The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed on May 7 that the Chief Mountain land port of entry, which links Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta with Glacier National Park in Montana, will operate from 9 May 15 to 18 September this year. The high-altitude crossing closes each winter because heavy snowfall and a 1,720-metre elevation make safe operations impossible; last year it processed more than 56,000 travellers . For multinational companies with field crews moving between Alberta’s energy corridor and the U.S. Rockies, the opening restores the shortest driving route between Calgary and northern Montana. Commercial vehicles are still prohibited, but technicians and consultants carrying tools in pickup trucks may cross if they pre-register their equipment and have the right work authorisation.
![CBSA reopens Chief Mountain border crossing for summer season]()
For anyone still sorting out whether they need an eTA, a visitor visa or a temporary work permit before approaching Chief Mountain, VisaHQ’s digital platform can streamline the process. By visiting https://www.visahq.com/canada/ companies and individual travellers can check requirements, complete applications online and arrange courier submission, ensuring documentation is in order long before they reach this remote alpine checkpoint.
CBSA reminds travellers that firearms, including bear spray, are restricted and declares that the agency seized 70 illegal guns in the Prairie Region in 2025 . The agency has staggered hours to match traffic patterns. From May 15-31, the post will run 09:00-18:00 MDT; between June 1 and Labour Day it will extend to 07:00-22:00, before scaling back to 09:00-18:00 until closing on September 30. Boaters entering Canada via Waterton Lake must still phone in to Chief Mountain upon arrival. Business travellers should download the ArriveCAN app and carry printed contracts to speed up inspections. The reopening also coincides with Ottawa’s C$1.3 billion Border Plan, which funds new radiation portals, licence-plate readers and bilingual hiring across 36 small crossings by 2027. Chief Mountain will pilot a mobile-first queue-management system this summer; feedback will guide a national rollout aimed at cutting wait times by 20 percent. In practical terms, travel-management teams should re-enable the crossing in GPS routing software and remind drivers that U.S. Customs at the adjacent Piegan station operates similar seasonal hours. Failure to time arrivals can mean a 130-kilometre detour to the 24-hour Carway crossing.
For anyone still sorting out whether they need an eTA, a visitor visa or a temporary work permit before approaching Chief Mountain, VisaHQ’s digital platform can streamline the process. By visiting https://www.visahq.com/canada/ companies and individual travellers can check requirements, complete applications online and arrange courier submission, ensuring documentation is in order long before they reach this remote alpine checkpoint.
CBSA reminds travellers that firearms, including bear spray, are restricted and declares that the agency seized 70 illegal guns in the Prairie Region in 2025 . The agency has staggered hours to match traffic patterns. From May 15-31, the post will run 09:00-18:00 MDT; between June 1 and Labour Day it will extend to 07:00-22:00, before scaling back to 09:00-18:00 until closing on September 30. Boaters entering Canada via Waterton Lake must still phone in to Chief Mountain upon arrival. Business travellers should download the ArriveCAN app and carry printed contracts to speed up inspections. The reopening also coincides with Ottawa’s C$1.3 billion Border Plan, which funds new radiation portals, licence-plate readers and bilingual hiring across 36 small crossings by 2027. Chief Mountain will pilot a mobile-first queue-management system this summer; feedback will guide a national rollout aimed at cutting wait times by 20 percent. In practical terms, travel-management teams should re-enable the crossing in GPS routing software and remind drivers that U.S. Customs at the adjacent Piegan station operates similar seasonal hours. Failure to time arrivals can mean a 130-kilometre detour to the 24-hour Carway crossing.
