WEST GLACIER, MONT. - Officials at Glacier National Park remind park visitors that the park is open year-round and that most concessions, lodging and camping facilities will remain open well past Labor Day for the autumn season.
After Labor Day, services and facilities slowly start closing for the winter; however, the following is a list of ongoing park services and projected closing dates.
Concessioner: Closing/Ending Date:
Belton Chalets, Inc. (1-888-345-2649 or www.sperrychalet.com or www.graniteparkchalet.com )
· Granite Park Chalet Sept. 7
· Sperry Chalet Sept. 9
The historic Granite Park Chalet is available for overnight use as a rustic hiker shelter. Services at the historic Sperry Chalet include traditional overnight accommodations and food service for guests and day hikers alike.
Glacier Park Boat Company (406-257-2426 or www.glacierparkboats.com )
Boat tours and rentals:
· Apgar (rentals only) Sept. 7
· Lake McDonald Sept. 20
· Many Glacier Sept. 13
· Rising Sun Sept. 7
· Two Medicine Sept. 7
Glacier Park, Inc. (Central reservations 406-892-2525 or www.glacierparkinc.com )
· Glacier Park Lodge Sept. 26
· Lake McDonald Lodge Sept. 26
· Lake McDonald Camp Store Sept. 26
· Jammer Joe’s Restaurant Sept. 8
· Many Glacier Hotel Sept. 20
· Prince of Wales Hotel* Sept. 14
· Rising Sun Motor Inn Sept. 20
· Rising Sun Camp Store Sept. 21**
· Swiftcurrent Motor Inn Sept. 12
· Swiftcurrent Camp Store Sept. 20
· Two Medicine Camp Store Sept. 7
· Village Inn Sept. 19
*Glacier Park Lodge and the Prince of Wales Hotel are located outside the park, but are also managed by GPI.
**These properties will close after breakfast on the dates listed.
· Red Bus Tours Sept. 26
· Hiker Shuttle Sept. 7
(Connects Many Glacier to Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle which operates July1-Sept. 7, 2009)
· East Side Shuttle Sept. 20
(Service to trailheads and hotels between East Glacier and Waterton. Alberta, Canada)
Glacier Guides, Inc. (1-800-521-RAFT or 406-387-5555 or www.glacierguides.com )
· Guided day hikes & backpacking Oct.
Swan Mountain Outfitters
(1-877-888-5557 or www.swanmountainoutfitters.com /glacier)
Horseback rides
· Apgar Corral Sept. 7
· Lake McDonald Corral Sept. 20
· Many Glacier Corral Sept. 20
Sun Tours (1-800-786-9220 or 406-226-9220 or www.glaciersuntours.com )
· Interpretive tours Oct. 15 (Blackfeet perspective)
Waterton Inter-Nation Shoreline Cruises, LTD(403-859-2362 or www.watertoncruise.com) Waterton Lake Boat Tours
· Goat Haunt landings Sept. 20
· Waterton Lake non-landing Sept. 21-Oct. 4;
Oct. 10-11
The following is the autumn 2009 schedule for National Park Service facilities.
Note on entrance fees: When entrance stations are not staffed, visitors must pay the entrance fee at the self-registration fee collection box or have a valid, previously purchased park pass.
Campgrounds: Last Night for Camping /
Change to Primitive Status:
· Apgar Oct. 11*
· Avalanche Sept. 6
· Bowman Lake Sept. 13**
· Cut Bank Sept. 13***
· Fish Creek Sept. 6
· Kintla Lake Sept. 13**
· Logging Creek Sept. 29
· Many Glacier Sept. 20**
· Quartz Creek Nov. 29 ***
· Rising Sun Sept. 13
· Sprague Creek Sept. 13
· St. Mary Sept. 20 *
· Two Medicine Sept. 20**
* - Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) is available throughout the fall at Apgar and St. Mary beginning on the dates indicated above. Cost for primitive camping at St. Mary and Apgar is $10 a night. Winter camping is also offered at these two sites. There is no charge for winter camping, which begins December 1.
** - Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) will also be available after the listed dates at Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine Campgrounds. Bowman and Kintla Lake will offer primitive camping until Dec. 1, unless closed earlier by weather. At Many Glacier and Two Medicine campgrounds, primitive camping remains available until snow accumulation and/or unsafe road conditions exist. Cost for primitive camping is $10 a night.
*** - No water is available at Cut Bank, Logging Creek and Quartz Creek. Camping at these campgrounds costs $10 per night. Quartz Creek will continue to offer this primitive camping with no water until Dec. 1, unless closed earlier by weather.
Visitor Centers and Ranger Led Interpretive Programs:
Glacier’s Visitor Centers at Apgar, St. Mary and Logan Pass are open daily throughout September.
A variety of ranger-led programs, from easy walks and evening talks, to all-day hikes and boat tours will continue in September. Activities are listed in “The Glacier Visitors Guide" which is available in visitor centers or online at:
Going-to-the-Sun Road:
To allow for accelerated rehabilitation work, beginning Monday, Sept. 21, 2009, Logan Pass will be closed to through vehicle traffic from the west side between Avalanche and Logan Pass for the remainder of the season.
Logan Pass will remain accessible for vehicles into the fall from the east side, except when closed to motorized vehicles because of weather.
During evening hours and on weekends, when the contractor is not working, non-motorized access (hikers and bicyclists) will be allowed on the alpine segment between Avalanche and Logan Pass.
Information about the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation and related visitor service improvements are available by calling park headquarters at 406-888-7800, or online at https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm.
More Information:
For reservations and details on the concession activities, please contact the concession office directly at the number listed.
For general park information, please visit the park’s official website (www.nps.gov/glac) or call park headquarters at 406-888-7800.
- NPS -
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
