Glacier National Park to plug historic oil well near Kintla Lake

WEST GLACIER, Mont. [ July 15, 2026] - Glacier National Park will begin work in late July to plug the historic Butte Oil Well at Kintla Lake. The well, which predates the establishment of the park, was selected for plugging after monitoring detected leaking gases. Work is expected to continue for several weeks and be completed in fall 2026.

The project will temporarily affect trail and camping access in the Kintla Lake area. The Kintla Lake Wilderness Campground is expected to be closed during helicopter operations and active construction, beginning July 27 and continuing through late August. Visitors should check Recreation.gov for current availability before planning overnight trips in the area.

The Kintla-Boulder Pass Trail along Kintla Lake will close intermittently during four days of helicopter operations. Initial flights are scheduled for July 27 and 28 between approximately 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Two additional days of helicopter operations will occur near the end of the project to remove equipment and materials that cannot be transported by boat. Those dates will be announced when available.

The frontcountry campground at Kintla Lake will be open for first-come, first-served camping during construction.

Visitors should also expect increased construction traffic along the Inside North Fork Road between Polebridge and Kintla Lake. Construction equipment and activities may temporarily affect views and natural sounds around the lake.

The project is being completed through the National Park Service's Abandoned Mineral Lands program, which addresses historic mining sites and oil and gas well established before lands became part of the National Park System.

For information about the project and history of the Butte Oil Well, visit the park's story map.