One of the highlights of Glacier National Park is the Going to the Sun Road located in the heart of Glacier National Park. Just the drive is worth going for. With winding roads, shear drop-offs and innumerable scenic viewpoints, it’s at the top things to do on many Glacier National Park lists and the perfect starting point on your first trip to one of my favorite national parks.
Not a hiker but not sure what else there is to do in Glacier? No problem! This post has you covered with the 5 essential stops along the Going to the Sun Road with some of the best views.
But don’t be afraid to pull over if something catches your eye! These are the best spots but there is so much more to see along the way.
What to know before you go
- the speed limit ranges from as low as 25mph to 50mph at the lower elevations
- the entire road is 50 miles long and takes around 2.5 hours to drive
- there is a free shuttle if you want to take the more sustainable route, this way you can be dropped off at the best places like the Logan Pass Visitor center before hopping back on the shuttle to the next stop. In my opinion, this is the best way to see the park.
Best time to visit the Going to the Sun Road
This road is not open year round due to the immense amount of snow they get and this road is not maintained during the winter months. Therefore, the summer months are by far the most popular time to visit one of the most scenic drives you will ever take. The road typically opens late June to early July and high alpine sections opening later.
I always recommend going during the shoulder seasons to avoid the peaks and early October is the best time to go and a great way to avoid the crowds.
Lake McDonald
If you are coming in from the western entrance to Glacier, a great place for your first stop is Lake McDonald. There’s a large parking lot here because the Lake McDonald lodge is also considered the perfect place to stay in the park.
The lake itself is the large crystal clear water filled with fish and lots of opportunities to take a swim (in the summer of course, unless your one of those polar bear plunge enthusiasts).
Lake McDonald is the largest lake in the park at 10 miles long and almost 500 feet deep! Created by, you can probably guess, glacial carving.
You can rent kayaks, take a boat ride, or hang out for one of the ranger led programs. But if you plan to stay in their lodge, make sure to book well in advance (I’m talking at least a year).
Trail of the Cedars
Ok, one hiking trail, but this is an easy one. A short 100% boardwalk loop trail, this is only 1 of 2 completely accessible trails in the park. And it’s beautiful.
That evergreen smell and the massive red cedars make this an essential stop. If you’re into camping, one of the park’s main campgrounds is located here. But like everywhere else in the park, make your vehicle reservations early because it will fill up and the parking lot here is very small making it challenging to get a parking spot, especially during peak season.
Then, if you want to continue on to one of the best hikes on the going to the sun road head to Avalanche Lake, you will not be disappointed.
Logan Pass
This is one of the most popular spots to stop and the parking lot can get busy, even during the off season. There’s a large visitor center with various exhibits on the local flora and fauna and some of the most popular hiking trails leave from here.
If you are planning to stop at Logan Pass, maybe take one of the parks free shuttles instead of trying to park. Keep in mind, however, that these shuttle stop running in early September.
Logan Pass is the highest point you can reach by car in the park. In the summer, you can see fields of wildflowers and even if you don’t want to hike all the way to hidden lake I would recommend you walk the boardwalk section for the change to see some bighorn sheep and mountain goats (and maybe even a grizzly bear).
Jackson Glacier Overlook
This overlook sneaks up on you, but it gives you a perfect view of the 7th largest glacier in the park on the 4th tallest mountain. There are multiday hiking opportunities around Jackson, but the overlook gives you a great view.
There’s a bit more parking here than some of the other pull offs and is worth the stop just for this stunning view.
The Loop Overlook
A 180-degree turn with a small parking area and bathrooms is a great spot to stop if you’re a hiker or driving the Going to the Sun Road.
From “The Loop” you get a great view of Heaven’s Peak, which is 8987 feet tall. This is a popular spot for hiker’s doing the point-to-point hike from Logan Pass to the Loop along the Highline trail, so the parking area can get crowded, so consider one of the free shuttles or the red tour “buses” (more like a truck made love to a limo, but cool nonetheless).
Concluding Thoughts
Glacier quickly became my favorite park to date and has so much to see and do, you could keep coming back year after year and you may never see it all.
Looking to plan your visit? Check out my guide to visiting Glacier National Park and for top hikes check out my post on the top hikes in Glacier.
