Would anyone know how to find out the status of Potable Water in the Park? I heard that there is a problem with the water system.
We are in SE Montana and will be working our way towards Glacier.
Thanks!

This says nothing on water.
https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

But that page says very little, so that does not really provide any assurance that water is available. You should be able to ask at the gate when you enter the park about water. If you see a parked shuttle bus, the bus drivers probably would know if water is not yet available at various locations.

When I was there in early July 2012, I am pretty sure I topped off my water bottles at a drinking water fountain at Logan Pass. But there was no food at Logan Pass, other than maybe candy bars. This early in July, the park staff might still be getting the infrastructure up and operational at different park facilities.

I suspect that water has to be available at any campgrounds before the campgrounds are opened, otherwise the toilets would be a disaster. I can't imagine they would try to operate with just contracted port a potties.

I liked the hiker biker site at Sprague campground. Less crowded than Apgar campground hiker biker site, but Apgar was close to the store, restaurant, etc. I stayed at Apgar one night, then Sprague for two nights.

Good luck on this. I assume you already are familiar with the cyclist restrictions for time of day on Going to the Sun Road, etc. The restriction times and locations are different than when I was there 12 years ago. If you are not, they are on this page:
https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/bicycling.htm

The climb up Going to the Sun Road is a steady gradient with almost no variation in slope. I stopped at a pullout every 250 to 350 feet of elevation gain on the uphill climb for 3 to 5 minutes at each stop, just to make the climb less tedious and to take photos, etc. That made the climb more relaxing.

I hope the weather is as great for your visit there as it was for mine. Have a great time.

The EPA has 48 pages of water quality criteria - and that's just Chapter 3.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/fi...k-chapter3.pdf

In the "old" days, campgrounds had a water pump and iron pipes,
so the water sometimes has an irony (ha-ha) taste, but was cold and perfectly safe.
However, the EPA is very down on untested and unregulated water sources,
so many public campgrounds got rid of the pump given the additional costs.

I've drunk the water from every campground and filtered water in the backcountry.
I also feel 100% confident drinking from natural springs and snowmelt.
Remember, the water source is wilderness on the continental divide.

I'm of the school that having a few - not a lot - of little things in the water is a good thing.
If we do not encounter some minor pathogens, we lose the ability to fight off the big ones.
After you have been drinking Great Plains water, I'm sure you'll appreciate the mountain water.
Enjoy Glacier. And start super early on Going to the Sun to get the early reflections and least traffic.

Thanks for the replies!
We will be coming from St.Mary's area .So 20 years ago we rode up this time down towards the West Gate.
The plan is to stop and camp after we come down.
We are currently in Circle, Montana working our way towards Great Falls.

+1 on Sprague Creek. Lots of hiker/ biker space in the infield, including 4 tent pads. Not a zoo like Apgar. Lake access. It’s a 10 min walk to the store and the Lodge. Good food at the Lodge restaurant. Grab a beverage at the bar and take it down to the lake. You’re allowed that far west coming down the west side with no time restrictions.

Definitely bring enough food for the summit. Add a few extra water bottles to your panniers if you’re worried about running out. Make the walk to Hidden Lake if there is not too much snow.

Thanks!

One more thing, I can't comment on the bar, but the general store required photo ID to buy alcohol 12 years ago. They would not accept my AARP card for proof I was old enough.

You have me thinking I got carded at the store when I was there in 2017. One thing I didn’t like about the store next to the lodge is that the grocery selection was weak. Lots of junk food type stuff. Tough to find things to make a real meal. I have only entered from the west and thus have shopped at the grocery store outside the park in West Glacier.

One nice thing about Sprague Creek that I’ll mention is that there was an assortment of potentially handy things for hiker/bikers, including used camp chairs and even an axe to split wood. In 2017, the wife of the long time host gave me some oatmeal raisin cookies fresh from the trailer oven, and they offered me wood from their personal stash. Nice people. I have to imagine they might be “retired” by now.

As a non American, stuff like this is such an example of the weirdness of American culture in various states. An obvious over 50 year old guy? Really, that's important?
Quite laughable except it isn't.

I went there for the ACA Glacier Waterton loop tour, guided but self supported, no van support. I hate to go that far and then rush home again, so I went several days early on Amtrak to Whitefish to do some exploring on my own before meeting with the ACA group. Stocked up on food at the Whitefish Safeway. Side note: You need the Safeway card to get the sale prices, card was free. That was over a decade ago, but I assume the Safeway is still there.

I have camped at both Sprague Creek and Avalanche numerous times.
I prefer Sprague Creek for the reason listed above and its right on the Lake.
I prefer Avalanche for hiking up to Avalanche Lake and for an early state Eastbound.

Note -
The new road closure is from Apgar to Logan Pass in BOTH directions from 3p to 6p.
That makes it tricky for westbound cyclists - and even biking back and forth to the Lake McDonald Hotel and camp store.

It was in 2019 and was as busy as all get out. I didn’t go to the park that year. Stayed at Whitefish Lake SP and went into town for dinner stuff.

There is also a grocery store in C-Falls near the start of North Fork Road.

Tandem Tom The park mentioned above is one of the 5 or so state parks along ACA routes that have special areas for cyclists. Tent pads, food storage lockers, shade, power outlets, covered picnic table, etc. The one at that park is really nice. Very close to the lake and the bathhouse. I’ve stayed there twice.

Currently in Great Falls taking a day off! We are going to take a different route up to Browning. Route 89 out of GF. A fell in Fort Benton said the views are amazing. Talked to some of the business along the route and the traffic is quite mild.
Loo forward to going North!

As I am looking at the Park Map I see Rising Sun Campground. Anyone have info on it? Thanks!

Sorry, no knowledge of the campground.

Off topic, when in Whitefish, you might want to buy a pair of Going to the Sun jerseys. Great souvenirs.
https://glaciercyclery.com/shop/

IIRC, you can buy a shower there. There is also a place to eat. Staying there does cut down on the climbing the next day. IIRC, it’s only about 2,000’ up to the pass.

There are a limited number of hiker/biker sites there for $8. Reservations NOT required for Rising Sun hiker/ biker sites.

https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/camping.htm

Thanks! BTW, we I guess we are coming down The Going to the Sun Road as we are coming from St. Mary's?

You have to climb the east slope to Logan Pass before you descend the west slope. Going to the Sun is from St. Mary all the way to W. Glacier.

TT -

Rising Sun is far superior to camping at St. Mary which is a Walmart parking lot.
Rising Sun has a small camp store, a cafe, and a shower house.
You can walk across the road to the lake.
And it puts you in a great spot to start super early for the climb.
I can guarantee you that to start a sunrise makes for a great ride.
You can enjoy the views over Wild Goose Island without the hordes of tourists.
And the early morning light on the cliff faces is sublime.

Just a reminder on the cycling restriction hours, when you go up to Logan Pass, presumably you want to start to go down the other side before 5pm. Thus, because of the cycling restrictions you would want to get to Sprague or Apgar (or elsewhere?) before 3pm, thus leave Logan pass early enough. Thus, plan to start your climb up Going to the Sun early enough that you can keep to a schedule that complies with the cycling time restriction. And if you wanted to stop at the Lake McDonald general store, you would need adequate to still bike to your planned destination by 3pm.

In 2012 when I was there, on the west side there was road construction, and a long section of Going to the Sun Road was one lane traffic. Meaning, we had to stand there for a long time in a waiting line part way down on our descent. When you enter the park you might want to ask if there are any road construction projects or other activities going on that could cause a delay.

That’s one reason I like to stay at Sprague Creek. It’s only about a mile west of the lodge. You ca ride straight there, grab a site and walk back to the lodge/store if time is tight.

We got caught in west slope construction in 2009. A nice member of the crew gave us the granola bar from her lunch pail as we waited to descend as we had under budgeted on food for the climb up.

Definitely bring enough to eat.

But as J echoed above, a huge advantage of Rising Sun is that you are set up for an early morning climb to the pass. The earlier, the better. If you’re not an early riser, that is the day you want to suck it up and get on the road Sunrise in St. Mary this time of year is around 5:50 am. Up and at ‘em!

My wife and I drove through Rising Sun Campground on Friday 12 July. Nice, quiet campground. Some shaded sites, others open to the sun. At 2PM plenty of sites were available. This is a first come-first serve campground.

As for drinking water in the park, get yourself a Steri Pen and you will be able to drink at most creeks and rivers. I use mine all the time when hiking.

Rising Sun has great hiker/biker camping.

Sorry I missed out in ‘09. The plan was to stay there after coming from Waterton. Alas, the pass was still closed. So we stayed in St. Mary (fortunately not crowded) and then rode all the way to Sprague Creek via Looking Glass and Marias to have a chance to at least ride some of the west slope before heading back to Whitefish for our flight. What an epic day. The road on the west side opened to the pass the following morning.

I hate to admit that I've ridden Going to the Sun a dozen times.
I've camped at every designated campground except Cut Bank.
(Including pounding the dirt roads up to Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake.)

I've hiked into backcountry sites solo, camped solo, woo-hoo!
Even took the hiker ferry down from Waterton to Goat Haunt.
The backcountry campsite had 80 zillion mosqitoes.

The best day hiking in Glacier is out of Many Glacier.
Taking the ferries across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine
puts you deep into the backcountry.

I love the out-and-back trails to Cracker Lake and Otokomi Lake.
Why? Because most people hate out-and-back hikes,
so the trails and backcountry campsites are empty.

Then again, some people gets a little nervous soloing in the backcountry.
I'd rather be a meal than waste away in a nursing home.
PS - - It's a bad habit.


Lake Josephine