Road crews in Glacier National Park are plowing right along, with the road to Two Medicine expected to open this weekend and plows reaching the Big Bend on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Park officials plan to open Two Medicine Campground on Saturday with limited sites on a first-come, first-served basis. Water and restroom facilities will be available, but not the recreational vehicle dump station.

Two Medicine Lake is free of ice. The boat dock will not be available and boat inspections for aquatic invasive species must be scheduled in advance by contacting the park at 406-888-7800. The restroom facility near the lake will be open. The general store will not be open. 

The west-side plowing crew got to the lower portion of Big Bend this week but snowy weather and low visibility sent the crew to lower elevations to clear debris.

Last year plows did not reach Big Bend until May 17.

Park spokeswoman Denise Germann said the plowing pace is expected to slow down as crews near Logan Pass, which is four miles from Big Bend. Logan Pass, at 6,646 feet, is Sun Road’s highest point.

The crew plowing the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road has now reached Siyeh Bend.

Snow depths along the road, relatively light at lower elevations, are now oscillating between 1 to 20 feet depending on wind and drifts. Throughout their march up the road, the crews have also had to navigate blown-down trees and logs on Sun Road.

“We are finding downed trees across the park at various locations, and if the public is aware of any downed trees we ask that they give us a heads up at 888-7800,” Germann said.

Sun Road is open to vehicles for 11 miles from the park's west entrance to Lake McDonald Lodge.

As of Thursday, hikers and cyclists have access as far as the Logan Pit Comfort Station, approximately 10 miles from the vehicle closure.

As more routes open up to hiking and biking, Germann asked that visitors still use caution.

“There is scattered snow across the park and in some of these locations you’ll still encounter patches of ice,” she said.

Camas Road is open and the Inside North Fork Road is clear between the North Fork Ranger Station and Doverspike Meadow. 

Primitive camping, for $10 per night, is allowed in the Apgar Picnic Area until April 30. Apgar Campground is expected to open May 1. 

Spring construction on the east side of the road has it closed to all visitors past the St. Mary Visitor Center while crews are working. 

At the end of the day and on weekends, hikers and bikers may travel farther up the east-side road and use St. Mary Campground, but there is no vehicular access until at least June 4. The campground can be accessed by the footbridge adjacent to the Visitor Center parking lot and the nightly camping fee is $10.

Entrance to Glacier Park is free this weekend as National Parks Week kicks off.

Updated road status can be found by visiting www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm

Reporter Samuel Wilson may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.