An early spring opening has come to the Two Medicine Campground in Glacier National Park/NPS

Snow removal operations in Glacier National Park have cleared the road to the Two Medicine Campground on the east side of the park, and officials expect it to be open for business this weekend, though with limited services.

"We are pleased to have the Two Medicine area accessible to the public this early in the year,' said Glacier Superintendent Jeff Mow, adding that snow conditions across the park are varied and park personnel are busily working to provide public access.

The Two Medicine Campground, located about 13 miles from East Glacier, is scheduled to open about mid-morning Saturday with limited sites on a first-come first-serve basis. Water and restroom facilities will be available, and the nightly camping fee will be $20. The recreational vehicle dump station will not be available.

Park officials say the Two Medicine Lake is free of ice. While the boat dock will not be available, boat inspections for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) must be scheduled in advance by contacting the park at 406-888-7800. The restroom facility near the lake will be open. The general store will not be open.

Elsewhere at Glacier, the St. Mary Campground, located on the east side of the park, is open for walk-in campers only, and closed to vehicle traffic through June 4. The campground will remain in primitive status, with no flush toilets and no water during this time. The camping fee is $10 per night. Vehicles can be parked in the St. Mary Visitor Center parking lot and campers will walk approximately a half-mile to the campground. Vehicle access to the campground is closed due to rehabilitation work on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Primitive camping is available in the Apgar Picnic Area through April 30 on the west side of the park. The camping fee is $10 per night. The Apgar Campground is anticipated to open May 1.

The Apgar Visitor Center is open weekends, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This shot, taken Thursday, shows just how little snow there is at the Two Medicine Campground/NPS

Snow plowing activities on the Going-to-the-Sun Road continue with the west-side road crew approaching the Big Bend area. Weather conditions at the higher elevations this week have limited plowing activities and crews have been busy with lower elevation work. Road crews on the east-side have reached the Siyeh Bend area, and are also working in the Many Glacier and Two Medicine areas on projects. 

There is vehicle access on the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Lake McDonald Lodge area on the west side. However, due to road rehabilitation work, vehicle access on the Going-to-the-Sun Road is limited to the St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side.

Hiker and bikers can access the Going-to-the-Sun Road past the vehicle closures when plow and rehabilitation crews are finished for the day and on weekends, or as posted. You should be prepared for ice patches on the road. For information about the Going-to-the-Sun Road, visit the park'™s website.

Other areas across Glacier will open as conditions and personnel allow.