Camping in Glacier: Which Campground to Choose, Reservations, and Rates

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

Glacier National Park has 13 official campgrounds managed by the NPS, with 1,014 sites spread across both sides of the park. On the west side, Apgar is the largest, with 194 sites; on the east side, St. Mary is the only campground open year-round. Rates range from $15 to $30 per night, depending on the campground. Reservations through recreation.gov are essential from June through August; five campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and Rising Sun uses a hybrid system.

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 13 official campgrounds and in designated backcountry areas. Outside those two settings, all camping is strictly prohibited, regardless of how far you are from the trails. Spending the night outside a marked site can result in a fine and expulsion from the park.

Campgrounds Inside the Park

West Side: Lake McDonald

Apgar is the park's largest campground, with 194 sites, including 5 reserved for groups. At the west entrance, it provides direct access to Lake McDonald and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Full services include running water, restrooms, showers, a dump station, a store, and bear-proof food lockers. RVs are allowed up to 40 feet. The rate is $20 per night, with reservations. Outside summer, the campground switches to primitive status in spring and fall, then remains open from November through late March for winter camping.

Fish Creek (178 sites, including 4 tent-only sites) follows the shores of Lake McDonald a little farther north. It has showers, a dump station, and bear-proof food lockers. RVs are allowed up to 35 feet. The rate is $30 per night, with reservations. The campground closes from early September through mid-May.

Sprague Creek has 25 sites right on the lake. Water and bear-proof food lockers are available, but there are no showers. Trailers and other towed combinations are prohibited because the access to the sites is too tight. The rate is $30 per night, with reservations. It's open from late May through late September.

Avalanche (87 sites) sits at the trailheads for several trails on the west side, including the Trail of the Cedars. Water and bear-proof food lockers are available, but there are no showers or dump station. RVs are allowed up to 26 feet. The rate is $30 per night, with reservations. The season runs only from mid-July through mid-September.

East Side: St. Mary

St. Mary (148 sites, including 7 tent-only sites and 2 group sites) sits at the east entrance, facing a lake whose color changes with the light. It's the logical base for approaching the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the east. The campground has showers, a dump station, and bear-proof food lockers. RVs are allowed up to 40 feet. The rate is $20 per night, with reservations during the season. St. Mary is the park's only year-round campground. It switches to primitive status from mid-September through mid-April, with no reservations required in winter.

Rising Sun (84 sites) is on the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It has showers, a dump station, a store, and bear-proof food lockers. RVs are allowed up to 21 feet. The rate is $30 per night. The campground uses a hybrid system: some sites are reservable, while others are first come, first served. The season runs from early June through early September.

Northeast Area: Many Glacier

Many Glacier (109 sites, including 8 tent-only sites and 1 group site) is the go-to campground for hikers. It provides access to the park's most popular trails. You reach it by a separate road from Babb, without taking the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Water, a dump station, a store, and bear-proof food lockers are available, but there are no showers. RVs are allowed up to 35 feet. The rate is $20 per night, with reservations. The summer season runs from early June through mid-September, followed by a primitive period through mid-October, depending on the weather.

Cut Bank (14 sites) occupies the valley of the same name, reached by an unpaved road. Sites are first come, first served. The rate is $20 per night. Only restrooms are available on site; there is no running water, and no bear-proof food lockers are provided. The season runs from late May through mid-September.

Southeast Area: Two Medicine

Two Medicine (100 sites, including 1 group site) occupies a narrow valley away from the park's main tourist traffic. It has water, a dump station, a store, and bear-proof food lockers, but no showers. RVs are allowed up to 35 feet. The rate is $20 per night, with reservations. The summer season runs from late May through mid-September, followed by a primitive period in September and October, depending on conditions.

Primitive Campgrounds in the Northwest

The North Fork valley is home to four lightly equipped campgrounds, reached by narrow gravel roads. Bowman Lake (48 sites) is the largest, with water, a dump station, and bear-proof food lockers, but no showers. The rate is $15 per night, first come, first served. It's open from mid-May through early September, with a possible primitive extension through late October. Kintla Lake (13 sites) offers the same basic services at the same rate. It's open from late May through early September, with a possible primitive extension through late October. Logging Creek (7 sites) is closed for the entire 2026 season. Quartz Creek (7 sites) opens in late June and closes in October. These last two offer only restrooms and bear-proof food lockers, at $15 per night, first come, first served.

These four campgrounds are the park's most remote camping areas. A properly maintained spare tire and self-sufficient gear are essential.

RV vs. Tent: Which Site to Choose

Nearly all of the campgrounds accept RVs, with different size limits. Apgar and St. Mary are the most accommodating, allowing vehicles up to 40 feet. Fish Creek, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine allow up to 35 feet. Avalanche has a 26-foot maximum; Rising Sun, 21 feet. Sprague Creek prohibits trailers and other towed combinations. The Northwest campgrounds (Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, Logging Creek, and Quartz Creek) are reached by gravel roads whose conditions effectively limit vehicle sizes.

One restriction is easy to overlook: from mid-June through early September, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed to vehicles more than 21 feet long or 8 feet wide. That means a large RV can't reach the high-elevation 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 alternate 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 all the basics: showers, laundry, Wi-Fi, electrical hookups, and water. They're 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.

Backcountry Camping: Overnight Stays in the Backcountry

You can reach designated backcountry campsites on foot in Glacier for a fully immersive overnight experience. A wilderness permit is required. You can get one through recreation.gov starting in mid-March for the following season, or in person at the Apgar Backcountry Permit Center. The rules are strict: stay only at designated sites, and 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 areas and the water sources that need treatment.

How and When to Reserve a Campsite in Glacier

Reservations are made through recreation.gov. The booking window opens six months before your stay: for a night on July 15, sites appear on January 15 at midnight Pacific Time. Many Glacier and Fish Creek book up within seconds. A tested strategy 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 peak season, before June and after September, some sites switch to first come, first served. You pay on site or at the campground entrance.

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

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

Safety: Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, and Food Storage

Glacier has one of the highest grizzly bear densities in the continental United States. Food-storage rules are nonnegotiable and apply 24 hours a day, not just at night.

Here's what that means:

• Food, dirty dishes, and scented products (toothpaste, deodorant, sunscreen) must go in the metal food locker provided at every site or in an approved bear canister. Never leave anything in your tent.
• If you encounter a grizzly, speak loudly, group together, don't run, and draw your bear spray (minimum capacity: 225 g) before the bear is within 33 feet.
• Campfires are allowed only in the concrete fire rings at the campgrounds. Full fire bans are frequently imposed in August, depending on drought conditions and wind direction.

For guidance on how to behave around bears and other park wildlife, our Glacier wildlife guide covers the essential precautions to take before you set out.

Which Campground Is Right for You?

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

Hikers: Many Glacier, right next to some of the park's best trailheads.

Nature and solitude: Bowman Lake or Kintla Lake. Gravel roads and few people, but bring self-sufficient gear.

RV camping: Apgar (vehicles up to 40 feet, full services) or Fish Creek (35 feet, with showers).

Backcountry camping: Permit required, reservations open in mid-March, and 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 across the seasons, and that can make all the difference to your camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions