WEST GLACIER – A section of Going-to-the-Sun Road — which is already closed to private vehicles — will be completely closed for road construction.
Glacier National Park reports a new culvert construction project is scheduled for this fall along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, four miles up Lake McDonald.
Fire conditions permitting, the Going-to-the-Sun Road will be temporarily closed from Apgar Loop Road at the foot of Lake McDonald to Avalanche from Oct. 15 until Oct.19.
Access to Apgar Village and the Apgar Visitor Center will still be available during the week. The closure is timed to coincide with the third Monday of October, the day the Going-to-the-Sun Road typically closes in the alpine section for the winter.
Hiker-biker access between Oct. 15 and Oct. 19 is not anticipated while administrative and local resident traffic will be permitted from 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and after 6 p.m. daily during construction.
Park officials note that on Oct. 20 access to Avalanche will once again reopen, fire conditions permitting, and will remain open until the gate closes at Lake McDonald Lodge for the winter on or before Dec. 15.
Hiker-biker access will resume above the Avalanche gate on Oct. 20 and standard hiker-biker restrictions will be in place as road winterizing procedures begin to ensure pedestrian and work crew safety.
Additionally, Oct. 14 will be the last day that visitors are able to drive to Logan Pass from both the east and west side as the park road crew begins to winterize the road, including removing log barriers to protect them from avalanche hazards, removing directional signs, and installing snow poles.
Construction on the roads in front of the Many Glacier Hotel and the upper parking lot will also begin this Fall as part of the larger rehabilitation project for the section of the Many Glacier Road from Babb to the park boundary, and from the Many Glacier entrance station into the Many Glacier Valley.
The St. Mary Entrance Station will also undergo additional changes this fall and into the spring following its construction last year to extend the building height for oversized vehicles. No significant traffic delays are expected with that work.
Current information about park roads, weather conditions, and visitor services can be found here or by calling park headquarters at 406-888-7800.
