Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

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Sue Z
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Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by Sue Z »

I came across this GNP twitter feed of Glacier parking lot fill times - they seem to be posting in real time - as they happen. Also reporting road closings as they happen, it seems. https://twitter.com/GlacierNPS?ref_src= ... r%5Eauthor

The twitter feed can also be accessed on the Glacier National Park Conservancy website (for non-twitter users). Go to glacier.org, then click on "Today in Glacier" on the right hand side of the page.

If this is old news or posted elsewhere, moderators please delete.

Parking lots seem to be filling very early! Even Bowman and Kintla are filling before noon. Some visitor center lots are filling in early afternoon.
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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by PeteE »

Thanks for that info Sue.
I don't do Twitter, Facebook, or any "social media" other than here...which is about all I can handle. 8)
And yeah, parking lots are filling early.
It looked to me as I was doing the Dragon's Tail that Logan pass filled up by 0830 this past Sunday morning.
I don't think they ever take down the "FULL" sign as it was up Sunday AM when I arrived at 0550! :shock:

Ya gotta roll outa them "racks" early folks :)

pete :wink:
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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by Sue Z »

PeteE wrote:Ya gotta roll outa them "racks" early folks :)

pete :wink:
Truth. This info only deepened my resolve. Hike early, sleep whenever!
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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by PeteE »

And it's not just Logan Pass and the campgrounds filling early.
Parking at trailheads like Lunch Creek, Siyeh Bend, St Mary/Virginia Falls, Sunrift Gorge are also filling early on many mornings.

Avalanche Creek is a zoo early as well.
Last year people were parking on the steep shoulder on the "uphill" side of the road east of Avalanche for a 1/4 mile.
No more. They put big boulders on that shoulder to prevent that.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by chrystal »

PeteE wrote: Parking at trailheads like Lunch Creek, Siyeh Bend, St Mary/Virginia Falls, Sunrift Gorge are also filling early on many mornings.
How early do you estimate the trailheads fill up? By 8am, or earlier?
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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by llholmes1948 »

Are people seeing a significant increase on the trails, particularly longer trails such as Siyeh Pass, Piegan Pass, Cracker Lake? I imagine the Highline and Iceberg Lake are very busy.

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by PeteE »

llholmes1948 wrote:Are people seeing a significant increase on the trails, particularly longer trails such as Siyeh Pass, Piegan Pass, Cracker Lake? I imagine the Highline and Iceberg Lake are very busy.

Thanks,
Lyman
Everything is slammed, trails included.
It's crazy imo. :(
Went up on Mt Oberlin this morning.
Only a handful when I went up.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by PeteE »

chrystal wrote:
PeteE wrote: Parking at trailheads like Lunch Creek, Siyeh Bend, St Mary/Virginia Falls, Sunrift Gorge are also filling early on many mornings.
How early do you estimate the trailheads fill up? By 8am, or earlier?
It's hard to say since it can vary a lot from day to day.
A rule of thumb (for me) is like today.
I watched Logan fill up as I was going up Mt Oberlin this morning.
Logan Pass lot looked full by 8am.

My rule of thumb says that after Logan Pass fills up, all the other possible places to park begin filling up as well.
People are parking wherever they can, early on. Parking at Lunch Creek then walking to Logan Pass.

So I would try to be at your trail head by 8AM if it's on the Sun Road.
Not everyone stopping at these trail head lots are staying long.
Some take pics and move on.
Once the road gets crowded, it's tough sometimes to find parking.

hope that helps some.
Just go as early as you can.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by llholmes1948 »

PeteE wrote:
llholmes1948 wrote:Are people seeing a significant increase on the trails, particularly longer trails such as Siyeh Pass, Piegan Pass, Cracker Lake? I imagine the Highline and Iceberg Lake are very busy.

Thanks,
Lyman
Everything is slammed, trails included.
It's crazy imo. :(
Went up on Mt Oberlin this morning.
Only a handful when I went up.

pete :wink:
Pete,

Thanks for your report. It is nice to see people enjoying the Park but this sounds like it is getting to be too much of a good thing. :shock:

It wasn't like that in 2014 although Carlene and the kids reported that Iceberg Lake was real busy. I guess that would seem like light years from now.

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by chrystal »

PeteE wrote:
hope that helps some.
Just go as early as you can.

pete :wink:
Thank you! Yes we are planning to head out early every day. We haven't visited during peak season since 2013. Not looking forward to the crowds and hopefully it won't be too bad.
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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by PeteE »

Got a late start yesterday and arrived at Logan pass at 0815. The lot was FULL and cars "circling" the lot.
So I did plan "B": Parked at Siyeh Bend shuttled to Logan Pass. Shuttled back when we finished the Dragon's Tail.
It sucked, but that's what happens if you start late.
We waited about 15-20 minutes both times.
MUCH longer line at around 3pm for west bound shuttles.
The shuttles are working ok from my perspective.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

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Re: Parking Lot Fill Times in Real Time

Post by thorn726 »

July 16, a monday, Logan was less than half full at 715am
July 20, Friday, it was about half full at 710am, and completely full at 759am. Seemed like it was filling faster and faster, but everyone is arriving at about the same time... 730- 8am. Arrive before that and it should be ok for a few more weeks until everyone starts arriving at 6am.
There is some turnover from the Hidden Lake Overlook people.
oh and comedy, use the restroom Before the express Bus arrives, from 8am for about 15 minutes there was a HUge line, but it subsided after that.
Later afternoon around 4pm most parking is open again. We did Hidden Lake Overlook between 8pm and 10pm and the lot was nearly empty, only a few people on the trail.
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