All About Camping in Glacier National Park

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

• 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 Here

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 Site

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:

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

 

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.

 

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!