Glacier National Park Info

[Serk]

So.... just thinking/daydreaming at this point but... For those who have been there, LOOKS like it's roughly 350 miles from Billings to Glacier National Park...

Including of course the Road to the Sun, how long time wise should be budgeted?

Toying with the idea of adding 2-3 days to my Inzane trip (If I can make it happen, that's still up in the air) and going north west instead of straight home after IZ ends... How long should I budget from Billings to Glacier, do the road, and be back to the Billings area?

Also toying with the idea of getting Serk Jr. (The most likely traveling buddy for this trip if it happens) a passport so he can be the first of the triplets (Or any of the kids, depending on what the Army does with Kali) to set foot off US soil... How long does it take to get from Glacier, across the border, get a pic that yup, we were out of the US and then back to the US?

Still daydreaming, but figured I'd throw this out for those who've been there done that...

Thanks!

[Avanti]

You need a special permit for “Going To The Sun Road”. You can not just show up.

Going-to-the-Sun Road Entry tickets are available 60 days in advance on a rolling daily window for arrivals May 28 - September 6, 2021. Beginning May 26th, 2021, tickets will also available two days in advance at 8 a.m. MT on a rolling daily window. Entry tickets are good for 7 consecutive days including the reserved day of arrival. Only one GTSR entry ticket is required per vehicle/motorcycle

[Serk]

Unless the rules change between now and then, it’s going to take some time doing a border crossing. You need a test beforehand and have to sign up and login on an app.

Even if both of us are fully vaccinated?

I get things can change a LOT between not and then, just trying to plan out best I can.....

[John Schmidt]

Glacier Park must have changed re. admission. When my wife and I went through it was wide open, just drive through at your own pace and whenever you wanted to enter, stop and see what you want. No tickets or any kind of passes needed, just didn't exist at the time.

[Oldfishguy]

Unless the rules change between now and then, it’s going to take some time doing a border crossing. You need a test beforehand and have to sign up and login on an app.

Even if both of us are fully vaccinated?

I get things can change a LOT between not and then, just trying to plan out best I can.....

Yes.

I did numerous crossings to Canada this summer/fall.  And yes, things change, and hard to say what this coming summer will bring.

But here is the procedure that was in place to get in to Canada this last fall.  Yes, a Covid test has to be administered within 72 hours of arrival crossing.  It has to be a PCR/ NAAT test as well, meaning a lab test, not the over the counter test.  These days this test is best administered by a private lab facilities that have popped up all the country.  The Community hospital tests are taking way to long for results currently.  With the private labs, results are typically within an hour and cost about $125. Paper copy must be carried with, along with your original vaccination card.

The online app (ArriveCan) needs to be downloaded on a device and filled out.  One has to take a picture of your vaccination card and insert it in to the app.  Addresses of stays have to be known and included and also address of potential quarantine sites if one comes down with Covid while in Canada.  Once the app is completed a release number is given and that number will be needed by the Canadian Customs office to clear you in to Canada. The app takes an hour or so the first time through.

Getting back in to the US, I am not sure as I know it has changed.  Requiring Covid test now? Not sure??

[Serk]

Appreciate the info on crossing the border, will research further, and see how things change between now and June...

...what about time allocated from Billings to Glacier and back to Billings?

A day to the area, a day in the area, and a day back out sound about right?

[msb]

Appreciate the info on crossing the border, will research further, and see how things change between now and June...

...what about time allocated from Billings to Glacier and back to Billings?

A day to the area, a day in the area, and a day back out sound about right?

As of now, I believe the procedure for US citizens entering Canada by riding/driving is as Oldfishguy states, albeit our Federal government really has no idea what they are doing, so that could change at any time. It's actually easier for us vaxxed Canucks to zip down to the US for a short visit, as no extra test is required when returning as long as we don't stay for more than 72 hours.
If it does work for you, enter at one of the smaller crossings in SE BC...it's a beautiful ride up from Glacier through Northern ID into BC. If the border thing doesn't work out for you, swing a little ways West...there are some parallel roads that run each side of the border between crossings with just a ditch in between. You can park on your side, and we can have a few Valks show up on our side and have a visit...just take a selfie of yourself, Serk Jr, and your bike with us Canucks in the background, and voila...you've "been" to Canada 

Glacier...I agree with your assessment regarding a nice relaxing day ride to and from, from Billings. The one time I did Going to the Sun Road it was a pain...absolutely gorgeous for sure, but whooee, the traffic...not much fun 2-up on the Valk!! Especially if they have the booking requirement now, that would suck. Lots of fantastic scenery and great less touristy places to see in Glacier and surrounding area (West) without doing Going to the Sun....just my opinion.

[..]

I've been reading about the amount of traffic last summer clogging up the road hence the time reservations now needed. Long Distance Riders on Facebook has been one source.

A lot of riders said it just wasn't worth the hassle crawling along.

I rode it a few years ago and was going to again but I'm going to pass.

[0leman]

Visited Glacier park 5 years ago,  stayed in campground on East side.   Was in a Ram 1500 not riding.  The trip over the hill was cool, except for heavy traffic and the tour busses.  The busses would take their part of the road and some of ours.  Several places had to move over where there was no room to move over, almost hit my mirror on rocks. 

We had reservations at the campground and did a lot of typical tourist stuff.   Did enjoy it.   Other than reservations for campground, only the one time park entry permit was required.   I haven't heard that one needs a special permit to drive over the hill.   Glad we went when we did.

[John Schmidt]

Well, judging by the requirements to go through Glacier and up into Canada, I guess I'll pass on trying to do that this summer. Wanted to retrace our honeymoon trip into & through those areas and spread some of Rita's ashes along the way but doubt I'll do it now. Maybe go to New England this fall, she loved the fall folliage and we went almost every year until she could no longer travel...or even leave the house for dr. appts.  This may affect my decision to attend Inzane since I was going to use it as a jumping off place to head for Canada. Now it's a "wait and see" thing I guess. 

[cookiedough]

good info. never knew besides passport now a COVID test done as well to get into Canada.  I guess will stay in the states since we were thinking this spring before all the bugs come out of going past Duluth MN up along Lake Superior shoreline and like we did some 17 years ago go across into Canada.  Guess not now, too much hastle IMO stick into just MN area be fine with me.  Canada was nice but oh well, skip going that far north driving.

[carolinarider09]

Just in case you are interested.....   We were there in late August of 2013 (I know long time ago).  We came across using the northern route (US-2).   We did not go through Billings on this trip.  We did travel the Going to the Sun Highway.  There, then, was significant traffic in several areas.  Still, I'd do it again.  

We did discuss going north to cross the boarder into Canada, just to add the province to our "list of areas visited" but it would have cost us a couple of extra hours.  It was about 75 miles round trip from our stop over point in Shelby, MT to Coutts, Alberta.  Maybe we should have, but.....  

It is redundant most probably but here are the videos we took on that trip.  They, it appears, were recored in 1080p. However, Rumble defaults to 48op and it takes a while for Rumble to get them "decoded" to 1080p.  

https://rumble.com/vkqiv1-going-to-the-sun.html

https://rumble.com/vlom9k-west-glacier-part-one.html

https://rumble.com/vlon5x-west-glacier-part-2.html

Edit I modified this message because I had uploaded the videos to Rumble before.  So I used the original reference and will delete the new ones.

[Avanti]

Check out Two Medicine Lake in the south part of the Park.

[Rams]

Haven't been there and from the sound of what it takes and all the traffic, doesn't appear I ever will.  The last thing I need is to sight see while riding my Valkyrie in heavy traffic while all the other drivers are sight seeing also.  

It does sound like a fun and interesting trip except for the negatives mentioned.

Rams

[hubcapsc]

Haven't been there and from the sound of what it takes and all the traffic, doesn't appear I ever will.  The last thing I need is to sight see while riding my Valkyrie in heavy traffic while all the other drivers are sight seeing also.  

It does sound like a fun and interesting trip except for the negatives mentioned.

Rams

I have to believe (I was wrong once before) that there's many cool places
out there that don't have traffic, like there's a million good roads out here
that aren't The Dragon.

-Mike

[Avanti]

Haven't been there and from the sound of what it takes and all the traffic, doesn't appear I ever will.  The last thing I need is to sight see while riding my Valkyrie in heavy traffic while all the other drivers are sight seeing also.  

It does sound like a fun and interesting trip except for the negatives mentioned.

Rams

I have to believe (I was wrong once before) that there's many cool places
out there that don't have traffic, like there's a million good roads out here
that aren't The Dragon.

-Mike

You are exactly right.  There are still roads that are free from traffic. Rode from WI to Shoshone National Forest WY and over the Bear Tooth, on no traffic roads.

[carolinarider09]

We have done Beartooth and Bighorn twice.  The video below are pieces parts of our ride up Beartooth and Bighorn (and down Bighorn) in June 2015. 

In June, which is really just a few weeks after they get the roads cleared, there is little traffic but the roads are really clean and clear.  The have YouTube videos of their road maintenance during the later spring so you can see what the roads are like. 

https://rumble.com/vt17e5-riding-beartooth-and-bighorn-june-2015.html

[Rams]

Haven't been there and from the sound of what it takes and all the traffic, doesn't appear I ever will.  The last thing I need is to sight see while riding my Valkyrie in heavy traffic while all the other drivers are sight seeing also.  

It does sound like a fun and interesting trip except for the negatives mentioned.

Rams

I have to believe (I was wrong once before) that there's many cool places
out there that don't have traffic, like there's a million good roads out here
that aren't The Dragon.

-Mike

I whole heartedly agree and I've only discovered a small percentage of them.   Where's DDT when ya need him............ 

Rams

[msb]

Haven't been there and from the sound of what it takes and all the traffic, doesn't appear I ever will.  The last thing I need is to sight see while riding my Valkyrie in heavy traffic while all the other drivers are sight seeing also.  

It does sound like a fun and interesting trip except for the negatives mentioned.

Rams

I have to believe (I was wrong once before) that there's many cool places
out there that don't have traffic, like there's a million good roads out here
that aren't The Dragon.

-Mike

I too have been wrong once...OK, maybe twice...before, but I have ridden extensively throughout Montana and the Northern half especially of Idaho , and there are some fantastic roads and places to visit that are not big popular tourist attractions. That whole region is well worth the time and effort to ride to without having to rely on Going to the Sun as the main attraction. Unless of course, it's a bucket list kind of thing where one just wants to say they've done it. I recall our first ride to Yellowstone...I'm glad we went, but it was a little too touristy for us , especially being on the bike. Spent a whole long day in the park seeing everything we could and were lucky to get out unscathed with all the cars, vans, etc stopping in the middle of the road to get photos every time a "wild" critter showed themselves.

[Savago]

Glacier is one of the my favorite rides ever. Did it in 2015, a short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hysx7B_K8P8

Most people arrive at the NP through West Glacier to do the Going to the Sun road (so that results in traffic). I did it the other way (i.e. starting from East Glacier) to avoid the traffic.

[Avanti]

Connect the dots of Small Town American and that is were you want to go.

[Savago]

Around that area (1 day ride distance) there is the Beartooth Pass (towards Yellowstone NP).

I only did it because I've met a group of motorcycle riders from Canada and they highly recommended it (to which I'm grateful I've listened to them).

The only thing to pay attention is that the weather there is quite unpredictable (it can snow even in the summer).

Short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai3qieVNIqA

[John Schmidt]

Well, judging by the requirements to go through Glacier and up into Canada, I guess I'll pass on trying to do that this summer. Wanted to retrace our honeymoon trip into & through those areas and spread some of Rita's ashes along the way but doubt I'll do it now. Maybe go to New England this fall, she loved the fall folliage and we went almost every year until she could no longer travel...or even leave the house for dr. appts.  This may affect my decision to attend Inzane since I was going to use it as a jumping off place to head for Canada. Now it's a "wait and see" thing I guess. 

John, you are retired. If it takes a couple more days, a few more dollars, and it’s something significant to you, DO IT. (I’m sure I used too many commas)

Rob, I/we have been through Glacier in the past so don't really need to see it again. I would like to retrace our trip into Canada, take in Banff and Lake Louise once more. Doubt I'd go clear up to Jasper, none of it will be the same, especially alone, so maybe I'll just leave it all to the memory bank and dozens of pictures and film I have.  

[semo97]

Been there done it all. It was worth it, I liked Glaser better then Yellowstone. Yellowstone has too many people. Do not have a firearm crossing into Canada. They will probably ask you twice if you have a firearm being from Texas. They have done that too many of us. 

[..]

stopping in the middle of the road to get photos every time a "wild" critter showed themselves.

Squirrel!!!

Brake screech.

[JimC]

Our last Billings Inzane. Thankfully I was not one of them, I didn't have enough clean under ware for that kind of ride. (click to open up)
Jim

[Serk]

Our last Billings Inzane. Thankfully I was not one of them, I didn't have enough clean under ware for that kind of ride. (click to open up)

Yup. Our last Billings Inzane was my first Inzane, and I'll admit, I didn't fight TOO much when I saw the weather forecast when the spousal unit requested instead of riding I drive the SUV with the whole fam damily over Bear Tooth.... I did offer the riders the opportunity to warm up in my heated SUV at the highest point, but no one took me up on the offer.



...can't get over how much they've grown since then.....



So still in dreaming/thinking mode.... But thinking Friday morning head out and get a room in Kalispell, then Saturday ride around the park. I know it's gonna be a traffic hell, but it's also a "Gotta do it at least once" thing, so will ride the Road to the Sun.

From there will depend on Canada's choices. IF it's looking like they're open, I'll have gotten Serk Jr. a passport, and head north, maybe ride east until we're over North Dakota, then cut south and start heading to home.

If Canada is still being silly, then we'll just head back directly.

And yeah, having Texas plates I know I'll probably get searched. I remember when we took a family trip from Michigan through Canada to Niagra. My dad had a .50 caliber ammo can that he used as a portable tool box.

We got selected for deeper searching (Assuming because of our Texas plates.) Popped the back of the minivan, the Mounties saw that ammo can and got VERY excited, started just ripping stuff out of the back of the van and throwing it on the ground. Shattered the mugs we'd bought at the Corvette museum earlier in this trip, still bitter about that, but c'est la vie.

They seemed genuinely disappointed to see it was literally just tools.

But I digress....

Thanks for the input all! Me going to IZ at all is still a big if, so I'm just daydreaming and making very loose plans at this point. Hoping I can make it happen, but meh...

[Jess from VA]

I've done this in West VA twice (and deeper snow), and it would be OK if I didn't do it again.

I can tell you I was never happier about my car tire though.   Down the mountain, and lay off the brakes (and the throttle).  

[Rams]

I've done this in West VA twice (and deeper snow), and it would be OK if I didn't do it again.

I can tell you I was never happier about my car tire though.   Down the mountain, and lay off the brakes (and the throttle).  

I know I'm getting old and have learned that falling down can be painful but, I'm very glad I wasn't invited to go on that trip.   Brrrrr

Rams

[Oss]

When we drove from Calgary to the east side of the Glacier park we needed no special invitation just drove on thru.  Enjoyed going west more then east coming back and light traffic   I think it was very late summer  Maybe T-man can remember better than me as we had dinner in Calgary a few days later

Dont forget to eat the pie at the restaurant east of the gate in St Mary

We bought the gypsy app for Glacier  worth the 10 bucks or so

Will be sure to get my senior park pass soon !

[Jess from VA]

I know I'm getting old and have learned that falling down can be painful but, I'm very glad I wasn't invited to go on that trip.   Brrrrr

No one plans to ride in the snow.  Well no sane person anyway.

Snow was not forecast either time, but mountain tops (and elevation) have their own rules.

The ground was not frozen either time (or we would not have been riding), so the surface was not ice, just a lot of melting slush. 

[Gryphon Rider]

We wanted to ride the Going-To-The-Sun road on our way to the last Billings InZane in 2017, and it wasn't open yet.  I think it opened while we were at InZane.  Opening date totally depends on how long it takes to clear the snow from the road, then do necessary repairs.  Historically, it has opened anywhere from mid May to mid July, but typically mid to late June.

From St. Mary, MT (near the Glacier Park gate on east side of Logan Pass) to the Canadian border is about 20-40 minutes, depending on whether you go to the Carway or Chief Mountain crossing.

I don't plan on crossing the border until all the COVID test requirements are gone; who knows when that might be.

[Wizzard]

Last time I rode the going to the sun road was in July of 2016. Had no problem at all.

[luftkoph]

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html

Some info here if your reading pleasure

[ptgb]

We went to GTS Road on the Thursday of last Inzane in Billings. It had just opened that day. You're going to be iffy as to it being open or not.