Cycling Going-to-the-Sun Road in the Fall (Video)
One of the finest routes I’ve ever cycled is Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. The winding, beautiful trip over Logan Pass starts by a rushing river and climbs (and climbs) for 11 miles as views of the valley below open like a magical picture book. During a recent road trip through western Montana, my dad and I were lucky to catch a nice fall day to pedal to the sun.
I rode through Glacier last year in July – one of our favorite days of our U.S. bike tour – and this time of year revealed another brilliant facet of the park. Fall colors were firing and, an added bonus, the road was closed for the season to vehicle traffic. During the summer, the park requires cyclists to be off the road by 11 a.m. This time around, we dawdled, pedaled in the middle of the road, and soaked in this gem of the Rockies.
Pictures can’t capture the experience. Instead, here’s a short video of our ride. Kudos to my dad for cranking up the steep grade for miles and miles!
More to come from our Montana adventures…
I was there last summer, my camera lost all my photos though 🙁
I was pushing REALLY hard to go there with the girlfriends over the summer, but she felt it was too far! I’ll definitely be back, Whitefish is a cool town too.
Patrick recently posted…Carver Gnarvester on Tour Divide
Glacier is a long way from anywhere, so I totally understand. Definitely check it out in the fall if you get the chance.
Very cool indeed! Why was the road closed to cars and is that a “predictable” event? Riding without cars on the road is a very special experience. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Al. Yep, it was closed for the season, which you can find on Glacier’s website. Can’t beat car-free cycling!
Hi Kindred Spirits – I have been living out of my vehicle (a 1993 Toyota Pickup Truck) going on 14 years now! I moved out in 2002, thinking it would be maybe a couple of years – and am still loving it! Can’t imagine settling down again. I’m 69 and retired, so that helps – but I wonder how long I’ll be able to do this. Who knows? Next week, I’ll be heading to New Zealand where I spend November to April! I’m not so much a biker as I am a backpacker – luckily I’m still going strong! I look forward to reading more of your posts! Cheers, Talie
Fun! Thanks for sharing your story. The Colorado Trail trip you just did sounds absolutely fabulous. I’ve thought about biking that; I’m not tough enough to backpack it. 😉
Have fun in New Zealand! Such a beautiful country. Do you travel in a vehicle while you’re there, or simply rent a place?