Construction will limit access to Many Glacier in Glacier National Park this summer
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 day, 11 hours AGO
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at editor@hungryhorsenews.com or 406-892-2151. | January 16, 2025 11:55 AM
Access into the Many Glacier Valley in Glacier National Park will be restricted this summer to about 120 groups a day, as the Park Service upgrades the infrastructure in the Swiftcurrent Valley.
Visitors who do not have a reservation to the Many Glacier Hotel, Swan Mountain Outfitters (horseback rides) or the Glacier Park Boat Company will not be allowed access into the valley without a reservation from July 1 to Sept. 21.
No hiking or bicycling will be allowed into the valley, either.
The Park Service will run shuttles from about 13 pullouts along the road for people who have obtained reservations. This will allow day hikers and other visitors into the valley.
The reason for the shuttle is with construction, about half the parking spots in the valley will be unavailable.
Construction began in the fall of 2024 and will continue through mid-May 2026. The project will replace the water system at the Swiftcurrent developed area. Most of the infrastructure providing water to the area was originally installed in the 1960s. The project will also rehabilitate the road, including pavement and drainage improvements, between the Many Glacier Hotel intersection and the Swiftcurrent developed area, and address parking concerns and pedestrian safety. The construction area is closed to vehicles, bikes, and foot traffic.
The entire valley is closed in the winter as the gate is put across the road at the Swiftcurrent Dam.
“We chose to keep Many Glacier open during construction, with mitigations, after taking public comment on this project in July 2023,” said Park Superintendent Dave Roemer. “There was a lot of support for keeping the valley open and available for hiking, despite the limited parking capacity. The hiker shuttle service will be available to around 120 groups per day, limited by parking, and only available to reserve on short notice, either one week before or the night before at 7 p.m.”
No overnight parking in turnouts will be allowed. Park spokeswoman Gina Icenoggle said the park is still working out the logistics for users with backcountry permits.
To use the hiker shuttle service, hikers will need to obtain one shuttle ticket from Recreation.gov for their party to board the shuttle. Hikers with a shuttle ticket will park at one of several designated pull-outs, transformed into temporary parking lots, along the Many Glacier Road. Hikers will board the shuttle from their parking location for a 15–30-minute ride to Many Glacier Hotel.
The park plans on using two shuttles into the valley from the fleet that serves the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Icenoggle said.
A valid park entry pass is also required for each party boarding the shuttle. These passes could include any of the following: a $35 vehicle entrance pass, good for seven days; a valid Interagency Annual/Lifetime Pass; or a Glacier National Park Annual Pass. Shuttles will stop near the Many Glacier Entrance station where park entry passes will be validated prior to entry.
Access to all trails will begin at the Many Glacier Hotel upper parking lot, with maps and signs indicating detours around the construction zone. Hikers should be aware that detours may add up to an extra mile each way to hiking distances.
Shuttle tickets will be available seven days in advance each morning at 8 a.m., starting on June 24, and at 7 p.m. the night before entry, starting on June 30. Tickets will be limited and determined by shuttle and parking capacity. Time blocks for shuttle boarding and details on the daily shuttle service will be announced in late spring.
Shuttle tickets will be scanned when hikers board the shuttles. Hikers without a shuttle ticket will not be permitted to ride the shuttle. Parking areas will be reserved for ticketed shuttle riders only, and parking will only be allowed at designated parking locations. Only one shuttle ticket is required per vehicle and will admit all members of the party included in the vehicle.
The park is offering timed shuttle tickets to avoid hikers waiting for long periods of time for the shuttle in the dustiest part of the road. Visitors without a shuttle ticket, or commercial service or lodging reservation, are encouraged not to drive into the valley past Babb, since there will be no parking and additional traffic will cause congestion and dust.
Pursuant to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, tribal members will have access to enter Many Glacier Valley during all hours when the entrance is staffed.
Prior to July 1 and after Sept.21, entrance to Many Glacier is accessible without a shuttle ticket or commercial service or lodging reservation. However, because parking is limited to the Many Glacier Hotel parking lot, capacity will be reached quickly, and daily temporary access restrictions are expected.
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Many Glacier Campground, and all trailhead parking in the Swiftcurrent area will be closed through mid-May 2026. All waters in the Many Glacier Valley will be closed to private personal watercraft the entire 2025 season.
ARTICLES BY CHRIS PETERSON
Construction will limit access to Many Glacier in Glacier National Park this summer
Access into the Many Glacier Valley in Glacier National Park will be restricted this summer to about 120 groups a day, as the Park Service upgrades the infrastructure in the Swiftcurrent Valley.
Developer moves to purchase CFAC site following EPA's cleanup decision
The Environmental Protection Agency Friday released its record of decision for cleaning up the defunct Columbia Falls Aluminum Co plant, which paves the way for Columbia Falls developer Mick Ruis to buy most of the property, save for the landfills themselves.
Cats drop Hamilton in first home game
The nice thing about the Columbia Falls boys basketball team is this: Any player with the ball in his hands can score.