Fifty Miles of Cliffside History, Vanishing Ice, and the Wildest Drive in Montana
$14.99
Glacier National Park Sun Road
The road ahead was blasted by hand into a mile-high granite wall — and it's still standing because the men who built it refused to quit. This road to sun Glacier National Park driving tour follows Going-to-the-Sun Road for fifty miles, from the glacier-carved shores of Lake McDonald up to Logan Pass at 6,646 feet, then down into the wide-open Saint Mary Valley on the park's east side. Along the way you'll cross the Continental Divide without feeling it, drive past waterfalls falling straight off vertical cliffs, and pass through rock that is one and a half billion years older than the ground it's sitting on. This isn't a normal Glacier National Park tour — it's a self-guided GPS audio tour, so the stories of the road's construction, its grizzly-plagued work camps, and the Blackfeet history behind these mountains all play automatically based on exactly where your car is, no phone-tapping required. It's one of the most rewarding Going to the Sun Road road trip experiences in the American West, because you get the full story of what you're driving through, not just the view.
Along the way, you'll discover:
- The reason "Jammers" drove red buses up this cliff face when tourists refused to
- The upside-down mountains that shouldn't geologically exist
- A senator's lakeside cabin that survived a wildfire and nearly a century of history
- The only glacier you can see without leaving your car — and why it's disappearing
Point the car east, roll down the windows, and let this drive move at exactly the pace you want it to.
$14.99
What will you see? Here are the tour highlights
Lake McDonald
Ten miles long and roughly 460 feet deep, this glacier-carved lake shows off colored pebbles — red, green, blue, purple — ground from billion-year-old seafloor rock. Lake McDonald Lodge, built in 1913 from native stone and cedar hauled across the frozen lake by sled, still sits on its shore.
The Jammers and the Red Buses
When Going-to-the-Sun Road opened in 1933, so many tourists were too frightened by the sheer drop-offs and lack of guardrails to drive it themselves that the park hired professional drivers in fleet of red buses. Those drivers earned the nickname "Jammers" from the grinding sound of their unsynchronized transmissions — a name that has stuck for over ninety years.
The Loop
The only switchback on the entire fifty-mile road exists because a landscape architect named Thomas Vint convinced the Park Service to build one long curve instead of fifteen switchbacks. It's also the site of the park's most dramatic crime — a 2013 murder case that made national news.
Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Gorge
This boardwalk loop winds through western red cedars that have been growing since roughly 1517 — decades before the Pilgrims arrived — and crosses a bridge over a slot canyon carved by ten thousand years of glacial meltwater.
Logan Pass
At 6,646 feet, this is the highest point on the drive, where mountain goats walk the ridgeline without a hint of fear. It's also the trailhead for the Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Overlook, two of the most rewarding optional stops on the entire route.
The Lewis Overthrust
The mountains around you are one and a half billion years old, sitting on rock that's only sixty-five million years old — a geological reversal caused by an ancient slab of seafloor the size of Connecticut sliding fifty miles east and landing on top of younger stone.
Jackson Glacier Overlook
This is the only spot on the entire road where you can see a living glacier without hiking a single step. Jackson Glacier has lost nearly forty percent of its area since 1966, and scientists project most of the park's glaciers could vanish by 2030.
Wild Goose Island Overlook
The most photographed scene in the park — a half-acre island rising fourteen feet above St. Mary Lake — was also the filming location for the opening aerial sequence of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining in 1980.
Rising Sun Motor Inn
Built in 1940, this was the only facility in the entire park that stayed open during World War Two while every grand hotel and chalet closed. It marks the eastern end of your drive across Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Still Planning Your Glacier Trip?
Don't let good intentions turn into a scattered road trip with no real plan. Glacier National Park spans hundreds of miles of trails, lakes, and scenic drives — trying to wing it means missing the moments people fly across the country for.
Read The Ultimate Glacier National Park Itinerary now and get the exact day-by-day breakdown — from Going-to-the-Sun Road to Many Glacier's grizzly country — so every hour of your trip counts toward the views, hikes, and stories you'll actually remember. Whether you've got one day or five, the plan is already built. All you have to do is follow it.
FAQ's
What is this tour, exactly?
It's a self-guided GPS audio driving tour of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park — stories about the road's history, geology, and wildlife play automatically as your car enters each story zone
How long does the drive take?
Driving straight through takes about two hours, but the tour is built for stopping, so plan for four hours or more if you want to explore the pullouts and short trails along the way.
Where does the tour start?
At the Apgar Visitor Center, just inside the West Entrance off Highway 2 in West Glacier, Montana.
Where does the tour end?
At the Saint Mary Visitor Center on the east side of the park, near Rising Sun. This is a one-way route, not a loop, so plan your return by shuttle, carpool, or backtracking on Highway 2.
Do I need a reservation to drive this road?
During peak season, a timed-entry vehicle reservation from Recreation.gov is required for the west entrance section between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., separate from your park entrance pass.
Can I stop and explore along the way?
Absolutely — that's the whole point. Pause the tour at any pullout or trailhead, and press play again when you're back in the car.
Is any hiking required?
No. The core tour is entirely drivable, though it points out optional trails like the Highline, Hidden Lake, and Trail of the Cedars for those who want to get out and walk.
Is this drive family-friendly?
Yes, though the road has sharp cliffs and no guardrails in sections, so it's best enjoyed at a relaxed pace with everyone buckled in.
What should I bring?
Bring water and snacks, since there are no services for 33 miles between the Avalanche Creek area and Rising Sun on the east side.
Can large vehicles or RVs drive this road?
Vehicles over 21 feet long or 8 feet wide face size restrictions on the alpine section between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun, since the road was built for much smaller vehicles.
- Start your drive at the Apgar Visitor Center, just inside the West Entrance in West Glacier, Montana
- Entrance fee is $35 per vehicle for seven days, or free with an America the Beautiful Pass
- Peak season requires a separate timed-entry vehicle reservation from Recreation.gov for the west entrance between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Vehicles over 21 feet long or 8 feet wide face restrictions on the alpine section between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun
- Speed limit is 45 mph on the lower Lake McDonald sections, dropping to 25 mph in the alpine section
- No gas, water, or restrooms for 33 miles between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun Motor Inn
- A free park shuttle runs along the road, letting you park once and ride sections without driving
- Weather at Logan Pass changes fast — sun, wind, and cold can arrive within the same hour, so bring layers
- Clean restrooms, water, and maps are available at the Apgar Visitor Center before you start
- The tour is GPS-triggered and hands-free — just press play once and follow the road east
