What Could Make Glacier National Park Visits Even More Awesome

With a whopping increase in visits from 1.5 million to 3 million in the past 20 years, where do we go from here?

That's what the Montana treasure that is Glacier National Park will be working on in 2025, and they would appreciate your input. Whether you are a park regular, or have only made an occasional visit, open up about whatever has possibly discouraged you from wanting to visit again.

Glacier National Park is seeking public input on the future of how visitors access and travel around the park, including the North Fork, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and Going-to-the-Sun Road. The park is sharing initial ideas for addressing traffic congestion, visitor movement challenges, transportation, and related issues that affect visitor experience and park resources that will be used to introduce a long-term plan. Public comments are being accepted through January 6, 2025.

Much of the increased use this century is concentrated along the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor and other popular destinations during the peak season of June through August. Different pilot reservation systems were implemented in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the park will again pilot a reservation system in 2025.

There is naturally a lot at stake, not only in terms of the park's well-being, but also in terms of the massive tourist income generated on which so many northwest Montana businesses thrive.

GNP staff emphasize that this is not merely paying lip service to visitors who have comments they want to make. This is a collective priority to provide a park experience   that is enjoyable and safe. A lot has already been learned listening to feedback, and adapting on an annual basis. The ultimate goal is to establish what a long-term plan could look like at the park.

According to Park Superintendent Dave Roemer, "Everywhere I go, I hear so much passion and pride in Glacier. I hope that everyone will take this opportunity to share their input.”

Even if you don't want to offer personal input (but they hope you do), it is kind of interesting to check out what other park visitors are thinking. The public can visit the park's project website page here to submit input. The site also provides a summary of key issues, project goals, the history of visitation, transportation and vehicle reservations in the park, and the initial ideas for the park’s long-term plan.