The West Tunnel in Glacier National Park is one of two tunnels along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, an iconic scenic drive that crosses the park.
Overview
The West Side Tunnel is located on the west side of the park, not far from the Weeping Wall and Bird Woman Falls, and it offers some unique features and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
The tunnel was built as part of the massive engineering effort to construct the Going-to-the-Sun Road in the 1920s and 1930s. It’s a prime example of how the road’s design was meant to blend with the natural environment, making the drive an integral part of the Glacier National Park experience. The 51-mile stretch of scenic road is significant as a unique engineering accomplishment of the early twentieth century, and as the first product of a 1925 cooperative agreement between the National Park Service and the Bureau of Public Roads. The West Side Tunnel was part of the first contract following the landmark agreement. The tunnel is an excellent example of the care the engineers took in designing each structure for a given site, in that it has windows that look out on Heaven’s Peak and the scenic McDonald Creek Valley.
West Tunnel Plan
We didn’t have any plans to visit the tunnel, but we knew we wanted to drive the length of Going-to-the-Sun Road, and that included going through the tunnels. When we went through the first time, we were on the way to our Saint Mary Lake Boat Ride, so we didn’t have time to stop. On the way back towards Apgar Village and the West Entrance, we made a quick stop at the tunnel. After passing through, and seeing the open windows, we pulled to the side of the road and took a short hike back into the tunnel for a better view.
Getting There
Location
Glacier National Park sits along the border between the United States and Canada in northwestern Montana. The closest airport is Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) located in Kalispell, Montana. Staying in the area around Kalispell, Whitefish, or West Glacier Village will put you close to the West Entrance of the park and closest to Sacred Dancing Cascades.
Best Time to Go
As with much of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the West Tunnel is typically open from late June to mid-September, depending on snow conditions. The road may be closed in early summer and fall due to snowpack, so it’s important to check road conditions beforehand.
For the best views and lighting conditions, consider driving through the tunnel in the morning or late afternoon when the sun casts dramatic light over the mountains.
West Tunnel
Who Can Go?
Anyone can drive through the West Tunnel. If you are driving from east to west, just past the tunnel is a small pulloff. From there, we were able to get out of the vehicle and walk on the sidewalk back into the tunnel to get a better view from the tunnel window.
What You'll See
One of the distinctive features of the West Tunnel is its window openings. These “windows” were carved into the tunnel to allow light in and provide visitors with breathtaking views of the valley and the mountains as they pass through. You can catch a glimpse of Bird Woman Falls through these windows if you look closely while driving or walking through the tunnel. When looking through the tunnel viewing windows, you can see Heavens Peak and McDonald Creek below. Keep an eye out for mountain goats and bighorn sheep in the area.
Looking into the tunnel from the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road
Looking out of the windows in the West Tunnel
What to Bring & Wear
If you are only stopping at the overlook, the only thing you really need to bring is a camera to catch a photo of the stunning scenery and the waterfall. The falls are at a distance from the road, so bringing binoculars or a zoom camera lens can help you get a better view of its full height and details.
Where to Go
The West Tunnel is situated along the lower western slope of the Continental Divide, between The Loop and Big Bend, as you head towards Logan Pass from the west entrance of the park. It’s carved into the rock of the mountain and passes through the rugged landscape. If you are heading east, you’ll go through the tunnel after passing The Loop on the way towards Lake McDonald Lodge and the Trail of the Cedars trailhead.
There is not a parking lot for the tunnel, but when you go just past the tunnel from east to west, there’s a small pulloff big enough for a couple of cars. From there, we walked back into the tunnel along the side of the road and on the sidewalk on the side of the tunnel to get a better look out of the tunnel’s windows.
There is a pullover spot on the east side of the tunnel, but the road doesn’t have any space to walk back into the tunnel.
How Long Does it Take?
Plan to spend about 5-10 minutes at the tunnel, depending on how long you want to take in the beautiful scene. This is not a very popular place to stop along Going-to-the-Sun Road, so you should be able to get there easily.
Cost
There’s no cost to stop at the tunnel, but you’ll pay an entrance fee for the national park. A private car is $35 and the pass is good for up to 7 days from the date of purchase. You can also buy an annual pass at $70 or the America the Beautiful pass for $80. Don’t forget, during peak season, you will also need a vehicle reservation to enter the park so make sure to purchase that ahead of time.
Tips for West Tunnel
- Drivers are advised to slow down when approaching the tunnel due to the road’s narrowness and the possibility of other vehicles or wildlife nearby.
- While it’s difficult to stop inside the tunnel, you can slow down as you pass through to appreciate the views. Once you’ve exited the tunnel, there are pullouts where you can safely stop and capture photos of the surrounding landscape.
- The windows provide an interesting perspective for taking photos of the surrounding valleys and mountains through the tunnel.
- There is one other tunnel that you can drive through in east Glacier National Park: the East Tunnel is on the eastern side of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
- Ptarmigan Tunnel is part of the strenuous hike that starts at Iceberg Lake Trailhead near Swiftcurrent Motor Inn in the Many Glacier area. The Ptarmigan Trail takes you to Ptarmigan Falls, Ptarmigan Creek, Ptarmigan Lake, and Ptarmigan Wall.
- The speed limit on these portions of the road is 25 mph.