Is there anything better than standing at the base of a jagged peak, swimming in a pristine alpine lake, or breathing in the crisp mountain air? Imagine yourself camping in Glacier National Park — all of those things can be yours!
Camping in Glacier is an enchanting experience that will enhance your vacation to this Montana wilderness.
This guide is all about the frontcountry camping possibilities within the national park. It is designed to help you decide which campground is perfect for your needs!
What You Need to Know About Camping in Glacier
- Reservations are accepted up to six months in advance. Competition is fierce so if you want a chance of reserving a site, be sure to sign up exactly six months before the first night of your trip. If your desired dates are already full, check back often because people cancel!
- First-come, first-served sites should be claimed by mid-morning. Plan your trip so that you can get to the campsite early before it fills.
- There are no RV hookups anywhere in the park.
- A maximum of 2 vehicles is allowed at each campsite (RV’s, 5th Wheels, and trailers count as a vehicle).
- There is a 14-day stay limit during the summer months, and Senior/Access Pass holders can get 50% off of the camping fee (this does NOT include the Annual America the Beautiful Pass).
- Each standard campsite only accommodates eight people and two small tents. If you have a larger group, you will need to book two campsites or look for a campground that offers double or group campsites.
- Glacier is bear country! Learn about bear safety and proper food storage practices before you go.
This article contains information on the frontcountry camping experiences that are available within Glacier National Park. In other words, it covers places you can get to with your car! If you’re interested in hike-in backcountry camping options, click here.
Getting to the Campgrounds
Take a look at the map of campgrounds in Glacier National Park to plan your trip. For your convenience, you can click on the name of a campground in the list below to read more about it.
How to Get a Campsite in Glacier
Only a few campgrounds in the park accept reservations. If you’re hoping to reserve something, click over to Recreation.gov to find a site. Reservations open up six months in advance of the first day of your reservation. You’ll want to sign in and pick out your site in advance so that you can be ready to hit reserve as soon as the clock strikes 10 a.m. EST.
Most campsites in the park are first-come, first-served and fill in the morning hours.
When you arrive, grab an envelope from the registration kiosk and then proceed into the campground to find an available site. The sites that are available will not have a tag on the post, and you’ll want to choose one of those. If you see an empty campsite that still has a paper stub on the post, it likely is still paid for and occupied by someone else…so don’t set up there!
After finding a suitable site, immediately fill out the envelope and insert payment, put the stub on the post for your site, and drop the envelope in the slot at the registration kiosk.
To choose your ideal campground, take a look at the in-park options below:
Camping in West Glacier
Most people enter the park through West Glacier, mostly because the bustling towns of Whitefish, Kalispell, and Columbia Falls are located on this side of the park. You’ll find numerous lodging options, restaurants, and stores in these towns. As you work your way toward West Glacier, the amenities start to thin out, and the scenery starts to get better!
After entering the park through the West Entrance, you’ll be within close reach of the Apgar Village Visitor Center, Lake McDonald, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Apgar Campground
This is the largest campground in Glacier and is near Lake McDonald, the Visitor Center, hotels, restaurants, rentals, and activities.
Open Season: Year-round, but with limited services during the off-season.
Max RV Length: 40 feet.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No, first-come, first-served only.
Fee: $20
Number of Sites: 194
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: 2 sites
Fish Creek Campground
While still conveniently located about 2 miles from Apgar Village, this campground also offers lake views {some sites in Loops C and D} and showers {Loop A}!
Open Season: End of May – Early September.
Max RV Length: 35 ft.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: No generators allowed in Loop C, but permitted in other loops during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, click here to check availability.
Fee: $23.
Number of Sites: 178.
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: 8 sites.
Avalanche Campground
A spot in this campground is highly coveted, primarily because of its proximity to the popular Avalanche Lake trail and the high reaches of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Open Season: End of May – Early September
Max RV Length: 26 ft
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No, first-come, first-served only.
Fee: $20
Number of Sites: 87
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: 1 site
Sprague Creek Campground
This small campground is located along the stunning shores of Lake McDonald, and some sites have lovely water views. If you’re a tent camper, you’ll especially love this quiet, generator-free space to soak in Glacier’s beauty!
Open Season: Middle of May – Middle of September
Max RV Length: No RVs allowed
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Not permitted at any time.
Reservations Required: No. First-come, first-served only.
Fee: $20
Number of Sites: 25
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: 1 site
Planning a trip to Glacier can be overwhelming.
How do you make a solid plan if you’ve never been to the park before? How do you keep everyone in your group excited and engaged?
You can spend hours on the internet searching for things to do, but you still won’t find the insider tips and first-hand knowledge that I’ve gained from working as a park ranger.
If you’re hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people, check out this Glacier Itinerary.
You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!
Camping in East Glacier
This side of the park is not as busy as West Glacier — the towns are small, and the amenities are limited. You’ll find East Glacier {just outside of the Two Medicine area}, St. Mary {the gateway to the Going-to-the-Sun Road on the east side}, and Babb {near the entrance to Many Glacier} on this quiet side of the park.
The mountains are dramatic here, and the wildlife viewing is PHENOMENAL!
St. Mary Campground
This campground sits right at the East Entrance of the Going-to-the-Sun Road and is a great place to base your eastside adventures! Trees are scarce here, but the mountain views are gorgeous. Look for sites in Loop A if you want a little more shade and shelter as a tent camper, Loops B and C are typically better for RVs. This campground does have showers, located in Loop C.
Open Season: Year-round, but with limited services during the off-season.
Max RV Length: 40 feet.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: No generators allowed in Loop A, but permitted in other loops during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, but only from June 1 – September 4. Click here to check availability. The rest of the year is first-come, first-served.
Fee: $23
Number of Sites: 148
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets and running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: 2 sites
Rising Sun Campground
This campground is ideally situated along the Going-to-the-Sun Road next to St. Mary Lake. A hotel, restaurant, camp store, showers, and boat tours are available from this location.
Open Season: Middle of June – Middle of September.
Max RV Length: 25 feet.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: No generators allowed in sites 49-84, but permitted in other sites during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No. First-come, first-served only.
Fee: $20
Number of Sites: 84
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: 1 site
Many Glacier Campground
The Many Glacier Area is one of the most spectacular places in the park! It’s one of my favorite places to explore…and apparently everyone else’s. Getting a campsite here is incredibly competitive, but if you’re one of the lucky ones you’ll be rewarded with world-class wildlife viewing, sparkling lakes, and phenomenal mountain views.
Open Season: Late May – Late September.
Max RV Length: 35 feet, but be aware that most sites cannot accommodate slide-outs, and the road into Many Glacier is terrible and will be hard on your RV.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: No generators allowed in sites 88-102, but permitted in other sites during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No, most sites are first-come, first-served. From June 15 – Labor Day, a handful of sites are set aside for reservations on Recreation.gov.
Fee: $23
Number of Sites: 109
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: No
Cut Bank Campground
This small off-the-beaten-path campground is located down a dirt road in a quiet corner of the park. You’ll find lovely views of Glacier’s interior mountains and lots of solitude here!
Open Season: Middle of June – September.
Max RV Length: RVs not advised.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: No.
Reservations Required: No, first-come, first-served only.
Fee: $10
Number of Sites: 14
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Pit toilets with no running water. Drinking water is not available here.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Two Medicine Campground
Located in a stunning corner of the park, this campground sits near the shores of Two Medicine Lake and offers access to some of the park’s best day hikes.
Open Season: June – September
Max RV Length: 35 feet.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: Yes.
Generators: No generators allowed in sites 1-36, but permitted in other sites during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No, first-come, first-served only.
Fee: $20
Number of Sites: 100
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Wheelchair Accessibility: 1 site.
Camping in Polebridge
Located in the remote northwestern part of the park, Polebridge is a small community without traditional electricity or cell service! The residents power their lives with solar panels and a diesel generator. This unique town is fun to visit and is a great place to camp if you want to get away from it all. Be sure to stop by the Polebridge Mercantile for a famous huckleberry bearclaw!
The scenery up here is gorgeous, with several beautiful lakeside campgrounds that are perfect for adventuring.
Logging Creek Campground
This small, primitive campground offers a true wilderness experience. If solitude is what you love, you’ll definitely find it down this curvy dirt road!
Open Season: July – Middle of September.
Max RV Length: Vehicles longer than 21 feet are prohibited.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No, first-come, first-served only.
Fee: $10
Number of Sites: 7
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Pit toilets with no running water. Drinking water is not available here.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Quartz Creek Campground
If you’re a tent camper looking for a wilderness experience, this small campground tucked in the woods may be perfect for you. The location near Polebridge will provide a few amenities, but otherwise, you’re quite remote.
Open Season: July – Middle of September.
Max RV Length: No RVs allowed
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No. First-come, first-served only.
Fee: $10
Number of Sites: 7
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Pit toilets with no running water. Drinking water is not available here.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Bowman Lake Campground
Bowman Lake is one of the most picturesque places in Glacier and is certainly worth a visit! This campground sits along the shores of this lake and offers opportunities to hike, kayak, and fish.
You’ll have to drive along a winding dirt road with blind corners and limited pullouts to access this lake and campground. Because of its location near the lake, you’ll want to bring plenty of bug spray!
Open Season: Late May – September.
Max RV Length: Vehicles longer than 21 feet are prohibited.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No. First-come, first-served only.
Fee: $15
Number of Sites: 46
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Pit toilets. Drinking water is available.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Kintla Lake Campground
This is Glacier’s most remote frontcountry campground, and it’s an adventure to get here! Located along the pristine shoreline of Kintla Lake, there’s no shortage of activities in this beautiful area of the park.
You’ll have to drive along a long, winding dirt road to access this lake and campground. Because of its location near the lake, you’ll want to bring plenty of bug spray!
Open Season: End of May – September.
Max RV Length: Vehicles longer than 21 feet are prohibited.
Hookups: No.
Dump Station: No.
Generators: Permitted during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Reservations Required: No. First-come, first-served only.
Fee: $15
Number of Sites: 13
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Glacier’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms: Pit toilets. Drinking water is available.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Now that you’ve seen your options for camping in Glacier, are you ready to make sure you don’t miss any of the best sights in the park?
Click NEXT to see the 10 things you can’t miss on your first visit!
Thanks for this great information. If I am going to camp (hopefully with a reservation) for 6 nights with my family, would you suggest staying in the same campground the entire time or spending half the time in the east of the park and the other half in the west? I was thinking I would reserve a site at Fish Creek and then at St. Mary. Are the two areas different enough to justify the hassle of packing and unpacking twice? Thanks,
I would split it…it’s worth the packing/unpacking if you have that many days in the park!
We are coming into West Glacier this Friday. We are starting to get nervous about first come first serve camping. We have our eyes on Sprague Creek. The site shows it’s filling daily by 6:15am. How exactly does this work? Are those campers who will be checking out that day have empty posts that would then be reservable by new comers like us, in the wee hours of the morning? We are more than happy to drive in by 5am if that’s what it takes, but certainly don’t want to then be sitting and waiting to see if someone leaves?! How does this process work if checkout isn’t until later in the morning? Hope my question makes sense! Love you site! So helpful!
Yeah, so typically there will be a host trying to help people check in as campers leave. If it’s filling up that early, it probably means that there aren’t many open sites though. The host will usually try to figure out which sites will be open by talking to the campers the night before, but they have until like 11 a.m. to change their mind and keep their site, so it can get a little messy. Good luck!
Dear Ash,
First of all, you website is incredibly helpful. Thank you for putting that together.
Next, I have a question, to which I have found conflicting information on NPS website and recreation.gov.
You mentioned that two vehicles per campsite are allowed for Many Glacier Campground. On recreation.gov it states maximum number of vehicles allowed is 1 (for Many Glacier camps).
I have a reservation for a site that allows up to 35 feet RV. I will be driving an RV, which is 24 feet long and my wife will be driving a car which is about 14 feet long. We intend to leave the RV at the campsite, and drive the car to Going to the Sun Road on most days of our trip (as we cant take the RV longer than 21 feet on GTSR).
Do you think we would be able to park the RV and the car at our site? Also, do you foresee any problems with this plan?
Thank you so much in advance. We will really appreciate any input you may have for us.
Regards,
Romy
As long as your site is long enough, you should be able to park both. They will typically allow one RV and one vehicle per site. Have fun!
Hello Ash,
I have a reservation in FCCG in loop C but is a bit of a distance from loop C and loop D bathrooms and showers. Can I bring my pop-up shower tent for shower ?
I’m not aware of any restrictions on that except that you must collect all the water and dump it properly in a utility sink or at the dump station.
Hello! We plan on trying to get into Apgar FCFS in late August. We are driving an RV towing a small car. What I’m worried about is we have an additional family member traveling with us that has their own car too (which makes us 1 RV and 2 cars). Do you know of options inside or outside the park for extra-extra vehicles?
I don’t know of a specific option, but the campgrounds often have some overflow parking that they’ll let you use for an additional fee.
Hi. Your website is so helpful. I’m trying to figure out what to do the night before we want to try and get an early morning FCFS tent campsite. Any suggestions on a cheap/clean/safe place to overnight or sleep in our car near the entrance to the park. We have kids and trying to take down a tent, load up and get into the park by 7am sounds crazy. I missed all the reservable spots.
I like the Campendium website for finding options like that near the parks!
Hi Ash, we have a few nights outside of the park reserved, but really want to get NP site. Reservations are full. Could we possibly enter the park without our 24ft trailer on the hitch and get a FCFS site, the return with it later? Or does the equipment have to be present to get the site/permit? Would like your thoughts on the best campground that we will fit per NP regs. too please. Appears some are closed this season 2021. We will be there mid-june.
Thanks, and seriously considering getting your intinerary once we know how long we get to stay!
Nice site BTW, easy to use!
You can enter without your trailer, but you’ll want to bring something to leave at the campsite (like camp chairs, tablecloth, etc. — nothing scented that will attract bears). The sites can be a little tight for that size of trailer…I’d probably recommend starting with Apgar first. Good luck!
I just discovered your site and find your information very useful. Starting mid-May, my husband and I will be visiting Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. I do plan on purchasing tour itineraries, just haven’t decided the length for each.
We have reservations in the Tetons and Yellowstone already but we will have to go first come first served in Glacier.
We have a 4×4 truck and pull an 18’ trailer. Do you know of any possible “boondock” camping opportunities in the park?
Hey Jill — you’ll need to be in an actual campground if you want to be in the park, but there are some less formal options outside of the park. I like using the Campendium website for finding camping options. Have fun!
Im stressing about getting a campsite at Apgar campground. Would you recommend a time to be there waiting in line in june to secure a site?
I get it…first-come, first-served can be a little stressful! When the campgrounds open for the season, they’ll update the fill times here: https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/cgstatus.cfm Just watch the times for a week or two before you go to get an idea of what time they are filling. I’d recommend getting there probably at least 1.5 hours before fill time. Good luck!
Do you know why Saint Mary’s isn’t allowing for reservations this season 2021? Is East Glacier closed again for this summer?
They haven’t announced their plans for this summer yet….crossing our fingers it opens up!
Great Site with helpful information! I’m still confused, though, about how FCFS campgrounds works. So, travelers are just lined up outside campgrounds at 7am with their campers and motorhomes hoping to snag a spot when checkout isn’t until noon?? Wouldn’t that create a traffic jam of lines along the Going to the Sun road? All those campgrounds: Apgar, Sprague, and Avalanche are on that narrow road. Is there a point where the campground host closes off traffic once the sites are filled? And I’ve read that they fill up early. Seems like 12pm, or whenever checkout time is would be a good time to cruise the campground and grab a spot when people are leaving?
Just trying to figure out how to do this……..
The camp hosts are really good at helping with check-in. They will have a pretty good idea of who is leaving for the day, and even though checkout isn’t until noon, they’ll help you claim a site if there are any open. If you show up at noon, everything will already be spoken for!
I know June is PEAK season and so campsites with registrations are filled. For FCFS how do you find them or even find which are open? is it just a gamble you go in and hope to get lucky–and what if they’re filled? We wanted to visit for a week at the end of june and would like to camp but are open to booking lodging outside the park and just traveling in for dayhikes.
Thanks for the info!
Yeah, you have to get there nice and early to try to snag a site. It can be a little stressful, but if you watch the RAD: https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/dashboard/ as your trip nears, it will tell you what time the campgrounds are filling. If you don’t like the idea of being FCFS, then booking something in West Glacier or St. Mary would be a good idea!
What are the options if you get there and the FCFS sites are filled? We’re traveling with a Toddler, so a little anxious about having to spend a night in our car parked someplace randomly. I have a reservation for the back half of a week (the only thing I could frantically book when sites opened) in mid-July, but am hoping to get a FCFS site for the first half of the week to make the very long drive from MN worth it.
They haven’t yet announced if they’ll even have FCFS sites available this year, so you’ll definitely want to make a Plan B now! I like the Campendium website for seeing what options are near the parks. Good luck!
We are planning on staying the night at Glacier on May 11th this year. We plan to car camp and set up hammock stands next to our car. Is there a campground/place in the park you would recommend?
You’ll be limited at that time of year…my guess is your only option will really be Apgar Village that early in the season. Sprague Creek might possibly be open. St. Mary as well, depending on if they decide to open up that side of the park this year. So I’d probably just plan on Apgar!
You mentioned a registration kiosk for envelopes for FCFS campsites. Are these at the entrance of each campground or do we need to stop at a visitor center to register for camping? Apart from stopping at the entrance, and paying entrance fees, I’d like to get to a campsite as soon as possible.
They’ll be at each individual campground!
Is there a campsite you’d recommend if I have a group that wants to be close to east side hikes, beautiful views, but less chance of getting bears in the campsite? We will be tent camping and will be a group of either 4 or 8 people (one campsite). We are planning on coming for a few days between July 30 and August 15th and would love to reserve spaces since we think this year will be busy again with Covid limiting travel.
The east side has a ton of wildlife, so if you want to stay on that side of the park, you’ll need to expect and prepare for bears in the campground. You’d be less likely to have bears in your site if you went into the town of St. Mary. But the St. Mary, Rising Sun, and Many Glacier CGs will all have bears 🙂
Planning on RV camping in West Glacier in August. What is the situation of crowds on trailheads currently? Do you have recommendations on camping outside the park and visiting Glacier?
The trailheads are extremely busy this year, even more so than in other years because of the limited options/lack of shuttles. I’d check on campendium.com for info on campgrounds near the park…it’s my favorite website for finding campsites while I’m traveling. Good luck!
Is it true that camping on west side of glacier is warmer than east side? I’ve heard people say it’s more pleasant weather to camp on west side for warmer night temps then go explore on east side for most day adventures
The east side is higher in elevation so it’s cooler — it is also generally windier and drier than the west side. I have camped on both sides with no problem. If you plan on spending most of your time on the east side of the park, that’s where I’d camp. Otherwise, you’ll spend a ton of time in your car instead of on the trails!
Awesome thank you as always. Love your site
Very helpful information about camping at Glacier. Thank you!
I plan to visit Glacier National Park after Labor Day next September and have two questions about camping in the park.
1. How (and when) can we learn when a specific camp ground closes for the season?
2. We will be renting a “camper van” (like a Toyota minivan where we sleep in the back – it doesn’t open up in any way other than having normal minivan doors). Is this considered an RV? I’m just wondering if we could stay in a place like Sprague that is tent camping only as we won’t be pitching a tent but sleeping in the back of the van.
They’ll update their website with specific opening and closing dates as soon as they can…right now it’s the transition time between closing things up for this season and getting ready for next season. You could stay in Sprague Creek as long as you don’t need a generator and your vehicle is less than the posted length limit. Sounds like your van would fit those guidelines 🙂 Have fun!
Hi Ash,
If we visit Glacier using a Camper Van (Think Mercedes Sprinter, 19′ long) is there anywhere to camp without fighting over first come first serve reservations? Can we park at a trailhead overnight?
No generator and very discrete. Any pullouts or dirt roads throughout the park we could use overnight? How strict is this policy?
Thank you for all your advice.
Hey Chris,
Camping anywhere in the park that’s not an official campground is not allowed, and they are very strict on that. I suggest using the Campendium website to find a place outside of the park where that is permitted or trying to get a first-come, first-served site if you want to be in the park. Have fun!