GOING TO THE SUN – GLACIER NATURAL PARK (MT)

USA 2023, Day 8 – July 6

“Updated in May 2026 with new information about the trip preparation.”

The highlight of the trip

There are roads that exist purely to be driven. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of them.

It crosses Glacier National Park from west to east, from the park entrance to St. Mary, running alongside sheer drops on one side and mountain on the other. The original plan was to loop back via Kiowa and Highway 2, but Javier, the hotel receptionist, talked us into going back the same way we came.

“The views are completely different depending on which direction you’re going,” he told us.

He was right. We saw them twice, and both times were different.

The parking lot that was full… always full

The park was packed. We’d booked a slot as required by the rules, but even so everything was stretched to the limit. At the top of the pass we found parking easily enough in the spots reserved for motorcycles, but cars kept pouring in looking for a spot despite the signs warning that it was full.

We’re convinced those signs never came down.

What we found at the top was, honestly, pretty underwhelming once we’d parked: a few photos hung up here and there, someone answering questions, and not much else. And the most unbelievable part for being in the United States: not a single place to grab a coffee or a Coke.

St. Mary and the Colombian waitress

We had to ride all the way to the end of the route, to St. Mary, to find somewhere to eat. And it was worth the wait.

The Weeping Wall: JP dives in

On the way back, at a marked point along the route, water poured directly off the rock face onto the road. It’s called the Weeping Wall, and it’s signposted as one of the points of interest on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

JP didn’t hesitate for a second. He rode straight under it, filming the whole thing.

Bad luck had it that his battery had died. We ended up without the video.

But he did it like a champion. The people watching from the shoulder — since I’d stopped behind to watch him — had no idea what was going on. Why get soaked? What was the point?

Of course. They just weren’t riders.

Back to Kalispell: Guinness, Japanese food, and “hydrating”

Once the route was done, we headed straight to Moose’s Saloon for Guinness and peanuts. Afterward we ended up having dinner at a nearby Japanese place.

And of course, we ordered other things too.

Everything was delicious.

Walking back to the hotel, JP wrapped up the night with what he called “hydrating.” Everyone has their own recovery rituals.

The next day: the last three days heading back to Seattle.

Along remote roads out in nature, so close to the Canadian border that at some point, if you kept going straight, you’d cross into Canada. A curve would bring you back into the United States just in time.

A real gem.

But we still had memories like these left, unforgettable ones …

Oh, and of course, this happened afterward … which is what JP called “hydrating”!

📍 Resources and recommendations

🛣️ Going-to-the-Sun Road — Reservation required. Drive it in both directions: the views are completely different each way.

🏔️ Weeping Wall — Marked as one of the points of interest along the route. If you’re a rider, you already know what to do.

🍽️ St. Mary Village — The best place to eat at the end of the route. Worth the stop.

🍺 Moose’s Saloon, Kalispell — Guinness and peanuts. The perfect ritual to close out the day.

Route from Seattle to Yellowstone and Glacier Park

• 2022 USA, a dream trip … failed!
• USA, a dream trip 2, we did it!
• Seattle (WA) to Walla Walla (WA)
• Walla Walla (WA) to Lochsa Lodge (ID)
• Lochsa Lodge (ID) to Gardiner (MT)
• Yellowstone & Bear Tooth Pass (WY)
• Yellowstone (WY) to Idaho – Irwin (ID)
• Idaho via Salmon on the way to Missoula – Stevensville (ID)
• Idaho to Montana, to Glacier Park – Kalispell (MT)
• Going to the Sun – Glacier National Park (MT)
• Glacier Park (MT) to Colville (MT), riding along the Canadian border
• Highway 20 Along the Canadian Border, heading to Concrete (WA)