This webpage contains photos taken from the eastern half of the Going-to-the-Sun Highway - the stretch between Logan Pass and down to the St Mary's park entrance. We drove this stretch of road multiple times during our visit to Glacier Park, so we had a chance to stop at all the pulloffs, sometimes more than once. These pictures are roughly in the order you would see them if you drove west to east and stopped at all the turnouts. The east side views may be even more stunning than the west side. I especially liked Sun Point.
Just below Logan Pass is a tunnel. There are pulloffs on either end of the tunnel, and the views from these spots are terrific. Despite the fact we were visiting over the fourth of July weekend, we didn't have trouble finding a place to park at the vista points. From the spots near the tunnel, there are some excellent views up toward the pass, and down into the valley. We could see Reynolds Creek with a large falls (Reynolds Falls? I haven't been able to find a name for this falls on any map or website.) A second large waterfall, which I think is Siyeh Creek, pours down and joins Reynolds Creek - you can only see this falls stop at one of the lookout and by going to the edge.
The hike to St Mary's and Virginia Falls is off of this stretch of highway, but I have covered that in a separate webpage. There is also a short hike to Baring Falls. This is a short and flat hike, so the parking lot fills up quickly. At the same spot you can cross the street and walk over to the Sunrift Gorge - which appears to be an arrow straight slice in the rock.
Everyone who visits the park must take a picture of Wild Goose Island. It is a tiny rock in the middle of picturesque St Mary's Lake. While we were at the pulloff, a scruffy guy full of tattoos ask me to take his picture (with his camera) with St Mary's Lake and Wild Goose island in the background - and him and his motorcycle in the foreground. I hope the photo turned out! The road takes a big curve around one shore, so you can stop and see Wild Goose Island while facing east or facing west.
There is a big parking lot at Sun Point. Sun Point is a tiny penisula that juts out into St Mary's Lake, it has a little bit of elevation to it, so when you stand there, you are looking down at St Mary's Lake and up at magnificent mountains. Nice views both east and west - my best photos were taken in the morning, when the rising sun brightly illuminates all the peaks.
Click on thumbnail for panoramic view taken from pulloff by the tunnel.
Standing at Sun Point, I took a more than 20 photos while turning 360 degrees - this big image is complete view
Click on any thumbnail to open photo in new window
