I haven't been to Glacier yet, but I've been to many parks and I think progressively moving to a model where you park at the entrance and ride a free electric shuttle bus is the way to go eventually. The noise and fumes from constant traffic really do take away from any park experience, and can also scare away wildlife. Add on-demand shuttle bus stops everywhere, and make the busses run every 10 minutes or so (with the money raised from the parking fees), and the situation greatly improves. A national park is actually one of the few places where public transportation is ideally suited: limited routes with predictable stops. It will probably end up that way eventually, I hope.

We were there in 2021 the first yr of the ticket system. I’m glad it was a ticket system. We were able to enjoy the park with no traffic jams, easy parking in all the areas. It was really nice compared to the 5 Mile backups and you never get anywhere except sitting in the car. Also, we went more in the evening because the light was better for photos of the key spots. It wasn’t busy even when you didn’t need a ticket. It’s light there in July until 10:30pm - 11pm so if you go in at 5pm (now 3 pm). You have 8 hours of daylight left. You have enough time to get to Logan Pass and do a hike easy. I don’t know why the hotel owner couldn’t go. I thought evening a was better time. The Moose come out at dusk. If you go in July the daylight is so long you don’t need a ticket. If I had a motel I would advertise that. This year it will be better. You will have 8 hours a day with daylight without need for a ticket. That definitely gives you enough time to get anywhere and do a hike. If I go back I don’t think I’ll even look to get a ticket and plan my day to go in at 3pm. You have daytime to enjoy West Glacier. I wish they had a few good museums so you can do things during the off time. I guess you can always go to Kaispell.

Grew up in Kalispell and we used to go to the park in the middle of the summer on a weekend and the park was always empty. Went there a few years ago before permits started in the middle of September and it was so crowded. Not sure I will ever get back there. Mount Rainier is moving to permits this year. As a photographer, I have been there during wildflower season and it out of control with people. I'm happy to see the permits for the overcrowding but it sucks that I can't spontaneously go to the parks anymore.

Just left there...loved it. Can't imagine going in the summer.

Many of the vehicle reservations go unused. Some people are getting 10 or more reservations just to secure options and then only using a couple of those. Need to cap the number of reservations and/or increase the vehicle reservation fee to discourage people from reserving more dates than they will actually use.

Well when have 3mil people visiting something has to be done.

Ride your bicycle or e-bike. No need for reservation. Book a tour with a tour company, that gets you into the park. We were at GNP two years ago. We're not able to secure a reservation. Only found out about the bicycle exception by accident. One observation, we noticed when we left the park on our e-bikes, The traffic backups from the vehicles going into the park after the reservation time period were at least a mile or more long. My thoughts are, the reservation system appears to make it so a select portion of the public gets a non-crowded experience. The rest of the public get to experience long traffic backups and crowded facilities. I am not sure what the solution is. At least the NPS is trying something.

I’m glad they are trying to minimize overcrowding but the current system is poor. Try going with 5 motorcycles when you can only purchase 1 ticket each. Everyone on computers at exactly 9am 120 days in advance , all fingers ready to click. All successful 2 of 6 tries. But the park is absolutely magnificent and we will forget the aggravation before we arrive. Just seems a shame to begin the experience with days of arranging to click on a computer between 9:00 and 9:01.

I love Glacier, but like a seasonal parks, there a time to go there and a time to go somewhere else. Most major seasonal parks, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, Yosemite, Glacier, etc., are pretty quiet for about a month between seasons. Spring and fall are great times to go to those parks because tourists are afraid they will get caught in a snow storm and the skiers, snowmobilers, etc. are afraid there won't be enough snow. So the time to go to these parks is the middle of spring or the middle of fall. But remember, it can snow at any time in these mountain parks, so be prepared for that. If you are a well seasoned traveler, you should know all that already. Happy Trails!

👋🏼 LOCALS EASY FIX: 100+ car passes a day set aside for LOCALS ONLY. *Must show ID & be present* Show respect for Locals who keep the community flowing with hospitality, run the gas stations and motels and diners.

I'd love to go to Glacier just one more time, just one more time before I go; the clock is ticking!!

Travel to me is only enjoyable when the schedule is flexible without deadlines to be at certain places at specific times. Adjusting on the fly to suit the weather & opportunities for interesting side trips that may present themselves. Travel to a Yellowstone, Zion, or Glacier is 1000+ miles. Getting there to find nothing but lines / crowds / don’t do this / don’t do that / don’t stop here / no parking / no camping / and no permits leaves nothing but a desire to get away. Like the elite Boundary Water canoe permits in MN, the game is rigged for competitive types who sit poised with their finger on the trigger to make plans a year in advance, then schedule their lives around their permits.

If you can’t get up early enough to arrive at the park before 6am, then you just don’t want it bad enough.

I went a few years ago when yellowstone flooded and i couldn't change my flight or car reservation. I scored 3 nights at lake mcdonald lodge with a room right off the lobby no stairs. It was wonderful. I booked boat tours and horseback riding. I booked the lodge again this year for august hope to get swift current in for one night i keep checking so far no cancellations. Im going to yellostone and grand tetonts before. Worst case i book a tour and or leave at 3 in the moring to get in many glacier area. I really want to see the north fork i missed that area last time couldn't get a reservation. I didnt think of just leaving early.

Work/play? You decide. Don't blame other people. I was able to easily get reservations the day before last August. I don't understand. Why are eggs $12 a dozen at St. Mary? Please.

Was lucky to get a pass in the first year of the program. Off my list for future visits too crowded.

Good video 👍👍

Too think I wanted to go there to get away from the crowds because I live in Utah with the big five parks that are extremely busy and the same things happening there apparently

And the Park exists for the vital interests of all the local businesses? REALLY !

Glacier is the elder and human custodians must balance people’s entry.

Honestly, the solution should be everyone have a reservation for the WHOLE PARK and limit a certain amount of people for the day. I mean it simple 1st come 1st serve! How many camp sites are there? Only allow that amount of people. How many parking spots? Only allow that many people in and you should pay and have a reservation to get in period.

Oh no, lets not fix over crowding so she can go to the park. Parks are over crowded and underfunded. Call your US Rep or Senator and DEMAND more park funding.

To the folks on the phones---refer people to this video.

The answer is that individuals with a Montana drivers license and a non-commercially registered vehicle, with matching addresses, should not be subject to the vehicle registration system.

The reservation system is terrible. Im not sure what the solution is but id rather have the old system than what they are doing now.

Psssst.....National Forests are just as good and sometimes better (less people).

Having seen whats happened to parks over the years I can honestly say, "Businesses need to suck it up and move on." Not everything has to revolve around money 😞

An example of what happens when you have to many bureaucrats. There are gorgeous mountains without these bureaucrats, go find your paradise

Easy solution. Ration leaving cities by permit!

I don't like these reservation requirements because they get booked up way ahead of time and you can't do anything spur of the moment. I like to wait for a good weather forecast but by the time the weather forecast is available their are no reservations left. I get that traffic jams and no place to park is just as big a problem which is why the park service should be building new roads/lodges as the population increases. I know the environmentalists would have a fit if we built another road but there is so much un-developed land in the park we could build a few more roads and still have plenty of wild space and those idiots need to realize that spreading people out more would be good for the environment. I know people are also going to say we can't afford that but maybe the taxpayer could afford to build a few more roads if we didn't spend 8X what any other developed country spends on their military and our leaders stopped racking up the debt getting bigger and bigger debt payments.

Over population. War

Close the whole park for a year. Give nature a break.

Locals should be given a “pass” to enjoy the park whenever they can get the time.

Easiest way about navigating this vehicle reservation system.. Stay away from National Parks.

Motorcycles should be allowed in anytime without a reservation.

Maybe the government shouldn't have shut everything down and give people Monopoly money to go on vacation? The bill will eventually come due. People need to quit complaining about having to share the world with other people. We all wish we had everything to ourselves for free, but unfortunately that's not the case. The locals are entitled. Why do you have a right to it? What makes you special? Because you were there first? Maybe you had your turn?

I was in GNP July 95 it was crowded then. But it was the most beautiful place I’d ever seen.