If you’re planning a trip to Glacier National Park in 2024, you’ll need to make a reservation to access all the best things to do in the park. Reservations will be required for three of the park’s main areas, limiting what you can do without a reservation.

If you’re looking for more information about the Glacier National Park reservations for 2024, including how to make a reservation and what to do if you can’t get one, keep reading!

This post may contain affiliate links, where I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read more in this disclosure policy.

Glacier National Park At-A-Glance

Before diving in, here are a few highlights to help you plan your trip:

  • Best Time to Visit: Summer is the best (and most popular) time to visit, thanks to the warm weather and all park facilities being open. Visit in early to mid-September to avoid peak crowds.
  • Where to Stay: If you’re looking to stay in the park, I highly recommend the Many Glacier Hotel. To stay outside the park, look for accommodations in Babb or St. Mary, like St. Mary Village.
  • How to Get There: Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, Montana, is the closest airport. Use Expedia to browse flights and find the best price.
  • How to Get Around: The best way to get around the park is by car. Use Expedia to browse deals on rental cars or rent an RV or campervan with Outdoorsy!
  • Best Self-Guided Tour: My favorite way to learn more about the park is with GyPSy Guides, a narrated self-guided tour perfect for road trips and scenic drives. The Glacier Going-to-the-Sun Road Guide provides incredible commentary and detail about history and geology.
  • Don’t Forget: Be sure to get an America the Beautiful National Park Pass ahead of time. This $80 pass is valid for 12 months and gets you into all 400+ national park sites (including Glacier!).

Will Glacier National Park require reservations in 2024?

Glacier National Park will require reservations in 2024 to access Going-to-the-Sun Road, North Fork, and Many Glacier. The reservation system limits the number of daily visitors allowed to enter these park areas to improve traffic and protect park resources.

Since these are the park’s most popular areas and contain the vast majority of things to do in Glacier National Park, you’ll need a reservation when visiting Glacier in 2024.

How have Glacier National Park reservations changed in 2024?

There are several changes to the Glacier National Park reservation system for 2024, including:

  • Reservations are no longer required at the St. Mary Entrance station (east entrance) to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road.
  • Reservation are no longer required to access Two Medicine.
  • Visitors without a reservation can now access Apgar Village and Apgar Visitor Center on the west side without a Going-to-the-Sun Road reservation. However, this means that lodging in Apgar no longer counts as your reservation to enter Going-to-the-Sun Road.
  • Going-to-the-Sun Road reservations will only be valid for a single day instead of the three day reservation period in 2023.
  • Reservations will now be released on a daily rolling basis instead of an entire month released at once.
  • A limited number of reservations will still be made available one day in ahead, but these will now become available at 7 PM MT instead of 8 AM MT.

Why is there a Glacier National Park reservation system?

Glacier National Park is expanding their reservation system in 2024 to reduce traffic and congestion and improve the visitor experience. As national parks continue to set visitation records, reducing the number of vehicles in highly-trafficked areas is crucial.

Reducing the number of visitors in popular areas allows emergency vehicles and park rangers to navigate the park without encountering dangerous traffic gridlocks. Less traffic also makes it easier for you to get around the park!

What park areas are requiring Glacier National Park reservations in 2024?

The map below shows the reservation areas in Glacier National Park for 2024, including access to Going-to-the-Sun Road. The orange outlines reflect the roads only accessible via reservation. As you can see, nearly every park road will require a reservation to access.

You can view this Going-to-the-Sun Road map in more detail here.

Glacier National Park Reservation areas for 2024
Source: National Park Service

Details on the 2024 Glacier National Park Vehicle Pass

In 2024, Glacier National Park will require all visitors to drive the majority of park roads between May 24 and September 8, 2024, between 6 am and 3 pm. However, the exact dates that the reservations are in effect vary by region, so keep reading for the details broken out by region.

Reservations can be made via Recreation.gov starting January 25, 2024, at 8 AM MST for May 24, 2024. After that, reservations will be released 120 days in advance on a rolling daily basis. Read the “How to Make a Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservation for 2024” section below for more details.

Going-to-the-Sun Road Reservation Dates

  • West Entrance Reservation Dates: May 24 to September 8 from 6 AM to 3 PM (Note: reservations are no longer required at the east St. Mary entrance)
  • Reservation Period: Single day

Read More: Ultimate Guide to Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going to the Sun Road reservation area in Glacier National Park for 2024
Detailed view of the Going-to-the-Sun reservation area
Source: National Park Service

North Fork Reservation Dates

  • Reservation Dates: May 24 to September 8 from 6 AM to 3 PM
  • Reservation Period: Single day
North Fork reservation area in Glacier National Park for 2024
Detailed view of the North Fork reservation area
Source: National Park Service

Many Glacier Reservation Dates

  • Reservation Dates: July 1 to September 8 from 6 AM to 3 PM
  • Reservation Period: Single day
Many Glacier reservation area in Glacier National Park for 2024
Detailed view of the Many Glacier reservation area
Source: National Park Service

Important Details About the Glacier National Park Ticketed Entry

  • All reservations are only valid for a single day. If you want to visit these areas for more than one day, you’ll need a reservation for each day you intend to visit.
  • All reservations are per vehicle. Your reservation (and park entry fee) covers everyone in your car. However, if you bring multiple vehicles and caravan through the park, you’ll need a reservation for each car.
  • Ticketed entry reservations cost a $2 reservation fee. The reservation fee does not include your entry fee to the park. You will be required to pay for entry to the park separately.
  • The ticketed entry system does not cover your park entrance cost. All visitors must either present a valid national park pass (including lifetime senior or military passes) or pay the $35 7-day entrance fee upon entering the park.
  • Your national park pass does not grant you access to Glacier National Park. Even valid America the Beautiful and Lifetime Senior and Military pass holders must make a ticketed entry reservation.
  • A Glacier National Park reservation does not guarantee a parking space. To avoid crowds and find parking spots, be sure to enter the park before 10 AM.  For popular trailheads like Logan Pass, plan to arrive by 7:30 AM to secure a parking spot. In addition, park entrance stations may close periodically when the park is at capacity. This means at peak times you may be stuck waiting in the entrance line even with a reservation.

How to Make a Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservation for 2024

You can secure Glacier National Park reservations in two ways:

  • Book 120 days in advance. Most reservations will be released in advance, beginning on January 25, 2024, at 8 AM MST, on Recreation.Gov. After that, reservations will be released on a rolling basis.

    For reference, here’s a quick breakdown of when each month’s reservations will start to be released. Again, please note the reservations are released on a rolling basis, so this is just to give you a quick idea of when the reservation for your trip will be released. I recommend googling “120 days before X” to find the exact day you’ll need to make a reservation.
    • February 2, 2024 for reservations on June 1, 2024
    • March 3, 2024 for reservations on July 1, 2024
    • April 3, 2024 for reservations on August 1, 2024
    • May 4, 2024 for reservations on September 1, 2024
  • Book the night before. The remaining reservations will be released the evening before at 7 PM MT, starting on May 23, 2024. You can also make these reservations via Recreation.Gov.

Each corridor requires a separate reservation, so it is important to have your Glacier National Park itinerary finalized before booking your reservations.

Important Note
The easiest way to make reservations is online via Recreation.gov. However, you may also make reservations by calling the Recreation.gov Call Center (Reservation Line: 877-444-6777). Phone reservations are meant for those without internet access and do not provide any advantage over booking online.

Tips for Reserving Your Glacier National Park Entry Reservation Ticket

  • You’ll need to pay the $35 entrance fee or buy a national park pass. I recommend purchasing the America Beautiful National Park Pass in advance, which gets you into 400+ national park sites for only $80 per year!
  • Make reservations at 8 AM MT the day they are released. Reservations will be in high demand and have sold out instantaneously in prior years, so I recommend making your reservation at 8 AM MT the day they open.
  • Create a Recreation.gov account ahead of time. Reservations are expected to sell out quickly, so make an account on Recreation.gov the day before and be logged in before 8 AM MT when reservations are released.
  • Download your reservation offline or take a screenshot ahead of time. Cell service is notoriously bad at the entrance stations, so download offline, take a screenshot, or print a hard copy.
  • You must provide proof of purchase for in-park lodging or tour services. If you are using lodging or tours as your entry, you must present proof of purchase (along with a valid park entrance pass or pay the entry fee). Again, I recommend making this available offline.
Many Glacier Hotel on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park
Many Glacier Hotel

Glacier National Park Reservation Exemptions

If you meet any of these conditions, you won’t be required to make a reservation to enter the restricted areas of Glacier National Park:

  • You are staying at in-park accommodations, including lodges and campgrounds. Entry is only permitted during your stay in that specific corridor. For example, staying at Many Glacier Hotel allows you to enter Many Glacier during your visit, not Going-to-the-Sun Road. In addition, staying in Apgar Village does not grant you access to Going-to-the-Sun Road.
  • You have commercial activity reservations inside the park, including reservations for Red Bus Tours and boat tours through Glacier Park Boat Company. Entry is for that single day and only for the corridor in which the tour is located.
  • You arrive at the park before 6 AM or after 3 PM. Reservations are not required outside of those hours.
  • You’re visiting Glacier National Park after September 8, 2024. Reservations are only required from May 24 until September 8 along Going-to-the-Sun Road and North Fork and July 1 to September 8 in Many Glacier. After that, access to Glacier National Park doesn’t require reservations. However, roads begin to close in late September or early October.
  • You are only driving Going-to-the-Sun Road from west to east. Reservations are not being required at the east entrance in St. Mary. This means you can freely drive Going-to-the-Sun Road if you enter at St. Mary (as long as you don’t exit at Apgar Village).
  • You have a special use permit, such as a wedding, photography, event, or commercial authorization.

As mentioned, you must have in-park accommodations or tour reservations in the corridor you’re attempting to enter to waive the entry reservation. Read below for the exact lodges, campgrounds, and tours that get around the reservation system for each area.

Read More: 35 Best Places to Stay Near Glacier National Park

Going-to-the-Sun Road Reservation Exemptions

Tours & Equipment Reservations

Lodges

Campgrounds

  • Sprague Creek Campground
  • Avalanche Creek Campground

Read more about what to do in the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor here.

North Fork Reservation Exemptions

Campgrounds

  • Bowman Lake Campground
  • Kintla Lake Campground
  • Quartz Creek Campground
  • Logging Creek Campground
  • Wilderness camping permit for trailheads located inside the Polebridge Entrance Station

Note: All North Fork campgrounds are first-come, first-served. Sites will be assigned at the Polebridge Entrance Station. After being given a site, you will be given access to the North Fork reservation area.

Many Glacier Reservation Exemptions

Tours & Equipment Reservations

Lodges

Campgrounds

Many Glacier Boat Tour on Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park

What to Do if You Can’t Get a Glacier National Park Entry Ticket Reservation

If you aren’t able to secure a Glacier National Park reservation in 2024, consider some of these alternatives:

  • Enter the park before 6 AM. Reservations are only required between 6 AM and 3 PM. Therefore, visitors can enter before 6 AM without a reservation and drive through the park.
  • Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road from east to west. Reservations are not required to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road starting at the St. Mary Entrance. If you’re staying west of Glacier National Park, you can drive on Highway 2 to the east entrance and then drive Going-to-the-Sun Road as you return.
  • Make a tour reservation. Reserving a boat or horseback tour grants you access to that part of the park on the day of your tour. See above for the tours that give you access to each park area.
  • Take the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle. The shuttle is first-come, first-served and runs between Apgar and St. Mary. Without a Going-to-the-Sun Road reservation, you can park at the St. Mary Visitor Center or Apgar Visitor Center and take the shuttle throughout the park. Read more about the Glacier National Park shuttle.
  • Visit Two Medicine. This lesser visited part of the park no longer requires a reservation. It’s an excellent place to escape the crowds and is known for its phenomenal sunrise views.

Frequently Asked Questions about Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations

How fast do Going-to-the-Sun Road tickets sell out?

The reservations for Going-to-the-Sun Road and the rest of Glacier National Park sell out quickly, often in the first few minutes. To give yourself the best opportunity to get a reservation, create a recreation.gov account ahead of time and book right when reservations are released at 8 AM MT.

What time can you get into Glacier without a pass?

You can get into Glacier National Park without a reservation before 6 AM or after 3 PM. These off-peak hours are an excellent time to explore the park and avoid crowds. However, you’ll still need a national park pass or to pay the entry fee to enter the park.

Can you get into Glacier without a reservation?

In 2024, you must enter Glacier National Park’s restricted areas with a reservation between 6 AM and 3 PM. Outside of those hours, you do not need a reservation. However, you can get around the reservation system by booking lodging or a tour inside the park or by entering at St. Mary or Two Medicine.

Final Thoughts on Glacier National Park Reservations in 2024

This post covers everything you need to know about the Glacier National Park reservation system for 2024. Reservations will be released starting January 25, 2024, and continue to be released on a rolling 120 days basis.

To explore the best things to do in Glacier National Park, you’ll need a reservation to access Going-to-the-Sun Road, North Fork, and Many Glacier.

Looking for more posts to plan your trip to Glacier National Park? You’ll love these guides!

Don’t Forget to Save This Post on Pinterest

Glacier National Park Reservations 2024 Pinterest Pin
Glacier National Park Reservations 2024 Pinterest Pin

Julia is the founder of Well Planned Journey, a travel blog dedicated to exploring US national parks. She has over 20 years of experience hiking and camping in national parks and has helped more than 3 million travelers plan unforgettable national park trips. Her work has been featured by publications like Insider, Volkswagen, Medium, SFGate, Cruise America, and Joy.