Best Times to Visit Glacier National Park in 2025

Are you thinking of taking a trip to Glacier but are unsure of when to go? My name is Ash, and I’m a former park ranger. I can’t wait to help you decide when is the best time to visit Glacier for your upcoming vacation!

You’ll want to consider things like the weather, what’s open, and the crowds when choosing the best time of the year to visit Glacier. Here are my suggestions if you’re hoping to:

• Beat the crowds: June or September
• Travel during the summer: July
• See lots of wildlife: September
• Go backpacking: late July or August
• Save money: early October
• Have a unique adventure: December

Each month in this park is unique and can give you a completely different experience.  Let’s talk through the pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision on the best time to visit Glacier!

Average Monthly Temperatures in Glacier

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High (F)	31	35	43	54	65	72	80	79	67	53	37	29
Avg Low (F)	18	19	25	31	38	44	49	47	39	32	26	18
Avg Snow (“)	39.6	22.5	14.5	3.5	0.4	0.2	0	0	0.1	2	17.2	37.5
Avg Rain (“)	3.4	2.4	1.9	1.8	2.6	3.3	1.8	1.6	2.1	2.3	3.1	3.3

Winter in Glacier (November-April)

Welcome to Glacier’s longest season! The winter months in this park can be long and brutal, complete with massive snowfall, strong winds, and lots of closures. A winter visit to Glacier is both enchanting and challenging.

The only road that is open to vehicle traffic within the park during the snowy winters is the road that connects West Glacier to the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting).  Otherwise, traveling through the park must be done via cross-country skiing or snowshoeing!

If you’re looking for the perfect winter adventure, bring or rent some skis and venture into the park on one of these trails. More information about planning a winter trip to Glacier can be found here.

November in Glacier

Snow is common in Glacier by the time November comes around—most things have already shut down by now. You’ll start seeing temperatures that tend to stay in the 30s during the day, but it can easily creep down lower than that!

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in November, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). All other park roads are typically closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends.
• The crowd levels are low.

December in Glacier

If you’re looking for a fun Christmas getaway, December in Glacier can be an enchanting experience. Temperatures typically drop below freezing, so be sure to pack layers of your warmest winter gear and get ready for some holiday fun.

I recommend spending time at Glacier in December if you’re looking for unique experiences. You’ll get to enjoy all of the beautiful winter activities in the park and then you can head into town for the exciting holiday events!

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in December, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). All other park roads are closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends.
• The gateway towns on the west side of the park, Whitefish, and Kalispell, often have Christmas events or special activities planned throughout the holiday season.
• The crowd levels are low.

January in Glacier

January is typically the snowiest month of the year in Glacier. Temperatures hover around freezing during the day, and the snow falls often. Get ready to see the beautiful mountains and trees covered in sparkling snow.

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in January, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). All other park roads are closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends.
• The crowd levels are low.

February in Glacier

February in Glacier looks a lot like January, with cold temperatures, inclement weather, and lots of snow. Everything is still closed down, so if you want to get out and see the park, the best way is to strap on a pair of cross-country skis!

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in February, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). All other park roads are closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends.
• The crowd levels are low.

March in Glacier

March is still considered winter in Glacier National Park, so expect cold temperatures and snow up in these mountains!

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in March, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). All other park roads are closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends.
• The crowd levels are low.

April in Glacier

April may be part of early spring in other parts of the country, but here in Glacier, it still looks a lot like winter! Temperatures start to creep into the 50s in the lower elevations, but up along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, everything is still covered in snow.

Plowing operations usually start sometime this month, but it’s a long and difficult process that takes several months. Most roads remain closed at this time.

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in April, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). As the plows work, some additional lower portions of the Going-to-the-Sun Road may start opening up. All other park roads are closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed, but the Apgar Visitor Center usually starts opening for the weekends only in mid-April. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• Most campgrounds are closed except for the primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• Skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. You can often join a ranger-led snowshoe hike on winter weekends. If you are hoping to ski along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, closures may be in place as the snowplow crews work on clearing the road.
• The crowd levels are low.

Spring in Glacier (May)

If you blink, you might miss spring in Glacier National Park! Springtime is a very short time of transition in the park—you’ll usually only get typical spring temperatures and weather for the month of May and into early June.  As the long winter starts to melt away, the animals begin to emerge, and the roads, campgrounds, and hotels begin to wake up and prepare for the busy summer months.

Crowding during the spring is low, mostly because not everything is open yet.  Many areas of Glacier are still not accessible for most of the spring season.

May in Glacier

May in Glacier is typically still chilly, but the snowstorms start to taper off, and things start to thaw out. Most trails are still snow-covered at this time of year.

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed in May, with the exception of the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge (weather permitting). As the plows work, some additional lower portions of the Going-to-the-Sun Road may start opening up—you can usually get to Avalanche at some point this month. All other park roads will start to open (usually by the end of May) as they are plowed.
• The Apgar Visitor Center is open on weekends until mid-May and then it stays open daily for the rest of the month. The Logan Pass and St. Mary Visitor Centers remain closed.
• Several campgrounds start opening up in mid-May or at the end of May.
• Several in-park lodging options start opening around the middle of May, particularly the hotels at Apgar Village and Lake McDonald.
• Expect all kinds of weather—rainstorms are especially common at this time. Trails are typically still snow-covered.
• The crowd levels are low.

Summer in Glacier (June-August)

The great thing about Glacier during the summer is that everything is open!  You’ll have unlimited lodging and dining options, plus access to all of the main points of interest, tours, programs, and visitor centers.

Your options are endless during the summer, but that comes with a price—huge crowds.  Be prepared to share the fantastic sights of Glacier with people from all over the world during the popular summer season.

June in Glacier

June technically counts as part of the summer in Glacier, but it is certainly still a time of transition, and you will encounter closures. Many people plan trips in June without realizing that the Going-to-the-Sun Road (Glacier’s most famous road) isn’t usually fully open until late June or early July.

If you’ve never been to Glacier before and you’re hoping to drive the whole road, you’ll need to plan your trip for the last week of June at the earliest…and even then, there’s no guarantee that the road will be fully open while you’re there. If you’re worried about the road being open, plan your trip for July. Even if the road is fully open, expect trail closures due to snow up near Logan Pass until mid-late July.

If you have been to Glacier before and don’t care to visit Logan Pass again, June can be an amazing time in the park. You’ll see a lot of wildlife, find smaller summer crowds, and save money (or be able to more easily make a reservation). I like to stay on the east side of the park if the Going-to-the-Sun Road isn’t fully open—there’s more to do on this side of Glacier in June.

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass is usually closed until at least around June 22 or so, but it often doesn’t open until July. All other park roads typically open up at this time.
• The Apgar and St. Mary Visitor Centers are open. The Logan Pass Visitor Center opens when the Going-to-the-Sun Road fully opens.
• Almost all campgrounds should be open by the middle of the month (with the exception of some of the small, remote ones).
• All in-park lodging options are open.
• Trails in the higher elevations are typically still snow-covered, so check the Trail Status Reports before you go.
• Many ranger-led programs are available.
• The crowd levels are high.

July in Glacier

The month of July is an extremely busy time to be in Glacier, so make sure you have a good plan for navigating the crowds and finding parking! Expect daytime temperatures to be in the 80s in the lower elevations, but 10-15 degrees cooler up at Logan Pass.

I recommend spending time in Glacier in late July if you are hoping to go backpacking in the park. July is also the best summer month for visiting the park if you want everything to be open and you’re hoping to avoid the smoky/hazy skies that come because of wildfires later in the summer.

What You Need to Know

• All park roads are open.
• All visitor centers are open.
• All campgrounds are open.
• All in-park lodging options are open.
• Trails in the higher elevations are typically snow-covered until the middle or end of July, so check the Trail Status Reports before you go.
• Many ranger-led programs are available.
• Take advantage of the warmer nights by packing your tent and spending some time in the backcountry. It’s a great way to avoid all of the summer crowds and see a new part of the park!
• The crowd levels are extremely high.

August in Glacier

August is another extremely busy month in Glacier, so make sure you have a good plan for finding parking and navigating through the crowds. Daytime temperatures are usually in the high 70s, but you’ll want to be aware that this is wildfire season. It’s not uncommon for the air to be smoky and the landscape views to be hazy.

I recommend spending time in Glacier in August if you are hoping to go backpacking in the park.

What You Need to Know

• All park roads are open.
• All visitor centers are open.
• All campgrounds are open.
• All in-park lodging options are open.
• Trails in the higher elevations may still have some lingering snow, so check the Trail Status Reports before you go.
• Many ranger-led programs are available.
• Take advantage of the warmer nights by packing your tent and spending some time in the backcountry. It’s a great way to avoid all of the summer crowds and see a new part of the park!
• The crowd levels are extremely high.

Autumn in Glacier (September-October)

A quiet solitude begins to fall over the Glacier landscape as the busy summer crowds start to die off.   A chill settles in as the animals and plants begin to prepare for winter…and it’s magical!

Autumn in Glacier is fabulous, especially after Labor Day weekend.  A few highlights of a trip during this season include fall colors, fantastic wildlife watching, and more elbow room to enjoy the sights.

September in Glacier

Glacier in September can be lovely but unpredictable. The temperatures are usually still warm, providing some of the best hiking weather you’ll find in this park—as long as it doesn’t snow!

The summer crowds have gone, but most things in the park are still up and running.

I recommend spending time at Glacier in September if you want to avoid the summer crowds or have a better chance at getting a lodging reservation. It’s also a great time to visit if you want to see wildlife.

What You Need to Know

• All park roads are open, but weather-related closures are possible. The Many Glacier Road completely closes sometime around mid-September.
• All visitor centers are open.
• All campgrounds are open, but some begin to close just after Labor Day or around mid-September.
• All in-park lodging options are open through Labor Day, but most close down by mid-September.
• Some ranger-led programs are available.
• Fall colors begin to show around mid-September.
• The crowd levels are high, especially around Labor Day.

October in Glacier

It’s hard to know what you’ll get if you take your trip to Glacier in October! Sometimes you’re gifted with some nice sunny days, but sometimes the snow comes and stays. Most amenities are closed by the time October comes in preparation for the long winter ahead, but the weather just may hold out for some fabulous sightseeing opportunities.

I recommend a visit in October if you’re willing to gamble on the weather and want to take advantage of the off-season lodging prices.

What You Need to Know

• The Going-to-the-Sun Road closes down on the 3rd Monday in October unless a large snowstorm forces an earlier closure. The exception to this is the stretch of road between West Glacier and the Lake McDonald Lodge that stays open year-round (weather permitting). All other park roads are typically closed at this time.
• All visitor centers are closed. Restrooms, drinking water, and outdoor exhibits are available at the Apgar Visitor Center year-round.
• All campgrounds are closed except for primitive camping (vault toilets, no running water) at the St. Mary and Apgar Campgrounds.
• All in-park lodging is closed.
• The western larch trees turn a brilliant shade of yellow in October. Drive along Highway 2 on the park’s south edge to see a beautiful display!
• The crowd levels are low.

Now that you’ve learned about the best time to visit Glacier National Park, you’re ready to make your dream trip a reality. Happy trails!

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