Camping in Glacier: Campgrounds, Reservations, and Fees

By Victoria Boissonade · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Glacier

Glacier National Park has about a dozen official campgrounds spread across both sides of the park, from Lake McDonald in the west to the Many Glacier and Two Medicine valleys in the east. Online reservations are essential from June through August. Some campgrounds remain first come, first served outside the peak season. Expect to pay between $15 and $35 per night, depending on the site, plus the park entrance fee.

Campgrounds in the park (12)

• Campground Logging Creek Campground first come, first served · 7 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Quartz Creek Campground first come, first served · 7 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Sprague Creek Campground recreation.gov · 25 sites Directions ↗
• Campground St. Mary Campground recreation.gov · 148 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Many Glacier Campground see NPS · 109 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Two Medicine Campground see NPS · 100 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Kintla Lake Campground first come, first served · 13 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Bowman Lake Campground first come, first served · 48 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Fish Creek Campground recreation.gov · 178 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Avalanche Campground see NPS · 87 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Rising Sun Campground recreation.gov · 84 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Apgar Campground recreation.gov · 194 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

Can You Camp Inside Glacier?

Yes. The park allows camping at its official campgrounds and in about 60 designated backcountry campsites. Outside those two options, dispersed camping is strictly prohibited, no matter how far you are from the trails. Spending the night outside a designated site can result in a fine and removal from the park.

Campgrounds Inside the Park

West Area: Lake McDonald

Apgar is the park's largest campground, with nearly 200 sites for tents and RVs. At the west entrance, it provides direct access to Lake McDonald and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It's the only area with sites that have electrical hookups. Full facilities include running water, restrooms, showers, and laundry sinks.

Fish Creek (178 sites) also follows the shores of Lake McDonald, a little farther north. It's popular with families and campers with larger RVs. Reservations are almost essential from June through September.

Sprague Creek has about 20 sites right on the lake. The setting is idyllic, but vehicles towing trailers or campers aren't allowed because the access road to the sites is too short.

Avalanche Creek (87 sites) sits at the trailheads for several hikes on the west side, including the popular Trail of the Cedars. Black bears are common in this wooded area.

East Area: St. Mary

St. Mary (148 sites) sits at the east entrance, facing a lake whose water shifts toward turquoise depending on the light. It's the logical base for taking the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the east, with convenient access to the village's services, including a grocery store and gas station. Reservations are available on recreation.gov during the season.

Northeast Area: Many Glacier

Many Glacier (109 sites) is the go-to campground for hikers. Perched at about 6,400 feet, surrounded by peaks and snowfields, it provides access to some of the park's most spectacular trails. You reach it by a separate road from Babb, away from the Going-to-the-Sun Road. When we visited, sites disappeared within minutes of the reservation window opening.

Southeast Area: Two Medicine

Two Medicine (99 sites) occupies a secluded valley between two lakes, away from the main tourist flows. It's the park campground with the most manageable crowds in July. The setting feels wild, and the lightly marked trails are ideal if you're looking for peace and quiet rather than amenities.

Primitive Campgrounds in the Northwest

Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake are reached by narrow gravel roads with low speed limits. There are fewer than 50 sites in total, with no running water or electrical hookups. These are the park's most remote spots, so a full-size spare tire is the minimum you should bring.

RV or Tent: Choosing a Site

Most campgrounds accept RVs, except Sprague Creek and the primitive campgrounds. One important restriction is that the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed to vehicles more than 21 feet long or 8 feet wide from mid-June through early September. A large RV therefore can't access the Going-to-the-Sun Road during peak season. If you're traveling in a long vehicle, plan your drives inside the park ahead of time. Our guide to visiting Glacier by RV covers alternative routes and vehicle-size restrictions.

Camping Nearby: Private Campgrounds Outside the Park

When the park is full, which is common in July and August, the towns of Whitefish and Kalispell to the west and Browning to the east offer private campgrounds with full amenities, including showers, laundry, Wi-Fi, electrical hookups, and water. This is also a good option if you'd rather use one fixed base for day trips into the park. Our guide to lodging around Glacier lists private campgrounds and all the options in town.

Dispersed Camping: Backcountry Camping

About 60 backcountry campsites in Glacier are accessible on foot, offering nights deep in the wilderness. A wilderness permit is required. You can get one on recreation.gov starting in mid-March for the following season, or in person at the Apgar Backcountry Permit Center. The rules are strict. You must use a designated site, hang food from a cable provided on site, or store it in an approved bear canister. Our selection of hikes in Glacier covers the routes leading to these sites and the water sources that need treatment.

How and When to Reserve a Glacier Campsite

Reservations are made through recreation.gov. The booking window opens six months before your stay. For a night on July 15, for example, sites become available on January 15 at midnight Pacific Time, which is 9 a.m. in Paris. Many Glacier and Fish Creek fill within seconds. A strategy that works is to log in early, have your dates ready, and keep a second choice in mind so you don't come away empty-handed.

Outside the peak season, before June and after September, some sites become first come, first served. You pay on site or at the campground entrance.

Fees: How Much Does a Night of Camping Cost in Glacier?

These fees come on top of the park entrance fee: $35 per private vehicle, or $20 for visitors arriving on foot or by bicycle. The park's annual pass ($70) covers entrance only, not camping nights. Our Fees & Passes page explains entrance fees and passes based on the length of your stay and the size of your group.

Safety: Grizzlies, Black Bears, and Food Storage

Glacier is home to one of the highest densities of grizzly bears in the contiguous United States. The food-storage rule is nonnegotiable and applies 24 hours a day, not just at night.

Here's what that means:

• Food, dirty dishes, and scented products such as toothpaste, deodorant, and sunscreen must go in the metal bear box provided at every site or in an approved bear canister. Nothing goes in the tent. Ever.
• If you encounter a grizzly, talk loudly, group together, don't run, and have your bear spray ready. The canister must hold at least 8 ounces, and you should have it out before you're within 33 feet of the bear.
• Campfires are allowed only in the concrete fire rings at the campgrounds. Complete fire bans are common in August, depending on drought conditions and wind direction.

Our Glacier wildlife guide explains how to respond to bears and other park wildlife before you set out.

Which Campground Is Right for You?

Families with kids: Apgar or St. Mary. Full facilities, lake access, and level ground.

Hikers: Many Glacier, right at the trailheads for the park's best hikes.

Nature and solitude: Bowman Lake or Kintla Lake. Gravel roads and no crowds, but bring self-sufficient camping gear.

RV camping: Apgar, with hookups and room for larger vehicles, or Fish Creek.

Backcountry camping: A permit is required. Reservations open in mid-March, and you'll need to bring a bear canister.

Before choosing, check our complete guide to Glacier and our When to Visit page. Weather varies sharply between the park's two sides and from season to season, and that can make all the difference to your camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions