Going-to-the-Sun Road is 50 miles long, from the West Entrance at West Glacier to St. Mary on the east side. The park says it takes about two hours to drive end to end without stopping. Logan Pass, the high point at 6,646 feet, is 32 miles from the west entrance and 18 miles from the east. On a bike, the ride from the Lake McDonald Lodge area to Logan Pass is 21 miles with 3,427 feet of climbing.
Updated October 22, 2026. Conditions change: check nps.gov before you ride.
The numbers people ask us for most, straight from the park service.
How Long Is The Road?
50 miles, West Glacier to St. Mary. The park says a drive across takes about two hours without stopping. With stops it is a day.
How High Is Logan Pass?
6,646 feet. It is the highest point on the road, 32 miles from the west entrance and 18 miles from the east entrance. The park says the Logan Pass lot has usually filled by sunrise in summer; in 2026 it added a three-hour parking limit from July 1 to Labor Day.
How Far Is It To Ride?
The park measures the ride from the spring closure points. From the Lake McDonald Lodge closure: Avalanche Creek is 5.5 miles with 219 feet of climbing, the West Tunnel 12.7 miles and 1,030 feet, the Loop 13.3 miles and 1,100 feet, Big Bend 18 miles and 2,545 feet, and Logan Pass 21 miles and 3,427 feet. From Avalanche Creek: the West Tunnel is 7.2 miles, the Loop 7.8, Big Bend 12.5 and Logan Pass 15.5 miles with 3,208 feet of climbing. From Rising Sun on the east side, Logan Pass is 11.5 miles and 2,313 feet.
On an e-bike the motor helps with the climb. Read the Sun Road biking guide for the full ride.
When Is It Open?
The lower road near West Glacier is open all year. The alpine section over Logan Pass has no set date: the park says it has typically been fully open by early July and typically closes around the third Monday of October, weather permitting. The park’s road status page is the live answer, and you can text GNPROADS to 333111 for the park’s opening and closing alerts. Our status page carries the park’s current alert and our own reports from the road.
What Are The Speed Limits?
40 mph on the lower sections and 25 mph on the alpine section. The park asks drivers to take blind curves slowly because animals and people cross the road without warning.
Can Big Vehicles Drive It?
No. Vehicles longer than 21 feet including bumpers, or wider than 8 feet including mirrors, are prohibited between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet tall may have trouble with rock overhangs west of Logan Pass.
When Can Bikes Ride It?
Any time the road is open, with two seasonal rules. In summer, through September 27, bicycles are prohibited eastbound from Apgar to Logan Pass between 12 pm and 6 pm and westbound from Logan Pass to Apgar between 3 pm and 6 pm. In spring, the hiker-biker closures move weekly, riders stay behind the road crews Monday through Thursday while they plow, and nobody may pass a closure. E-bikes are allowed if the motor is under 750 watts and works only while you pedal, which describes every bike in our rental fleet.
Is There Gas Or Food?
No gasoline in the park. There is an electric vehicle charger across from the Lake McDonald Lodge camp store. In summer there is food and lodging at Apgar Village, Lake McDonald Lodge and Rising Sun, and picnic areas at Apgar, Sprague Creek, Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun.
How Far Is It From Whitefish?
Our shop is about 25 miles and a half-hour drive from West Glacier. Rent an e-bike for Glacier, rent a rack or truck pad with it.