Fall can be a gorgeous time to travel in Glacier National Park’s backcountry and on horseback is a great way to go. Guided horseback trips end for the season, however, on Sept. 20. KURT WILSON/Missoulian

Missoulian

WEST GLACIER  – Officials at Glacier National Park remind park visitors that the park is open year-round and that most concessions, lodging and camping facilities will remain open well past Labor Day for the autumn season.
After Labor Day, services and facilities slowly start closing for the winter; however, the following is a list of ongoing park services and projected closing dates.

• Belton Chalets Inc. Granite Park Chalet closes Sept. 7; Sperry Chalet closes Sept. 9. The historic Granite Park Chalet is available for overnight use as a rustic hiker shelter. Services at the historic Sperry Chalet include traditional overnight accommodations and food service for guests and day hikers alike. For more information, 1-888-345-2649 or www.sperrychalet.com or www.graniteparkchalet.com.

• Glacier Park Boat Company. Boat tours and rentals. Apgar (rentals only) closes Sept. 7; Lake McDonald closes Sept. 20; Many Glacier closes Sept. 13; Rising Sun closes Sept. 7; Two Medicine closes Sept. 7. For more information, (406) 257-2426 or www.glacierparkboats.com.

• Glacier Park Inc. Glacier Park Lodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonald Lodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonald Camp Store closes Sept. 26; Jammer Joe’s Restaurant closes Sept. 8; Many Glacier Hotel closes Sept. 20; Prince of Wales Hotel* closes Sept. 14; Rising Sun Motor Inn closes Sept. 20; Rising Sun Camp Store closes Sept. 21*; Swiftcurrent Motor Inn closes Sept. 12; Swiftcurrent Camp Store closes Sept. 20; Two Medicine Camp Store closes Sept. 7; Village Inn closes
Sept. 19.
* Glacier Park Lodge and the Prince of Wales Hotel are located outside the park, but are also managed by GPI. These properties will close after breakfast on the dates listed. For more information, central reservations (406) 892-2525 or www.glacierparkinc.com.

• Red Bus Tours end Sept. 26; hiker shuttle ends Sept. 7. (Connects Many Glacier to Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle that operates July1-Sept. 7). East Side Shuttle closes Sept. 20. (Service to trailheads and hotels between East Glacier and Waterton, Alberta).

• Glacier Guides Inc. Guided day hikes and backpacking end in October. For more information,
1-800-521-RAFT or (406) 387-5555 or www.glacierguides.com.

• Swan Mountain Outfitters. Horseback rides. Apgar Corral closes Sept. 7; Lake McDonald Corral closes Sept. 20; Many Glacier Corral closes Sept. 20. For more information,
1-877-888-5557 or www.swan
mountainoutfitters.com/glacier.

• Sun Tours. Interpretive tours end Oct. 15. For more information,
1-800-786-9220 or (406) 226-9220 or www.glaciersuntours.com.

Autumn 2009 schedule for National Park Service facilities
Note on entrance fees: When entrance stations are not staffed, visitors must pay the entrance fee at the self-registration fee collection box or have a valid, previously purchased park pass. Listed is the campbround and last night for camping/change to primitive status:

• Apgar – Oct. 11*
• Avalanche – Sept. 6
• Bowman Lake – Sept. 13**
• Cut Bank – Sept. 13***
• Fish Creek – Sept. 6
• Kintla Lake – Sept. 13**
• Logging Creek – Sept. 29
• Many Glacier – Sept. 20**
• Quartz Creek – Nov. 29 ***
• Rising Sun – Sept.13
• Sprague Creek – Sept. 13
• St. Mary – Sept. 20 *
• Two Medicine – Sept. 20**

* Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) is available throughout the fall at Apgar and St. Mary beginning on the dates indicated above. Cost for primitive camping at St. Mary and Apgar is $10 a night. Winter camping is also offered at these two sites. There is no charge for winter camping, which begins Dec. 1.
** Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) will also be available after the listed dates at Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, Many Glacier and Two Medicine Campgrounds. Bowman and Kintla Lake will offer primitive camping until Dec. 1, unless closed earlier by weather. At Many Glacier and Two Medicine campgrounds, primitive camping remains available until snow accumulation and/or unsafe road conditions exist. Cost for primitive camping is $10 a night.
*** No water is available at Cut Bank, Logging Creek and Quartz Creek. Camping at these campgrounds costs $10 per night. Quartz Creek will continue to offer this primitive camping with no water until Dec. 1, unless closed earlier by weather.

Visitor centers and ranger-led interpretive programs
Glacier’s visitor centers at Apgar, St. Mary and Logan Pass are open daily throughout September.
A variety of ranger-led programs, from easy walks and evening talks, to all-day hikes and boat tours will continue in September. Activities are listed in “The Glacier Visitors Guide” which is available in visitor centers or online at www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/upload/WGG09-web.pdf.

Going-to-the-Sun Road
To allow for accelerated rehabilitation work, beginning Monday, Sept. 20, Logan Pass will be closed to vehicle use from the west side between Avalanche and Logan Pass for the remainder of the season.
Logan Pass will be accessible for vehicles from the east side, except when closed to motorized vehicles because of weather.

During evening hours and on weekends, when the contractor is not working, non-motorized access (hikers and bicyclists) will be allowed on the alpine segment between Avalanche and Logan Pass.
Information about the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation and related visitor service improvements are available by calling park headquarters at (406) 888-7800 or home.nps.gov/applications/glac/
roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm.

For reservations and details on the concession activities, contact the concession office directly at the number listed. For general park information, please visit the park’s official Web site, www.nps.gov/glac, or call park headquarters at (406) 888-7800.