Glacier Park Eliminates Vehicle Reservations, Implements Logan Pass Time Limits in 2026

Glacier National Park will discontinue its vehicle reservation mandate for most entrances beginning in 2026, reversing a system first implemented in 2021. The National Park Service announced this strategic change aims to increase public access to key areas, including the North Fork, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The previous reservation framework, which varied each summer, was established to manage congestion along the Going-to-the-Sun Road and U.S. 2 during peak visitation times.

Access management will intensify significantly at the park's busiest corridor, Logan Pass. Effective July 1, 2026, parking for private vehicles at Logan Pass will be strictly limited to a three-hour maximum stay. This short-term regulation is intended to increase parking turnover, thereby providing more visitors the opportunity to briefly experience the Logan Pass area, which park officials suggest allows sufficient time for activities such as reaching the Hidden Lake Overlook or visiting the Visitor Center. Overnight parking at Logan Pass will be reserved exclusively for registered guests of the Granite Park Chalet and approved backcountry users.

To support visitors pursuing longer recreational activities, such as hiking the Highline Trail, the park is introducing a new, ticketed shuttle service. This dedicated shuttle system will offer express routes to Logan Pass from both the east and west sides of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, with early morning departures scheduled specifically for dedicated hikers. Shuttle tickets, priced at $1 per person for individuals aged two and older, will be available through Recreation.gov, with initial releases starting May 2 and subsequent nightly releases for next-day entry beginning June 30.

Park Superintendent Dave Roemer noted that the prior reservation structure inadvertently encouraged many visitors to enter the park in darkness, with an estimated 600 to 700 vehicles arriving before 7 a.m. daily, creating low-visibility hazards due to active wildlife. The revised approach will rely on real-time traffic monitoring and may involve temporary diversions in areas like Many Glacier and Two Medicine if capacity limits are reached, with the goal of enhancing safety and optimizing operational capacity. This evolution in access strategy reflects the National Park Service’s ongoing assessment of five years of pilot programs, seeking a more reliable system for specific needs while safeguarding park resources.