Glacier Park' October visitation up 60%

Glacier National Park officials on Tuesday reported a 60% increase in visitation numbers for October over the previous year.

Last month, 125,544 visitors entered the park in October compared to 78,408 in October 2019. The average number of visitors in October for the past three years is about 85,000, according to a park press release.

Overall, the park saw a reduction in visitors between June and September. The park was closed to visitors from March 24 to June 8 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitation was down 70% in June, 50% in July, 40% in August and 30% in September.

Due to the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council’s resolution restricting non-essential travel on the reservation, the east entrances to the park and Going-to-the-Sun Road were closed through-out the season. Visitors were required to enter and exit Going-to-the-Sun Road via the west entrance and traffic was allowed as far as Rising Sun on the east side. The west entrance continues to be the only access point for the park during the winter season.

Although the alpine sections of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park are closed for the season, visitors can drive 15.5 miles of the road from the west entrance to Avalanche Creek. There are no lodging or food services available in the park this time of year.

Winter weather conditions sometimes cause road closures. Visitors are encouraged to check the Recreational Access Display (RAD) or call 406-888-7800 and select option 1 for the latest road update.