WEST GLACIER — Glacier National Park is looking for people to weigh in on the future of how visitors access and travel around the park.
The park is sharing initial ideas for addressing traffic congestion, visitor movement challenges, transportation, and related issues that affect visitor experience and park resources that will be used to inform a long-term plan.
The public is invited to provide comments through January 6, 2025.
Annual visitation at Glacier National Park has increased from approximately 1.5 million to around 3 million over the past two decades.
Much of this use is concentrated along the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor and other front-country destinations during the peak season of June through August.
Different pilot reservation systems were implemented in the summers of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the park will again pilot a reservation system in 2025.
The pilots were initiated in the summer of 2021 as a response to increasing issues with traffic congestion, including backups onto U.S. Highway 2, infrastructure capacity, and impacts on park resources.
Prior to piloting reservation systems, the park relied on temporary and unplanned closures of parking lots, park roads, or entire valleys to mitigate vehicle congestion.
The vehicle reservation pilots have provided the park with opportunities to proactively manage vehicle congestion to improve the predictability of visitor access and reduce congestion, thereby improving visitor experiences and protecting park resources.
Public feedback and monitoring data were used to inform the initial ideas being presented for feedback.
“It is our collective priority to provide a park experience at Glacier that is enjoyable and safe,” said Park Superintendent Dave Roemer. “We have learned a lot by piloting solutions, listening to feedback, and adapting on an annual basis. Now, we want to start the conversation of what a long-term plan looks like at the park. Everywhere I go, I hear so much passion and pride in Glacier. I hope that everyone will take this opportunity to share their input.”
People can visit the project website to submit input. This site also provides a summary of key issues, project goals, the history of visitation, transportation and vehicle reservations in the park, and the initial ideas for the park’s long-term plan.
There are several upcoming opportunities to learn more about the planning process and ask park staff questions.
Virtual Public Meetings
The park planning team will hold a virtual presentation of the plan with a moderated question and answer time. Both virtual meetings will present the same information.
- November 21: Virtual meeting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Join by following the link at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/MeetingNotices.cfm?projectID=118357
- December 16: Virtual meeting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Join by following the link at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/MeetingNotices.cfm?projectID=118357.
In-Person Public Gatherings
Join the park planning team for a drop-in style opportunity to speak with park staff about issues related to the plan. Please note, there will be no formal presentation or recorded public comment opportunities at these events.
- December 2, 2024-Open house from 4 to 6 pm at the Residence Inn Downtown in Missoula.
- December 3, 2024-Open house from 4 to 6 pm at the KwaTaqNuk Resort & Casino in Polson.
- December 4, 2024-Open house from 4 to 6 pm at the Cedar Creek Lodge in Columbia Falls.
- December 5, 2024-Open house from 4 to 6 pm at Blackfeet Community College in Browning.
