Going to Glacier NP

[LRutigliano]

Going to Glacier and we have reservations at the W.Glacier KOA. "Going to the sun" road lists max vehicle length allowed at 21 feet. I haven't measured the pickup yet, but its gotta be close to 21 feet long...

The classic red bus picks up and returns at the KOA. Do I need to make advance reservations for a day trip with the bus ?

Also going to Silverwood on the way home. Montana's largest waterpark is 12 miles from the KOA in Columbia Falls - anyone been to that waterpark ?

Thanks,
Louis

 

[HookMeUp]

We are going also and would like to know if anyone has indeed taken there truck over the "Going to the Sun" road?

 

[kcv67]

I have never heard of any one getting measured I have been up on over going to the sun road numerous times with my truck I think it is 22 ft long. It had been years since I have been to the water park but it was fun and good shape when we went.
Also the road is not open yet and it is receiving snow right now. So check the road report for the going to the sun before you head out http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/gttsroadplow/gttsroadplowstatus.cfm

 

[RikDavis]

I have driven it with my 99 which is in the neighborhood of 21 feet and don't remember any problems. I suspect the reccomendation is really more aimed at small motorhomes

 

[BIGNASTY]

Your truck will be fine, one suggestion That I will make is to pull your side-view mirrors IN when you get near the road, its tight and people dont mind wasting YOUR MIRROR so they don't have to go to close to the cliff go as far as they will let you, ITS WORTH IT, We were there over the weekend and talked to the Park service they said that its not that long before it will be open but with as much snow as we had this year, its not like your going to see much over the snow it gets pretty deep at times this year was RECORD snow fall

 

[Powder Extreme]

I've ran my dually over it several times. Just no trailers, pickup campers, or motorhomes.
Like Bignasty said, pull your towing mirrors in and make the truck as narrow as possible. There are several corners you're just better off to let the oncoming car go then you go rather than trying to meet in the corner.
Probably be the better part of a month before the snow has really melted enough to see things.

You'll love it! One of the most beautiful drives in America! I also highly recommend the Beartooth highway from Cooke City to Red Lodge as another fabulous drive here in Montana.

 

[Tractorat]

We made the drive a couple of years ago in our car. It was the first day the pass was open. We were one of the first across.
It was so socked in, not only could we not see the car in front of us, we couldnt see the front end of our own car. I could just barely make out the tail lights of the car in front of us, so I didnt let him get any more than just a few feet in front of us. There were a couple of places where there were holes and bright sunlight, but not many. It was not a very comfortable experience.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

We drive the Going to the Sun when my 2001 was new. The camp ground host told us that the dually with the truck camper would be OK.... IT WAS NOT OK, went back to the campground and dropped the camper and had a great drive with the empty truck..

 

[lmabey]

I went over the road last year on our way back from jasper and bamff. I have a crew cab with a long box SRW. It was not fun but very doable, hard to find a place to park it. After being in Jasper and bamff. every thing seemed very crowded and busy. Unless you are driving through and going on to some where else i would advise to use the free bus system.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I went over the road last year on our way back from jasper and bamff. I have a crew cab with a long box SRW. It was not fun but very doable, hard to find a place to park it. After being in Jasper and bamff. every thing seemed very crowded and busy. Unless you are driving through and going on to some where else i would advise to use the free bus system.

BUS?????????? on Going to the Sun Road? unless your calling these a bus, Don't know for a fact because I have never rode them but these are not free. The wife just told me that there is a shuttle bus that holds maybe 20 people that makes the trip but we found those to be packed and the wait was most often to long for us to wait. I like to stop where I like to stop is why I take my auto, there are MANY PLACES on BOTH sides that you will want to stop that the transit system wont, like the other picture!! ain't no bus going to stop there to take a pic. That road that the car is about to go thru the tunnel IS A FREEWAY COMPARED to the road at Logan Pass its frigging narrow!! I don't mean to scare you but we have seen people freak out and STOP they are so scared to go any further

I have been side to side VERY FEW TIMES we most often go to the west side of Glacier Nat Park because its closer to the house. I have got to Logan pass from both sides. The reason I don't go side to side often is that during the time of the year that its passable there is ALWAYS construction going on one side or the other sometimes both, They cant work on it in the winter!! and I HATE TO WAIT IN CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC!! #@$%!

Just something that I have told people that come up to the park for the first time or even if they have been here many times.

We have always liked to see the entire park. I know that lots of people don't have the amount of time that is REALLY needed to see the park this way. But we start at East Glacier, Either St. Mary or Many Glacier then to Two Medicine and on to West Glacier. The park is VERY different on either side of the park, its topography is startlingly different. From west Glacier you can take a day trip to Polebidge and up to the SUPER NATURAL part of Glacier Park, Grizz are NOT uncommon to see!!

 

[LRutigliano]

Thanks for the comments and the pics ! I checked and you need an advanced reservation for the red bus tour - $86 per adult and $43 for children under 12... and you return to the W.Glacier KOA 10 to 10.5 hours later... I will take the pickup...

 

[EGroeneveld]

We were there last summer. Loved it. Yes drop the camper and a dually is fine.

Three things I'd add.
Red bus tour, totally worth the money for the experience of open air motoring, the views, and the narrative by the driver. Let the usual driver (me) really enjoy the views and scenery...

Then drive your truck and hit every little view point and hiking spot you can. So many people don't go more than 100 yards off the road and miss out big time on what Glacier is about.

Bear spray!

 

[BIGNASTY]

Bear Spray


Reminds me of a Ranger Story that has been confirmed by MANY OF THEM. At the St, Mary's entrance there is a nice info center, they sell Bear Spray. They use to call it BEAR REPELLENT until an Oriental lady bought a can went outside to the parking lot and applied the Bear Repellent as if it were spray on mosquito repellent :-laf

The Rangers CONTINUALLY talk and warn people about the bears, it gets to the point that it makes me sick to hear it AGAIN!! We were walking on the trail and seen some people coming from a long way's off, they are clapping their hands and yelling Hey!! Bear Hey!! Bear, I thought that they should be pretty close to us by this time because I had lost sight of them thru the trees, I cupped my hands in front of my face and let out a VERY BIG ROAR!!! :-laf

The Mom of the group was pretty fast she was sprinting like Carl Lewis in the Olympics :-laf

 

[DClark]

Going to Glacier and we have reservations at the W.Glacier KOA. "Going to the sun" road lists max vehicle length allowed at 21 feet. I haven't measured the pickup yet, but its gotta be close to 21 feet long...

The classic red bus picks up and returns at the KOA. Do I need to make advance reservations for a day trip with the bus ?

Also going to Silverwood on the way home. Montana's largest waterpark is 12 miles from the KOA in Columbia Falls - anyone been to that waterpark ?

Thanks,
Louis

I live in MT and GNP is our favorate park. We drive 200 m one way to get there. Have driven my '05 quadcab long box over the top many times. The red bus would be a great experience so you might want to take it, but don't take it because you don't think you can take the truck. I will admit it is a little harry up near the top with the truck, but it can be done. Enjoy a great park experience.
DClark

 

[CBari]

Bear Spray I don't live there and haven't ever been to Glacier, but I would guess it is like the rest of the worlds natural bear habitat, watch where you are stay away from them once spotted, never get between mamma and her cubs and all ways make sure you can out run at least one member of your group. If you are where you can carry a firearm make sure it is big enough to do the job.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Bear Spray I don't live there and haven't ever been to Glacier, but I would guess it is like the rest of the worlds natural bear habitat, watch where you are stay away from them once spotted, never get between mamma and her cubs and all ways make sure you can out run at least one member of your group. If you are where you can carry a firearm make sure it is big enough to do the job.

Thousands of people go in and out of the wilderness WITHOUT guns and bear spray. The bears want as much to see you up close as you do them. You are more likely to have a visit in your camp because people are sloppy campers, and leave things out. A cooler is like asking them in for a snack. I put them in the truck bed put a dark colored tarp over it and shut the camper shell up.

On the East side there are two campgrounds St, Mary's and Rising Sun about half way between the two there is a huge open meadow on the North side of the road, early AM or just before the sun goes down there will be a Bear Jam (many cars stopped in the road) with cameras, spotting scopes, bino's out and looking at the Bears, Elk, Deer, Coyotes, happens everyday same time same place.

On the West side most the viewing takes place on the road the lines the border of the park from the West entrance to Polebridge, We like this better its got bigger bears, Elk, Deer, and the occasional wolf pack and the view of the river that runs parallel to the North Fork road its GREAT FISHING, and Really nice to look at. When we tent camped we use to take the kids there and jump in the river to get cleaned up. This spot is the only place in the park that I would say that you have to be VERY BEAR AWARE, especially if your fishing, they don't care who catches them, the fish are THEIRS!!

 

[BIGNASTY]

Black bears are no more than a nuisance in the campgrounds IF YOU LEAVE SOMETHING OUT. they roam the campgrounds all night long and most dont even know they are there until the cooler is torn to shreds, or their car because they left food out in plain sight of a bear looking in the window they can and do make a mess out of a car door, they don't know how to use the door handle they bend the window frame down and jump right in. Go to ANY of the park ranger stations and ask to see the pictures of the bear damage, they are AMAZINGLY STRONG. These pictures were taken with a cell phone that's why they aren't very sharp

DON'T LEAVE CANDY BAR WRAPPERS ON THE DASHBOARD :-laf One camper did and exclaimed that it was EMPTY

 

[old guy]

We were there in fall of 2012 but didn't drive all the across going to the sun road. Camped on east side in St. Mary and drove 2012 3500 crew cab lb srw up to Logan Pass visitor center and hiked the highline trail (Garden Wall). It was not easy but was worth it. We also took the red bus tour up to Waterton Canadian park. I also highly recommend a red bus tour. Like someone else said the scenery on east side is completely different than west side steeper more jagged mts. and not as many trees on mt. faces. We also went to Canadian Rockies and hard to believe

they are nicer than US side. If you ever go up there drive all the way up to Jasper and stop at Columbia Glacier where you can walk on a Glacier.

 

[BarryG]

We were there several years ago 5+ and hiked up to Grinnell Lake. Once on the trail lots of bear scat. About 2 miles in my wife and I heard a crash of rock and splash of water. Wifey says we must have scared a deer. I said uh no that was no deer that made that noise more like a bear. 15 minutes later a momma grizzly and her two cubs there in the middle of the trail. Fortunately we were able to see them long before we came upon them. The trail more or less parallels a stream and they happen to be in an open area that we could see down the trail a 100 yards or so, one of the few areas you could see more than 25 yards ahead. We sat there and waited for them to amble off and waited a bit more then continued warily along but had no more sightings. A few weeks after we got home a couple on that same trail or perhaps they had gone up the trail to the glacier which splits off and goes up to the glacier were attacked by a grizzly. One mauled very badly the other bad but not as bad. A link to their story
http://www.backpacker.com/survival_...zly_attack_glacier_national_park/skills/12227

 

[LRutigliano]

We got back from Glacier and Waterton Lakes on SUN... put over 2000 miles on the truck/5er. What an awesome place - we had so much fun and we loved GttS Road. We stayed at the West Glacier KOA (awesome KOA), had huckleberry ice cream and pie and even met Johnny Depp's dad at the KOA. He was a super nice guy. He was next to us and was on this way to Canada. We also visited Silverwood and spent the 4th there. Best fireworks display I have ever seen and we didn't have to fight traffic or arrive 3 hrs early. The only thing to complain about is the poor quality of the roads in Montana... I get it - ice/snow in winter creates poor roads and lots of road repairs in JUN/JUL...

The truck ran great and we had zero issues with the trailer. The people we went with had a major blow out with one of their trailer tires just out of Spokane Valley. Took out the whole fender and damaged the slide, looked very horrible... We spent an entire day on I-90 and had to visit two Walmarts (only tire shop open on SUN)... the first Walmart only had 3 trailer tires, so we had to drive to Missoula to get the 4th. We didn't want to leave them, so instead of visiting any NP's on that day, we visited two Walmarts They got us in/out both times very quickly and we stocked up on items we needed and didn't need... Didn't realize how big the grade was coming out of Tri-Cities to get to Oregon... seemed way steeper than Dead Man's pass out of Pendleton.