Feel the sun caress your skin as you bike down the most scenic road in the US! Biking the Going to the Road in Glacier National Park is a bucket list experience that everyone should do at least once. With gorgeous mountain peaks, turquoise rivers, and a challenging climb, this might be the most epic bike ride 🤩 that you’ve ever done.
I have now driven 🚗 and biked the Going to the Sun Road and without a doubt biking was my favorite experience! There’s nothing quite like feeling the wind whip through your hair or the mist from waterfalls spray your face. It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done in a national park!
One of the best parts of biking the Going to the Sun Road (GTSR) is getting the chance to stop along the way to take it all in. There’s truly no road that’s as captivating and magical 💫 in the entire US.
Read below for my complete guide to biking the Going to the Sun Road 🚲. Learn how to get required reservations, what you need to know about the ride, and how to rent a bike for your journey!
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Table of Contents
Guide to Biking Going to the Sun Road
Where is the Going to the Sun Road?
The Going to the Sun Road connects the West side of Glacier National Park (in Montana) to the East side. This road was a grand feat to build and now it is one of the most scenic roads in the US!!
This road is 50 miles from the West Entrance to the East Entrance and the peak is at Logan Pass (6600 feet). Because of the large amounts of snowfall ❄️❄️, this road is typically only fully open from July through September. Which means, there is limited time to see this beautiful landscape.
One of the most popular ways to see the road in the springtime is to bike it! Which you can learn more about below.
How to Bike the Going to the Sun Road?
Biking Logistics
The best and only recommended time to bike the Going to the Sun Road is when the road is closed to cars. For a lot of the spring 🌸🌸, the road is closed to cars, but open to hikers and bikers.
This road closure often starts near Avalanche Lake. So, the best thing to do is to take the shuttle from Glacier Outfitters in Apgar or drive to Avalanche Lake. From there, you can park your car and start biking at the road closure.
Make sure to bring a helmet and bear spray in order to stay safe as you bike the road.
Bike Ride Details
The beginning of the road is flat, but once you’ve gone a few miles in it starts to climb up the mountains. Biking 🚴♀️ from the West Entrance to Logan Pass is 32 miles and from the East Entrance to Logan Pass it’s 18 miles. The road also climbs over 2000 feet on the way to Logan Pass.
The full road closure will change throughout the spring. So, you may only be able to bike part of the road before turning around. There will be clear signs posted on the road as well as gates 🚧 to block off the closed areas.
Going to the Sun Road Scenery
Along the way, you will pass by beautiful rivers, gushing waterfalls, and incredible views. Take your time and plenty of breaks to really take in the beauty of this wild ride. There are some areas that do not have railings, so if you’re scared of heights just stick to the inside of the road.
One of the perks of biking the road versus driving it is that you can stop whenever you want. There are so many amazing views 👀 that you will want to admire, so you can just pop off your bike to take a break and capture photos or admire the landscape.
When is the Best Time to Bike the Going to the Sun Road?
Biking the Going to the Sun Road is the best activity to do in the late Spring 📆. In early May to mid-June the road starts to open up for hikers and bikers. However, it is still closed to cars, because the team is still plowing and preparing the road.
This means that you have the entire width of the road to bike and enjoy yourself without the stress of biking near moving vehicles.
As spring progresses, more of the Going to the Sun road opens up to bikers. So, in the early spring the road may be only open for a few miles. But, later on in the Spring you may be able to bike all the way to Logan Pass 🚵♀️ (the highest point of the road). We were able to bike 13 miles into the road and got plenty of views!
You can get road closure updates by texting GNPROADS to 333111.
If you are going during peak season, there are restrictions on biking. You can see portions of the road that you are not allowed to bike above.
Things to Know About Biking Going to the Sun Road
💵 Glacier costs $35 for a private vehicle that covers 7 day. You can also use any of the annual passes like the America the Beautiful Pass to get in.
⚠️ You have to get reservations from May 26-September 10 to enter the Going to the Sun Road. A bike rental at Glacier Outfitters will serve as a permit to enter. So, you do not need to get separate reservations.
☀️ Weather changes quickly in the mountains. Make sure that you stay updated and that you take the proper precautions. If there are signs of thunderstorms it’s best to do biking another day.
🐻 Glacier is bear country, so make sure to stay bear aware while biking the Going to the Sun Road. You should bring bear spray or you can rent it at Glacier Outfitters.
🍃 Remember to follow the Leave No Trace Principles. As always, you want to leave nature looking better than you found it.
Do I need my own bike?
Luckily, you do not have to have your own bike. If you have your own bike, you are allowed to ride it up the mountain. You’ll save money on a rental and be the most comfortable.
However, there are various places to rent a bike 🚴 within the park! I highly recommend Glacier Outfitters (not sponsored), because they have everything you need and are located in Apgar.
Glacier Outfitters rents both regular bikes and e-bikes with helmets. I’m not a very strong biker, so I chose to rent an e-bike and I was very glad that I did. Although it will cost you a bit more at around $250 💸 for a day rental. It helped to propel me up the mountain.
They also offer bike racks to rent for your car or a shuttle ride to the road. You can choose to do either, but you should do one of these options. Riding the bikes on the roads with cars is not recommended. We rented a bike rack for our van and parked at the Avalanche Lake parking lot. It was logistically easy and made our bike ride go very smoothly.
Do I need to be an experienced biker?
You do not need to be an expert biker to bike the Going to the Sun Road! However, you do need to know how to use a bike, but I think that may be obvious.
If you are going to use a normal bike, then you will want some experience biking up steep roads. The road gains a significant amount of elevation 🏔, so your legs will have to do a lot of work to propel you up. But, we saw people of all ages young and old pushing themselves up.
I am definitely not a great biker, in fact I rarely go biking at all. That’s why I chose to get the e-bike from Glacier Outfitters. E-bikes are great because you still have to pedal and get the exercise, but they just give you an extra push 💪🏻 up the road.
This was my first time ever using an electric bike and it was fairly straightforward, so I highly recommend it if you’re nervous at all.
How do I get a Going to the Sun Road Reservation?
Due to extreme crowds in the summertime, Glacier has put in place a new reservation system for the Going to the Sun Road. From May 26-September 10th you will need to get reservations on recreation.gov.
If you rent a bike from Glacier Outfitters in Apgar that serves as your Going to the Sun Road reservation.
For visitors that are bringing your own bikes, you will need to get reservations on recreation.gov. These reservations are initially released 4 months in advance and then you have another chance to get them 24 hours in advance. They are released at 8 am Mountain time.
Once you secure your reservation, remember to take a screenshot 📲 to show when you arrive. For those who do not secure reservations, you can enter the road before 6 am or after 3 pm.
What Should I Pack?
This bike ride is fairly difficult, so you’ll need to pack well for your ride. Make sure that you pack plenty of water 💦 and snacks to fuel you up the mountain. Also, it can be very sunny so lather on that sunscreen!
Packing Guide to Biking the GTSR
- Bike (or Rental Bike)
- Helmet
- Comfortable Sneakers
- Day Pack
- Water Reservoir and Reusable Water Bottles
- Snacks and Food
- First Aid Kit
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Sunglasses
- Bear Spray
- Hat to block sun
- Parks Pass
- Rain jacket or light jacket
- Satellite phone
- Downloaded Maps
- Photos of Reservation
Final Tips for Biking Going to the Sun Road
Although I think most people can do the GTSR bike ride (possibly with an e-bike), it is tough! You’ll want to mentally prepare to climb the mountain and you may want to practice a bit before hitting the road. Just remember, that you can take as much time as you need and stopping for breaks allows you to really enjoy the views! I hope you enjoy biking Going to the Sun Road as much as I did!
Let me know if you enjoyed this guide in the comments!
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