Welcome to the breathtaking Going-to-the-Sun Road tour in Glacier National Park! This engineering marvel winds through 50 miles and 2 hours of Montana's most spectacular mountain scenery.
As we journey from the lake-dotted lowlands to alpine heights, you'll witness stunning vistas, diverse ecosystems, and possibly even some of the park's iconic wildlife.
Itinerary
1. West Glacier
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 15 minutes
The gateway town is just outside of the west Going to the Sun entrance. If you need to pick up anything, like coffee, gas, or bear spray, West Glacier is the last full-service town you'll see until the end of your 2 hours Going to the Sun drive.
2. Apgar Village and Visitor Center
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 min-1 hour
At the Apgar Visitor Center, you can browse exhibits, do some trip planning, stop by the restroom, and refill your water bottle. It’s also where you can board the Going to the Sun Shuttle. Apgar Village has a cafe, gift shop, supply store, and more.
3. Lake McDonald Viewpoint
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This is where you'll take in your first views of Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier National Park.
4. Lake McDonald Beach
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
This quick stop lets visitors walk along the pebbly shores of McDonald Lake, admiring its famous rainbow rocks.
5. Sprague Creek Campground
GlacierNPS
- Duration: 5 minutes
This shady, lakeside campground has many picnic tables for your enjoyment.
6. McDonald Lodge
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
Originally called the Lewis Glacier Hotel, it was built in 1914 by prospector John Lewis. This fine example of architecture is made of local stone and cedar.
7. McDonald Falls
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
McDonald Falls is one of two short, but beautiful rushing waterfalls located along the McDonald Creek Trail. The blue-green water and white foam is especially stunning on clear, sunny days.
8. Sacred Dancing Cascade
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
The second of the two cascading McDonald Creek falls. Visitors can either stop at each roadside pullover or just take the McDonald's Creek Trail to visit both. If you turn around at McDonald's Falls, the total time is only one hour, and about a mile long.
9. Trail of the Cedars
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 1 hour
The Trail of the Cedars is renowned for its Western Red Cedar and Hemlock rainforest. The trail is an easy, flat, half-mile loop, although many hikers will choose to continue on to Avalanche Lake.
10. Avalanche Lake
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 2 hours
To reach the famous lake, hikers will start at the Trail of the Cedars Trailhead. At four-and-a-half miles or just over seven kilometers, the Avalanche Lake Trail passes through more rainforest, multiple waterfalls, and up to a crystal clear glacial lake, reflecting Avalanche Peak.
11. Red Rock Point
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
These rocks are made of compacted clay and oxidized iron, giving them their rusty red color.
This roadside stop features the clear-blue waters of McDonald Creek, cascading over the red Grinnell rocks.
12. Mt. Cannon Overlook
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This is the overlook for the snow-dusted Mount Cannon. This triple-peaked mountain was formerly known as Mount Goat until 1901 when two daring newlyweds became the first people to summit it.
13. Mc.Donald Valley Overlook
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This overlook allows you to get a first view of the McDonald Valley before heading up to the higher altitudes of the Garden Wall.
14. The West Tunnel
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
This tunnel has two full-length observational windows and viewing decks that look out at Heaven’s Peak and Lake McDonald Valley. You can either walk or just drive through on your way to The Loop.
15. The Loop
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
The Loop is the steepest hairpin turn on the entire road and a major highlight for hikers. It’s the trailhead for some of the park’s most famous trails, like The Loop, Granite Park, and the Highline.
16. Bird Woman Falls Overlook
GlacierNPS
- Duration: 10 minutes
Fed by snowmelt from Mount Oberlin and Mount Cannon, the falls are especially spectacular in late spring and early summer. From the overlook, Bird Woman Falls, at 960 feet, is across the valley.
17. Paradise Meadow
National Park Service Digital Image Archives
- Duration: 5 minutes
Paradise Meadow overlook is a quick roadside stop that lets visitors see across the rolling hills and valleys of Glacier. In spring, a blanket of vibrant wildflowers covers the hillside.
18. Oberlin Bend
U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Federal Lands Highway
- Duration: 30 minutes
Oberlin Bend offers a ten-minute boardwalk trail offering great views of Logan Pass, the Mc Donald Valley, and, sometimes, the local mascots, Glacier's mountain goats.
19. Logan Pass
GlacierNPS
- Duration: 1 hour
At a whopping 6,600 feet above sea level, Logan Pass is the highest elevation on the road. There's a lot to see and do here, including several famous trails and the Logan Pass Visitor Center.
20. Highline Trail
daveynin
- Duration: Full Day
One of the most popular trails on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park is a spectacular 11.8-mile path that follows the Continental Divide, offering breathtaking views of alpine meadows, rugged mountain peaks, and diverse wildlife.
21. Lunch Creek
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
Hidden in a hairpin turn, Lunch Creek Pullover is where water cascades down Pollock Mountain. Take a short walk down to the observation deck to take in the sights and sounds.
22. Piegan Pass
GlacierNPS
- Duration: 5 minutes without a hike
Piegan Pass is a popular hike, but at over nine miles long, it’s definitely a full-day adventure. First, the trail follows along Siyeh Creek, through a thick, spruce-fir forest, and up to the barren, rocky pass between Siyeh and the Cataract Mountains.
23. Jackson Glacier Overlook
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
Jackson Glacier Overlook is where you can see Jackson, the park’s 7th largest remaining glacier, and learn a little about glaciers and their fate in the park.
24. St. Mary Falls
GlacierNPS
- Duration: 1-3 hours
If you’re up for a short hike, we highly recommend the St. Mary Falls Trail. It’s only one-and-a-half miles to the falls and back, with less than 200 feet of elevation change.
If you want to double your falls, you can take the trail down to Virginia Falls, for a total of three miles round trip.
25. Siyeh Pass
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
This quick hike is great to take on its own, or with St. Mary's Falls. It’s just over a mile to Baring Falls and back.
26. Sun Point
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes, 3 hours with hike
The picture-perfect promontory of Sun Point is a great place to look out over St. Mary Lake.
You may also want to set out on the Sun Point Nature Trail, a two-mile, or three-kilometer hike that offers stunning views of Saint Mary Lake, Baring Falls, and Red Eagle Mountain.
27. Wild Goose Island Lookout
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 10 minutes
Wild Goose Island lookout is a great place to stop and practice your photography skills. From left to right, you’ll see the following mountains:
- Red Eagle
- Mahtotopa
- Little Chief
- Dusty Star, and
- Citadel
28. The Narrows Overlook
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This overlook looks our at The Narrows and The Golden Staircase, the narrowest channel of the lake and the retaining wall built to support the banks.
29. Rising Sun Boat Dock
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This is a great spot to dip your toes in the waters of St. Mary Lake, watch boaters, or maybe even set sail yourself.
30. Rising Sun Picnic Area
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 5 minutes
This lakeside picnic area is one of the final stops before exiting the eastern Going-to-the-Sun gate.
31. St. Mary Visitor Center
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
At the St. Mary Visitor Center, you can browse the bookstore and exhibits, and watch a film on the history of the park. You can also swing by the restroom and fill up your water bottles.
32. St. Mary Historic Ranger Station
Rachel Ennis
- Duration: 30 minutes
This "secret stop" is missed by most people. Only about 500 feet down Beaver Pond Trail, this historic ranger station was built in 1913 and housed one of the earliest park rangers.
Conclusion
We hope you'll be inspired by the raw beauty and grandeur of Glacier National Park. From the shores of Lake McDonald to the heights of Logan Pass, this drive showcases some of North America's most stunning landscapes.
Through Shaka Guide, you'll gain a unique perspective on Glacier's majesty, understanding not just what you see, but the forces that created it and the unique changes and challenges the park faces.
Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Going-To-The-Sun Road Tour!
We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.
For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Going-To-The-Sun Road Know Before You Go article.
Like this article? Share it on Pinterest!
