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Glacier National Park: How to “Hack” the 2025 Season

If you are planning a trip to Glacier National Park in 2025, delete any bookmarks you saved from last year. The National Park Service has overhauled the access rules, and a massive infrastructure project has effectively “locked down” the park’s most popular valley.

Most visitors will be fighting for vehicle reservations on the West Side. The “Pro” move in 2025 is to head East. Here is why this year’s logistics are different and how to guarantee your entry.

1. The Critical 2025 Change: Many Glacier is “Closed” (Sort of)

 

The Many Glacier valley (home to Grinnell Glacier and Iceberg Lake) is undergoing a massive water system replacement.

  • The Impact: From July 1 to September 21, 2025, there is zero public parking at the Swiftcurrent end of the road.

  • The Restriction: You cannot drive your personal vehicle into the valley unless you have a hotel reservation (Many Glacier Hotel) or a boat tour booking.

  • The “Pro” Workaround: You must book a hiker shuttle ticket on Recreation.gov. This acts as your entry pass. Without this ticket or a lodging confirmation, you will be turned around at the entrance station.

2. The Reservation Loophole: Enter from the East

 

In 2025, the vehicle reservation system has a massive loophole that savvy travelers are exploiting.

  • West Entrance (West Glacier): Requires a timed-entry reservation (7 AM – 3 PM). These sell out in seconds.

  • East Entrance (St. Mary): NO RESERVATION REQUIRED.

  • The Strategy: Book your lodging in Babb or St. Mary. You can drive onto the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the east side freely. You only need a reservation if you try to enter from the West side or the North Fork.

3. Two Medicine: The 2025 Alternative

 

With Many Glacier effectively bottlenecked by construction, the “Two Medicine” valley is the place to be.

  • Why go? It requires no vehicle reservation in 2025.

  • The Hike: Skip the crowded Grinnell Glacier and hike Pitamakan Pass or Scenic Point in Two Medicine. The views are just as dramatic, but you won’t be fighting for a shuttle seat.

4. Bear Safety: The Rules Have Tightened

 

Glacier is “Grizzly Country,” and 2024 saw increased bear activity near trails.

  • The Gear: Do not just buy bear spray; buy a holster. If it’s in your backpack, it’s useless.

  • The Behavior: Trail running is strongly discouraged in 2025 due to startle incidents. Hike in groups and make noise (specifically “human” noise like talking, not just bear bells, which bears often ignore).

5. When to Book (Mark Your Calendar)

 

  • Vehicle Reservations (West Side & North Fork): Released in two blocks.

    • Block 1: 120 days in advance (Rolling daily basis).

    • Block 2: Next-day release at 7:00 PM MDT (Set an alarm).

  • Many Glacier Shuttle: These will vanish instantly. Book as soon as the window opens on Recreation.gov (typically 8:00 AM MDT).

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