Logan Pass

Logan Pass is the high point of Going-to-the-Sun Road, where it crosses the Continental Divide at 6,646 feet. It is a broad saddle of alpine meadow between Clements Mountain and the Garden Wall, and on a clear summer day it is one of the busiest places in Glacier National Park. A seasonal visitor center sits just east of the pass, and two of the park's best-known hikes start from the parking lot: the boardwalk to Hidden Lake Overlook and the Highline Trail, which runs north along the Garden Wall.

The pass is named for Major William R. Logan, the park's first superintendent. Snow defines it. The deepest drift on the road, the Big Drift just east of the pass, builds up from wind blowing snow over the divide, and the road over the pass is usually open only from late June or early July to mid-October. The weather station here recorded a gust of 139 mph in April 2014. In summer the meadows flower in a short burst after the snow melts, and mountain goats and bighorn sheep are often seen close to the boardwalks.

2026 changed how you get here. There were no vehicle reservations, but from July 1 to September 7 private vehicles were limited to three hours in the 235-space lot, enforced 24 hours a day with free timestamped permits from a kiosk. Hikers heading out on longer routes, such as the Highline to Granite Park Chalet or the Loop, were expected to use the new ticketed shuttle, which ran express to the pass from Apgar Visitor Center, Lake McDonald Lodge, St. Mary Visitor Center and Rising Sun. Tickets cost $1 and were sold only on Recreation.gov. Both the shuttle and the time limit ended after Labor Day, and parking reverted to first come, first served.

The visitor center closed for the season after September 27, and water at the pass was turned off on September 8, so bring your own. A storm closed the alpine section of the road from Avalanche to Jackson Glacier Overlook on October 9; the road normally closes for winter on the third Monday of October, October 19 in 2026, after which Logan Pass is out of reach until the next summer.

Practical tip: arrive before about 8 a.m. or after mid-afternoon, and bring layers even in August. The pass is often windy and much colder than the valleys, and snow can linger on the trails into July.