USA · Americas
Going-to-the-Sun Road
A spectacular mountain road crossing Glacier National Park over Logan Pass. Carved into sheer cliff walls with waterfalls cascading over the road.
- Length
- 80.0 km
- Avg gradient
- 2.5%
- Max gradient
- 7%
- Elevation gain
- 1,000 m
- Summit
- 2,026 m
- Hairpins
- 15
Versants
- From West Glacier — 50.0 km at 2.0% (max 7%)
- From St. Mary — 30.0 km at 2.1% (max 6%)
History
Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses Logan Pass at 2,026 m through Glacier National Park, and parts of the road are carved directly into sheer cliff faces. Waterfalls cascade across the pavement in places, and the narrow switchbacks demand respect from cyclists riding exposed sections with thousand-meter drops nearby.
The road is narrow — only one lane in places — and is closed to vehicles longer than 21 meters. The grade from West Glacier is only 2% average over 50 km, which means the challenge is endurance and the exposure rather than steepness.
The engineering is the main attraction: the road was carved through rock starting in 1921, and many sections required hand-drilling and dynamite. The combination of the park scenery and the dramatic road construction make it one of North America's most spectacular mountain drives.