Glacier National Park

Permit Information

Special Use Permit required. $125 non refundable application fee paid electronically via Pay.gov. Apply at least 20 business days in advance, up to one year ahead. Processing can take many months due to high volume. Ceremonies are limited to 2 hours. A permit monitor is required for any group of 20 or more, monitoring fees may apply. Peak season runs the 2nd Friday in May through the 2nd Sunday in October and most sites have smaller peak season caps. Group size varies widely by location (10 to …

Seasonal Planning

July through September is the main window, Going to the Sun Road is typically fully open by early July and closes in mid October. The park is at its most spectacular in late July and August when the wildflowers are at peak and all trails are accessible. Fall (September through October) brings golden larch and far fewer crowds. Winter closes most of the park but the west side remains accessible and offers snowshoeing and a completely different, quiet experience. No vehicle reservations are required for the Going to the Sun Road corridor in 2026, a change from previous years.

Photography Notes

Lake McDonald is a sunrise location. The still water reflects the mountains and the colored stones are visible in the early light before wind ripples the surface. Hidden Lake Overlook, a 2.7 mile hike from Logan Pass, offers mountain goats, wildflower meadows, and a turquoise lake. No vehicle reservations are required for Going to the Sun Road in 2026.

Planning Your Day at Glacier National Park

One-Spot Day

Glacier is split into two sides by the Continental Divide, connected only by Going to the Sun Road (50 miles, 2.5 to 3 hours in peak season traffic). Pick one side per day or pick one location as your anchor. West side day: Lake McDonald at sunrise plus Logan Pass portraits before afternoon cloud buildup. East side day: St. Mary and Sun Point ceremony plus Many Glacier portraits. Trying to cover both sides on your ceremony day means 4+ hours driving, which eats your light and your permit window. The 2 hour ceremony limit is strict, plan logistics tightly at a single chosen anchor rather than site hopping.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

Your ceremony location and portrait locations do not need to be the same place. Because Glacier's designated ceremony sites are specific named beaches and amphitheaters (most capped at 15 to 20 guests), many couples have the ceremony at a designated site then self drive to a scenic but non designated location for portraits afterward. Going to the Sun Road corridor (Logan Pass, Hidden Lake, Highline Trail) is for portraits after an official ceremony at a designated site because it is not on the permit list. Sign legal papers between ceremony and portraits so the moment you chose is the moment that counts. No vehicle reservations required for Going to the Sun Road in 2026, which makes this split easier than previous years.

A Note on Light

Glacier's peaks are high and steep, so alpine light is directional and dramatic but short lived in valleys. West side locations (Lake McDonald, Bowman Lake) light up at sunrise because peaks to the east catch first light and reflect in still morning water. East side locations (St. Mary, Many Glacier) light up at sunset because the peaks to the west light up at golden hour with lake reflections. Logan Pass sits on the divide and gets sun all day but the light is best early morning before afternoon clouds build. Summer thunderstorms build quickly after noon in July and August, plan ceremonies before 1pm or after 5pm to reduce weather risk. Late July and August have wildflower peak at Logan Pass, September brings golden larch in the larch zones (Highline Trail, Iceberg Lake).

Ceremony Spots at Glacier National Park

• Lake McDonald — The park's largest lake, 10 miles long, famously multicolored stones, mountains reflected in still dawn water
• Logan Pass / Hidden Lake Overlook — Continental Divide ceremony at 6,646 feet, wildflower meadows, mountain goats, and turquoise Hidden Lake below
• Many Glacier Valley — The most scenic valley in the park, historic 1915 chalet hotel, glacier fed lakes, mountain goats and bears visible daily
• St. Mary & Sun Point — East side ceremony on a rocky promontory over St. Mary Lake, drier, sunnier weather and the Going to the Sun peaks on the horizon
• Bowman Lake (Polebridge) — Glacier's most secluded designated ceremony site, a glassy 7 mile wilderness lake with no development, maximum privacy, dark skies