National park · Montana
Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road 2027
Jun 25 – Oct 13
Tell us your Montana datesGlacier National Park · Montana
Starts Jun 25
- Start looking
- by Jan 8
- Arrive
- Jun 24
- Head home
- Oct 14
Going-to-the-Sun Road full-open. Vehicles >21ft prohibited Logan Pass area.
What you need to know
Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road 2027 runs Jun 25 – Oct 13, 2027, in Glacier National Park, Montana. St Mary Campground RV-accessible with stunning lake views — easier reservation than Apgar in summer.
Going-to-the-Sun Road opens late June through mid-October.
Vehicle reservation system applies during peak window (per NPS). Class A NOT allowed Sun Road; Class B + small Class C OK to 21ft.
Safety rules and an insider tip
Safety + legal. Bear country (grizzly + black). Carry bear spray, know how to deploy. Many Glacier + Two Medicine have separate vehicle reservation windows.
Insider tip. St Mary Campground RV-accessible with stunning lake views — easier reservation than Apgar in summer.
Official source: nps.gov/glac
Where to sleep in Montana
None of the Montana campgrounds we verify is matched to this event's town.
Going to Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road? Tell us the nights.
Local owners list their own rigs here. You get a single email when one is listed for your window.
Around Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road
Frequently asked about Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road
When is Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road 2027?
Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road 2027 runs Jun 25 – Oct 13, 2027, in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Where is Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road held?
Glacier National Park, Montana.
What are the exact 2027 dates?
Jun 25 – Oct 13, 2027.
What RV should I rent for Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road?
Best categories: rv, trucks-vans. Going-to-the-Sun Road opens late June through mid-October. Vehicle reservation system applies during peak window (per NPS). Class A NOT allowed Sun Road; Class B + small Class C OK to 21ft.
How early should I book an RV?
Recommended lead time: 24 weeks. Event windows book up early, so search and lock your dates as soon as your plans firm up.
What safety and legal guidance applies?
Bear country (grizzly + black). Carry bear spray, know how to deploy. Many Glacier + Two Medicine have separate vehicle reservation windows.
What's an insider tip?
St Mary Campground RV-accessible with stunning lake views — easier reservation than Apgar in summer.
Everything you need to plan Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road
Best RV parks, rigs, safety, transit and the booking timeline.
Going-to-the-Sun Road is the whole reason to time a Glacier trip, and it runs on a narrow weather window: the National Park Service notes the road is typically fully open by early July and stays open until the third Monday of October, when Logan Pass snow shuts the alpine section. That short season is exactly why an RV makes sense here - gateway hotels in West Glacier and St. Mary book out months ahead, and an RV base lets you sleep at the trailheads and start drives before the crowds. The hard constraint is rig size. NPS prohibits vehicles or vehicle combinations longer than 21 ft (including bumpers) or wider than 8 ft (including mirrors) between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun, so a Class A motorhome simply cannot drive the heart of the Sun Road; a Class B van or a small Class C clears it. Logan Pass tops out at 6,646 ft and the descent west to The Loop has rock overhangs that make rigs over 10 ft tall difficult. Management is also in flux: for 2026 Glacier dropped its timed-entry vehicle reservation program and instead piloted a ticketed Logan Pass shuttle plus a three-hour parking limit at the pass - both starting July 1 and run through Recreation.gov. The 2027 mechanism has not been finalized at the time of writing, so confirm the current-season rules on nps.gov/glac before you go rather than assuming. Inventory is limited and listings are demonstration-stage, so lock summer dates early rather than counting on last-minute availability.
Best RV parks
West Glacier KOA Resort
fullKOA · ~5 min to the West Entrance (about 2.5-3 mi)
Closest full-hookup base (50/30/20 amp pull-thru and big-rig sites) to the West Glacier entrance and the start of the Sun Road. Heated pool, hot tubs, and an espresso bar - a comfortable base while you day-trip in a smaller rig.
St. Mary / East Glacier KOA Holiday
fullKOA · ~2 min to the St. Mary east entrance (about 1 mi)
East-side full-hookup base (50-amp, RVs to 75 ft) about a mile from the St. Mary entrance, between Saint Mary and Lower Saint Mary lakes. Open roughly late May to September 30 - confirm dates for your window.
Mountain Meadow RV Park & Cabins
fullMountain Meadow (private, Hungry Horse) · ~15 min to the West Entrance (about 9 mi)
Full hookups (electric/water/sewer), open roughly May through October, with a stocked fishing pond, showers, and laundry. A quieter overflow base if the West Glacier KOA is booked - the most popular sites can fill months ahead.
Apgar Campground
dryNPS (Glacier National Park) · In-park near Lake McDonald, ~5 min inside the West Entrance
Largest in-park campground and one of the few that accommodates RVs up to ~40 ft. Standard non-electric (dry) sites with potable water; reserve via Recreation.gov. Right on the Sun Road corridor at Lake McDonald.
St. Mary Campground
dryNPS (Glacier National Park) · In-park at the east end of the Sun Road, ~5 min from St. Mary entrance
RV-accessible dry campground (no hookups) with lake views at the east terminus of the Sun Road; reserve on Recreation.gov. Often easier to land than west-side Apgar in peak summer, but bring full fresh water and dump off-site.
Per-vehicle-type recommendations
RV
A small Class C in the 21-24 ft range is the right call for the Sun Road. Anything over 21 ft (including the bumper) is barred between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun, so a 30 ft-plus Class A cannot drive the alpine core. A compact Class C still books a dry in-park site at Apgar (up to ~40 ft) or St. Mary, and clears Logan Pass with room to spare. Park it at a full-hookup gateway KOA between drives.
Trucks & vans
A Class B campervan is the ideal Glacier rig. Well under the 21 ft / 8 ft Sun Road limit, it drives Logan Pass and the tight west descent to The Loop without restriction, fits crowded trailhead and visitor-center lots, and parks easily at the West Glacier or St. Mary KOA for hookups. Trade-off is tank capacity - plan dump stops every couple of days and top off water before the road.
Safety + legal — sourcedOfficial guidance for this event, with the source named on each card.
NPS Glacier (bear safety)
Glacier is home to both grizzly and black bears - roughly a thousand park-wide. Carry bear spray in a quick-draw holster (not buried in a pack), know how to deploy it into a charging bear's face, and adjust for wind and distance.
NPS Glacier (wildlife distance)
By regulation, stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards from all other wildlife. If an animal changes its behavior because of you, you are too close - back away.
NPS Glacier (food storage)
All campgrounds are dry and bear country. Store food, coolers, toiletries, and scented items in a hard-sided vehicle or designated food locker, never in a tent or unattended pack, and never dispose of food in pit toilets.
NPS Glacier (Going-to-the-Sun Road)
Vehicles or combinations longer than 21 ft (incl. bumpers) or wider than 8 ft (incl. mirrors) are prohibited between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. Rigs over 10 ft tall struggle on the west descent from Logan Pass due to rock overhangs - verify your dimensions before committing.
NPS Glacier (road conditions)
The Sun Road is fully open only from about early July to the third Monday of October; snow can close the alpine section in any month. No gasoline is sold inside the park - fuel up in West Glacier or St. Mary and check nps.gov/glac for current road status before you drive.
Transit from your RV base to the eventModes, real costs and what each one is good for.
Logan Pass shuttle (Recreation.gov)
In 2026 a ticketed express shuttle ran to Logan Pass from Apgar Transit Center (west) and St. Mary Visitor Center (east); confirm the 2027 mechanism on nps.gov/glac.
Amtrak Empire Builder
Daily Amtrak service to West Glacier (Belton) and East Glacier Park; pair with a gateway-park base and the in-park shuttle.
Drive lower Sun Road
Drive a sub-21 ft rig the full Sun Road including Logan Pass, or park a bigger rig at a gateway KOA and transfer to a smaller vehicle / shuttle for the alpine core.
Booking timelineWhat to do, and when, counting back from the dates.
- 1. 26 weeks before
Reserve an in-park dry site (Apgar or St. Mary) on Recreation.gov the day the window opens - they sell out fast.
- 2. 20 weeks before
Book a sub-21 ft PickRV rig for the full Sun Road, or a larger rig parked at a gateway KOA (West Glacier or St. Mary).
- 3. 10 weeks before
Confirm the current-season Logan Pass access mechanism on nps.gov/glac (2027 rules differ from the 2026 shuttle pilot) and reserve any required tickets.
- 4. 4 weeks before
Verify rig dimensions against the 21 ft / 8 ft / ~10 ft-tall limits, pack bear spray and layers, and plan dump/water stops for dry sites.
- 5. Event week
Fuel up outside the park, check nps.gov/glac road status each morning, store food in the hard-sided rig, and start drives early to beat the crowds.
Keep Glacier NP — Going-to-the-Sun Road on your list
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State rules, safety and legalLicense + towing rules, insurance basics and the non-affiliation notice.
Important: travel + safety + insurance disclaimer
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only. PickRV is not an insurer, legal advisor, or vehicle-safety authority. Trip planning, route selection, rig suitability, weather, and emergency decisions are the renter's responsibility. Always consult the rig manufacturer's owner's manual, your insurance provider, the U.S. National Park Service (nps.gov), NOAA / NWS weather alerts (weather.gov), state and local emergency-management agencies, and current local regulations before and during travel. Cost figures, season windows, road conditions, and fee references on this page are estimates as of May 2026 and vary by season, location, rig, carrier, and operator. Mentions of brand names, state-tourism marks, national-park feature names, or third-party programs are informational only and do not imply affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement.
Before you rent in Montana — key local rules
Standard Class D covers personal motorhomes under 26,001 lbs — Montana MVD — Driver License
No mandatory boater education for adults; AIS inspection required — Montana FWP — AIS
Montana OHV decal required + helmet for under-18 — Montana FWP — OHV
0.08% BAC; open container in passenger area prohibited — Montana Code Annotated §61-8-460
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with Montana Motor Vehicle Division before relying. Reviewed in the last 5 months (as of 2026-05-24).
Montana rules · last verified 2026-05-10
- State rental tax
- 0% · not collected by PickRV
- Min driver age
- 18+ std · 21+ Class A
- Gravel roads
- Allowed — no restriction
- Generator quiet
- 22:00-08:00