Spring in Glacier National Park
- northernrockiesexp
- Mar 26
- 7 min read
Spring is a totally underrated season in Glacier National Park and I don't know why. If you live in the area like I do, Spring is the best season to go explore the park in unique ways before the crowds of summer. While the main road that cuts through the park, Going-to-the-Sun Road, is still closed to vehicle traffic, it is open to pedestrians and cyclists as the park's road crew works to clear the snow in the alpine section. The crews work four-ten hour shifts every week, leaving Friday, Saturday and Sunday open to adventurers who want to enjoy the crisp air and snow-capped mountains before the heat of summer.
You can enter the park from either the east (St Mary's entrance) or west (Apgar entrance) and can ride your bike or hike on the road up to the "hard closure" point. This is the point that road crews have worked to and any travel beyond those points is dangerous and can result in a fine. The weekly closure points are not only clearly marked with signage, but they are updated on the National Park website on the road status/closure map. It's fun to check the map every week and see the progress of the crews as the clear the road from both east and west, trying to get to the mid-point, Logan Pass, as soon as possible.
A little secret tip: the weekly road status isn't updated until mid-day Friday which makes Saturday and Sunday pretty busy. If you plan your adventure for Friday morning, the physical signage will have been moved to the new closure point but it won't be as crowded since it has been advertised online yet. I always try to take a ride on Friday morning so I have less people on the road to worry about.
Speaking of the road itself, if you are entering from the west side of the park, the hiking/biking portion may be open either at Lake McDonald Lodge or at the Avalanche parking area. If you have to park at Lake McDonald lodge, that adds an additional 6 miles each way to your trip. Parking at Avalanche is a way better option! From the Avalanche area, expect a relatively flat ride for the first five miles until you reach Haystack creek. From this point until The Loop, another three miles, you'll have some varying grades anywhere from 5-8%. Once you reach The Loop, you're at 4,300 ft of elevation and you're half-way to Logan Pass! The next eight miles is roughly 5% grade all the way until you reach the Continental Divide at Logan Pass which is 6,648ft in elevation!
I am an average cyclist and I have used both an e-bike and a gravel bike (closer to road bike dimensions) to ride this road and I'll be honest, the road kicks my butt every time! The grade of the road does not relent which means that on the way up, there is no coasting! My legs were constantly working and if I stopped peddling for even five seconds, I stopped moving and would almost tip over! From The Loop to Logan Pass I had my bike in the lowest or second-to-lowest gear just so I could constantly keep pedaling. I'm sure seasoned cyclists can crush this ride but for the average weekend warrior, it's pretty difficult.
Whether you plan to go the whole way or only to The Loop, I recommend a road bike or gravel bike and not a mountain bike. E-bikes are allowed on the road as well and there are several different outfitters in West Glacier, East Glacier, Columbia Falls and Whitefish that offer e-bike rentals. A few of them will even deliver the bikes to the park for you! One note with e-bikes is to keep an eye on your battery usage on the way up. There are a few flat or slightly uphill areas on the way back that would be more difficult to ride an e-bike on if the battery is dead. E-bikes are extremely heavy and if you have to pedal a 60 pound bike uphill with no assistance, it's going to be tough!
My take on clothing for the ride is pretty much the same as for other mountanous adventures: dress in layers! I have started this ride when it's sunny and 60 degrees out and I've worn bike shorts and a tank top for the climb but once you get to the higher elevations, the temperature drops and going downhill at speed makes you really cold really quick! If the weather looks beautiful at the start of the ride, I'll dress pretty lightly because I know I'll sweat a lot and get my body temp up with the work I'm putting in on the climb. I'll pack a shell pant layer, a down jacket, a waterproof shell, a beanie and two pairs of gloves, one light pair and one wind/waterproof shell. Wherever I decide to turn around, I'll add the layers after taking off the sweat-soaked layer I did the climb in. I know this might sound like a lot to carry but I have found that traveling downhill I can get cruising up to 30 miles per hour! That creates a lot of wind and makes me really cold really quick. The rides I've done in the early season or days where the sun isn't out, I've have to stop on the way down just to warm back up! Now this is just how I prepare for things, it doesn't mean you have to do the same thing but this is my recommendation. I've seen kids riding e-bikes downhill with only a tank top on!
There are several other reasons why I love Spring in Glacier National Park, not just the biking! There are several trails on both the east and west side of the park that become accessible as the road gets cleared. The ever-popular Avalanche Lake trail is gorgeous this time of year and there are way fewer crowds to contend with. You may still encounter patches of snow on the trail so I do recommend taking hiking poles and wearing waterproof boots just in case you hit a deep patch. Once you get to Avalanche lake, take a few minutes to scan the high alpine mountain tops at the far end of the lake. Depending on the weather, if it's warm and sunny, you may see a cornice break or an actual avalanche! Don't worry, those mountain tops are extremely far away from the shores of the lake so you're not in any danger standing there and watching. Often times you hear an avalanche before you see it but if you catch it right, you'll bear witness to something very few people have seen in real life.
As the temperature continues to increase and the snow melts off the roads, additional areas of the park will open and you get the chance to explore before the summer crowds which normally start around Memorial Day. By keeping an eye on the road closure map on the National Park website, you can see when the North Fork entrance opens, Many Glacier and Two Medicine. While many trails in these areas will have snow on them until June, if you are willing to carry micro-spikes, gaitors and poles, you can enjoy several trails early and have them mostly to yourself. This year the Many Glacier area will be closed to normal vehicle traffic due to a large construction project. During peak summer hours the only way to get to this area will be via a shuttle that services parking lots outside of the park and that requires advanced booking. In 2024, the road to Many Glacier was open in mid-April which gave adventure seekers almost two months of easy access before the timed entry requirements. This year the shuttles will start in mid-June so if the road opens early in April or May, you can drive to Many Glacier Hotel and explore on your own time.
While Going-to-the-Sun road doesn't normally open to vehicle traffic until late June or sometimes even July, another "Spring" activity that is popular amongst the locals is spring skiing at Logan Pass. You can even see some cyclists riding up the road with skis strapped to their bikes but most wait until the road is open and park at Logan Pass, then start their trek to the snow-covered areas above Logan Pass to get some turns in.
The last true benefit of visiting Glacier National Park in the spring is the availability of campsites within the park. As areas become cleared of snow, the park service makes the call to open campgrounds early for campers. These "pre-season" campsites are gems to come across as they provide quick access to the park and the various spring time activities. While the weather in the spring can still dip to freezing temps at night, most day-time temperatures are lovely and are ideal for camping. The main two campgrounds that could open early are Apgar and St Mary's as the smaller campgrounds are not fully staffed until later in the summer.
As with any trip to Glacier National Park, make sure you check the weather before and during your trip and pack accordingly. Spring snow storms have been known to roll in with no notice and if you're not prepared for the quick temperature change you could be in trouble. As the snow continues to melt in the spring, water hazards are the highest of the year. If a river or creek is flowing faster than your grandma rollerskates, don't try to cross it! Water-related fatalities are the highest type of deaths in Glacier every year. Spring time is also when all of the little critters start waking up and rummaging around for food so be extra aware of your surroundings and carry bear spray at all times!
If you've adventured in Glacier National Park in the spring, let me know your favorite spring-time activities in the comments below!
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