everyone. And it’s a nice scenic drive from West Glacier to East Glacier along this route. Pack along a picnic lunch and stop at the Walton Ranger Station Picnic Area along the way. And be sure and stop at Goat Lick Overlook to see if you can catch a glimpse of the resident mountain goats. And don’t miss the wheelchair-accessible trail to Running Eagle Falls in the Two Medicine area of the park.
Use the East Entrance
Enter the park at the East Entrance, as no vehicle reservations are required there. If you’d like to leave the driving to someone else you can park at the St. Mary Visitor Center and take the park shuttle to Logan Pass. You can get off at any of the stops along the way, and when you get to the summit you can transfer to another shuttle to explore the west side of the park. Even better — all park shuttles have ramps or lifts.
Plan a Late September Visit
You can also visit Glacier National Park without an entry ticket if you time your visit right. Since entry tickets are only required until early September you won’t need one if you visit later in the fall. And late September is a nice time to explore Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Enjoy the Sunset
Entry tickets are not required after 3 PM, so pack along a picnic dinner and enjoy the sunset in the park. Apgar Picnic area on the shore of Lake McDonald has a beautiful wheelchair-accessible lakeside table. Alternatively, drive up to Logan Pass and enjoy the sunset from there. There’s no shortage of scenic opportunities.
Book a Cruise!
Although most folks know that you don’t need an entry ticket if you book a Red Bus Tour, they completely overlook another tour option — a Lake McDonald Cruise. (glacierparkboats.com). And there’s good wheelchair access on this historic boat too. Wheelchair-users can roll right up the ramp, over the threshold plate and sit on the bow of the boat for the one-hour tour. The sun can get intense though, and even though an umbrella is provided, it’s a good idea to slather on the sunscreen and wear a hat too. Additionally, it’s essential that all the passengers in your car have a Lake McDonald Cruise ticket.
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