Going-to-the-Solar Street is a panoramic mountain highway via Glacier Nationwide Park. Driving the highway, you’ll encounter mountain vistas, glowing alpine lakes, and probably a number of the wildlife that roams the park.
Going-to-the-Solar Street, typically known as The Solar Street for brief, is 50 miles lengthy and connects St. Mary and West Glacier. It goes over the Continental Divide via Logan Go and tops out at 6,646 toes above sea degree at its highest spot.
However greater than any statistics, you’ll bear in mind the surroundings from this drive lengthy after you’ve completed it.
Ideas for RVing Going To The Solar Street
Whereas this can be a lovely highway, and seeing it’s positively a tremendous factor to do at Glacier Nationwide Park, it will also be a problem. Between park crowds, winding turns, and winter climate, you’ll need to perform a little research earlier than you really drive it. Listed here are a couple of suggestions for profiting from your journey.
1. See if you happen to want a reservation
Throughout extra in style durations on the park, you’ll want a car reservation to journey the highway. In 2024, from Might 24 – September 8, vacationers want a reservation for the west facet of The Solar Street and North Fork between 6 am and three pm. From July 1 via September 8, you’ll want a car reservation for Many Glacier from 6 am – 3 pm. You do not want a reservation exterior of these hours.
When you have lodging, tenting, a ship tour, or one other exercise already booked alongside the highway, you might be allowed to drive it to get to your exercise.
You may make a car reservation at recreation.gov.
2. Ensure your car could make the drive
Going to the Solar Street is a two-lane mountain highway that has hairpin turns in some components. On the very best components of the highway, automobiles can’t be longer than 21 toes, and may’t be wider than 8 toes. These restrictions are for the world between the Avalanche Creek and Rising Solar picnic areas. RVs which might be greater than 10 toes tall could not have the ability to clear the rock overhangs on the portion of the highway west from Logan Go to the hairpin flip often known as the Loop.
The velocity restrict on the highway is 45 mph within the decrease sections and 25 mph on the steeper, winding sections.
3. Know the climate
Going-to-the-Solar Street typically opens in early June and closes once more in October. However openings and closings are dictated by the climate. It may well take as much as 10 weeks to plow out the highway within the spring, and generally the plows solely progress 500 toes in sooner or later. If there was late, heavy snow the highway could not open as early as ordinary. Conversely, if there’s an early snow within the fall, it could shut prior to ordinary.
Be sure you test that the highway is open if you plan to drive it. You may test highway closures on the Glacier NPS web site.
4. There are options to driving your self
In case your RV received’t make it over the highway, or if you wish to be free to admire the views, there are a number of excursions that drive Going-to-the-Solar Street as properly. Purple Jammer buses initially drove Glacier’s roads within the Nineteen Thirties. In 2001, the buses have been modernized and now visitors can take guided excursions on them.
There are additionally some shuttle buses and Blackfeet tour buses that provide excursions of varied components of the highway as properly.
5. Gasoline up
There aren’t any fuel stations inside Glacier Nationwide Park. You’ll need to fuel up earlier than coming into the park, and keep watch over the fuel gauge so you will have loads of warning to get extra if you happen to want it. Cities simply exterior the park like West Glacier, St. Mary, East Glacier Park Village, and Waterton Lakes have fuel stations the place you possibly can refill.
6. Plan for highway development
The most effective time to drive The Solar Street is, for a similar cause, the very best time to work on The Solar Street. Good climate permits crews to get work carried out. In the course of the summer season of 2024, there are a number of highway development initiatives occurring that might have an effect on your drive.
The west facet of the highway is within the final part of a yearlong development venture. It’s anticipated to be carried out in June.
The higher McDonald Creek Bridge can be being changed, and development on Glacier Drive in Polebridge is ongoing.
There are a number of different development initiatives underway across the park. You may test the highway development web page on the Glacier NPS web site for updates.
7. Plan to cease at many factors of curiosity
Though Going-to-the-Solar Street is 50 miles lengthy, it takes about two hours to drive with out stopping due to the steep grades and winding turns. However you’ll need to plan far more time than that. There are many locations to cease alongside the drive together with Lake McDonald, Path of the Cedars, Saint Mary Lake, and different overlooks and scenic spots. You may see a few of these websites forward of time by trying out the multimedia web page on the Glacier web site. There, you’ll discover movies of a number of the most picturesque spots alongside the drive.
8. Strive the audio tour
Should you don’t need to take a shuttle tour of the highway, you possibly can take a self-guided audio tour. Glacier Nationwide Park employees have recorded a sequence of podcasts that information you alongside the highway. Study extra about most of the locations the place you possibly can cease on the drive when you hear alongside. Nevertheless, cell service will be sketchy on this journey, so that you’ll need to obtain these podcasts earlier than you begin…and doubtless earlier than you even enter the park.
RV Leases Close by
There are many choices for RV leases close to Glacier Nationwide Park. You’ll discover many trailers and Class C campers obtainable to hire for a visit to the park. There are additionally some choices for Class A motorhomes and Class B campervans in order for you one thing smaller.
Should you plan to arrange camp after which go on a sightseeing drive on Going-to-the-Solar Street, you might need to take into account a trailer when you have a car large enough to tow it. That approach, you possibly can arrange your trailer and use your car to discover the park. A campervan is an alternative choice that permits you to journey calmly and never fear as a lot about dimension restrictions as you’d with a Class A motorhome.
Tenting Close to Going To The Solar Street
There are many choices for tenting close to Going to the Solar Street, with campgrounds each inside and simply exterior Glacier Nationwide Park. Take into account that Glacier is likely one of the largest nationwide parks. This implies you’ll need to think about drive time to and out of your campsite every day. You too can spend a couple of days tenting on the east facet of the park, after which spend extra time on the western facet (or vice versa).
Saint Mary Campground
Saint Mary Campground is alongside Going-to-the Solar Street. It doesn’t have a lot shade, however there are lovely aspen timber. You’ll additionally get views of a number of close by mountains together with Singleshot and the Purple Eagle Mountains. St. Mary Lake is close by – it’s too chilly for swimming however is a tremendous sight. The campground is on the east facet of the park. The websites should not have electrical hookups.
Apgar Campground
Apgar Campground is likely one of the largest and hottest campgrounds within the park. There are 194 campsites, and they’re unfold out with some shade as properly. A few of the websites even have views of Lake McDonald. The campground has no hookups, however there are flush bogs and showers obtainable. There may be additionally a dump station. Apgar is on the west facet of the park.
Beargrass Lodging & RV Resort
Beargrass Lodging & RV Resort gives much more facilities than campgrounds contained in the nationwide park. It’s in West Glacier and is a 10-minute drive from the park. The resort has full hookups, WiFi, a pool, and a laundry room. There are RV websites that may accommodate as much as a 45-foot rig.
Necessary Information
Should you’re headed to Glacier Nationwide Park to drive Going-to-the-Solar Street, right here is a few necessary info on the park.
Park Tackle: PO Field 128, West Glacier, MT 59936
Park Telephone Quantity: (406) 888-7800
Park Facilities: Glacier has a number of lodging and restaurant choices all through the park. There are additionally shops the place you should purchase park merchandise and tenting necessities you will have forgotten to pack. There are boat excursions, horseback driving, bus excursions, and guided hikes obtainable for visitors.
Going-to-the-Solar Street is a jaw-dropping drive previous a few of Glacier’s most well-known sights. You’ll need to test the Nationwide Park Service updates on highway closures and development plans. However you’re positive to see some wonderful views and make lasting reminiscences!
If you wish to expertise the highway your self and keep inside or close to Glacier, you possibly can ebook an RV with RVshare! Spend your days exploring the park, and retire to your personal area and a snug mattress every evening. In truth, RV tenting is an excellent solution to see most of the nation’s nationwide parks and scenic spots.
