Glacier National Park officials are soliciting public comment on a proposal to close the Swiftcurrent developed area during the 2025 summer season for water and road improvements.

Officials say the season-long closure is necessary to reduce the overall impact on visitors by avoiding stretching construction over multiple seasons.

According to the project’s story map, the Swiftcurrent developed area includes the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and General Store, Swiftcurrent lodging, Many Glacier Campground, the Swiftcurrent Picnic Area, Swiftcurrent Lake boat launch and the Many Glacier Ranger Station. The Many Glacier Hotel and associated concessioner services will not be part of the project area.

Work will begin in the area during the fall of 2024, continue in the spring and summer of 2025 and wrap up in spring of 2026. Work will be paused in winter and the area would remain open to non-motorized winter recreation, such as skiing or snowshoeing. There will be no public vehicle access into the area while work on the project is underway.

The project area will be closed to visitors, though public use of the trail system in the area would remain available. Day hiking would be facilitated for the trail system from the Swiftcurrent Area, according to a release from park officials. The Iceberg Lake, Ptarmigan Tunnel and Swiftcurrent Pass trails would be accessed at the west end of the project area via the horse access trail that bypasses the construction.

The park is considering hiker transport to facilitate access to the trail system. The Grinnell Glacier Trail would not be accessible from the Swiftcurrent picnic area but could still be accessed from the Many Glacier Hotel.

As part of the project, the road between the Many Glacier Hotel intersection and Swiftcurrent developed area will be rehabilitated, including pavement and drainage improvements. Parking will also be improved. Improvements to the water infrastructure include replacing water lines, rehabilitating the existing well and creating a new well, which will serve as a backup water source.

Most of the infrastructure providing water to the area was originally installed in the 1960s and has been updated as needed over the past 50 years, according to the project story map. One of the project’s goals is to reduce the need for costly ongoing repairs and provide a backup water supply, which the area lacks.

The park is working to complete the environmental review for the project and a decision is expected to be made sometime next winter. According to the project story map, new parking west of the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn was included in Glacier National Park’s 2004 Commercial Services Plan Environmental Impact Statement. For other improvements, the National Park Service is anticipating utilizing a categorical exclusion to document its decision under the National Environmental Policy Act, which states that the project does not have the potential for significant environmental impacts.

Glacier National Park officials are taking public comment on the project until July 30 at 11:59 p.m. Park officials want to know how the project would affect visitor experience in that area and in Glacier National Park overall, as well as how the park can mitigate impacts to the visitor experience during the construction period.

Public comment can be submitted online and the project’s story map can be found by searching “Swiftcurrent” at parkplanning.nps.gov.

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing tinman@dailyinterlake.com.

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