Top Glacier National Park Camping Spots

There’s a reason why Glacier National Park is bucket list-worthy for close to three million visitors every year. The glaciers, 700+ miles of hiking trails, and 762+ unbelievably blue lakes are all highlights of any visit to this “Crown of the Continent.”

As popular as it is, the solitude and vast spaces make this park the perfect place to unplug, relax, and create memories. If you’ve been itching to go camping at Glacier National Park, we’ve got the skinny on its best campgrounds and how to snag its best camping spots.

Pitching a tent lakeside (or riverside) is a must for outdoor lovers who love sleeping under the constellations. But you’ll also find full hookup RV parks near Glacier National Park if you prefer to bring your rig.  

However you choose to experience this Big Sky Country marvel, read on for our ultimate Glacier National Park camping guide. 

Key Takeaways

• Glacier National Park has 13 campgrounds. Seven require reservations on Recreation.gov, while six are first-come, first-served. 
• Glacier National Park camping reservations can be made up to six months in advance. 
• The peak camping season in Glacier National Park is late June to early September. 
• Apgar, Fish Creek, Sprague Creek, and Avalanche Campgrounds are the best for exploring the Glacier West area. Choose Rising Sun or Saint Mary for the best East Glacier campgrounds. 

What to Know Before Your Camping Trip to Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is in the northwest corner of Montana, bordering Canada. The park runs along the spine of the Rockies and is bordered by the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to the east, the Flathead National Forest to the west, and the Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada to the north. 

The closest towns to Glacier National Park are West Glacier, MT (2 minutes), Hungry Horse, MT (12 minutes), and Columbia Falls, MT (24 minutes). 

Most visitors arriving at the park by air fly into Glacier Park International Airport (GFA) in Kalispell, rent a car and drive 35-45 minutes northwest to the West Glacier Entrance. 

Glacier National Park Camping Reservations

There are 13 front-country campgrounds in Glacier National Park and over 1000 campsites. But don’t let these figures fool you. Getting a camping spot in Glacier National Park campgrounds has become extremely challenging since the pandemic. It’s usually much more difficult during the peak season (late June to early September). 

Most of Glacier National Park campgrounds are available by reservation only. Camping spots in these campgrounds can be reserved up to six months in advance, although some sites are reserved up to four days before the desired arrival date.  

You’ll need to reserve a site on Recreation.gov to camp in these seven Glacier National Park campgrounds:

• Apgar Campground
• Avalanche Campground
• Fish Creek Campground
• Many Glacier Campground
• St. Mary Campground
• Sprague Creek Campground
• Two Medicine Campground

These six Glacier National Park campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis: 

• Rising Sun Campground
• Bowman Lake Campground
• Kintla Lake Campground
• Logging Creek Campground
• Quartz Creek Campground
• Cut Bank Campground

You can also try dispersed camping if all the best campgrounds in Glacier National Park are booked. Glacier National Park allows backcountry camping in more than 60 spots throughout the park. A national park pass and a backcountry camping permit are all you need. 

What to Pack

Before delving into the ideal camping checklist for Glacier National Park, it’s worth understanding what the weather is usually like in the park. Glacier’s weather is dynamic, meaning you don’t want to go there unprepared. 

Although most days are mostly (or partly) sunny, temperatures vary greatly with elevation. You may be enjoying a warm day with clear skies at one point before rain storms sneak up on you out of nowhere. Also, Glacier National Park can be incredibly windy sometimes, up to 20 degrees colder than in the city. 

In general, this is what to pack for Glacier National Park:

Clothing 

Upper Layers

The key to choosing what to wear for Glacier National Park is layering. This way, you can warm up or cool down as needed on the trails. 

• A puffer jacket
• A lightweight rain jacket 
• Anti-sweat athletic wear
• T-shirts/shirts
• Wool hat

Bottom Layers

• Quick dry hiking shorts
• Zip-off pants
• Workout pants

Footwear

• Comfortable hiking boots
• Wool socks (at least two pairs)
• Tennis/utility shoes
• Flip Flops/sandals for water sports and use around the campsite

Others

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat or ball cap
• Bug spray
• Hiking poles
• Binoculars
• A refillable water bottle
• Chapstick
• Chewing gum
• A headlamp or lantern 

Bear spray is a must when visiting Glacier National Park, as black and brown bears can be found anywhere. Plus, don’t forget to bring a fully-equipped standard first aid kit in case something happens on the trails. You can buy a pre-made kit or use this first aid checklist to put up a more comprehensive one for yourself.

Best Glacier National Park Campgrounds

Apgar Campground 

Apgar is considered by many the best West Glacier campground for several reasons. Best of all? Its location. Apgar Campground is seven minutes from the West Entrance, on the shores of arguably the best Glacier Lake - Lake McDonald.

Second, this campground puts you within walking distance of Apgar Village, which offers a visitor center, a camp store, a casual restaurant, and gift shops. Horseback riding, boat rentals, a free shuttle service, and Red Bus tour reservations are also available in this village.

On top of that, Apgar is the best Glacier National Park RV camping spot for RVs up to 40 feet. 

This is the largest campground in the park, with 194 tent and RV sites, including ten reservable group sites. All sites are under trees, meaning plenty of shade and some privacy.

Almost all the sites are level and have a picnic table and a fire ring. The campground has fresh water spigots, flush and vault toilets, food storage lockers, a dump station, and an amphitheater. 

• Operating season: Apgar Campground is open year-round, but it converts to primitive camping in the late fall, winter, and early spring. 
• Fees: Summer status $30/night; primitive status $20/night; winter camping $0

Fish Creek Campground

Fish Creek is another great option for visitors who want to stay on the west side of Glacier. This campground is on the northwest shores of Lake McDonald, a convenient 2.4 miles from Apgar village. 

This is the second-largest campground in the park, with 178 campsites, some of which are either directly on the water or a few seconds to the shoreline. Eighteen of Fish Creek Campgrounds accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.

In addition to being heavily forested, all the sites here are well spaced out, which adds to their solitude and privacy. This campground’s location near Lake McDonald and Apgar Village means you’ll never run out of things to do. A few of the best Glacier National Park hiking trails, like the Rocky Point Trail and the Avalanche Lake Trail, start around this area. Kayaking, paddleboarding, watching sunsets, and browsing the gift shops in Apgar Village are other interesting things to do here. 

All Fish Creek Campground sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. There are showers, flush toilets, a food locker, a dump station, and an amphitheater on site. 

• Operating season: Fish Creek Campground in Glacier National Park operates from late May to early September. 
• Fees: $30/site/night

Sprague Creek Campground

Visitors looking for the best tent camping in Glacier National Park will want to consider Sprague Creek. This small campground is located on the northeastern shores of Lake McDonald, right off Going-to-the-Sun Road. It’s approximately 9.1 miles from the West Entrance and 8 miles from Apgar Village. 

Sprague Creek is a small but highly popular campground with 25 sites, several of which overlook the beautiful Lake McDonald. Due to its narrow loops, this campground does not allow trailers, towed units, and vehicles exceeding 21 feet. 

All the sites are nestled among cedars and hemlocks, giving them a more intimate and mystic appearance. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at each site. The campground has potable water, a dump station, flush toilets, and food storage lockers. 

• Operating season: Sprague Creek Campground typically operates from mid-May through mid-September. It remains closed during winter.
• Fees: $30/site/night

Avalanche Campground 

Avalanche is among the best Glacier National Park campgrounds for those who want to stay nearby. This campground is located 30 minutes from Apgar Visitor Center and around 10 minutes from the northern shores of Lake McDonald.

If you also plan to explore the east side of Glacier, Avalanche Campground puts you 16 miles from the Logan Pass Visitor Center and 33 miles from St. Mary’s Visitor Center. In fact, there’s a shuttle stop at the end of the campground where you can catch a free ride to the Going-to-the-Sun Road. 

Avalanche Campground has 87 sites, 50 of which allow vehicles up to 26 feet. Each site can accommodate up to eight people, two tents, and two cars.

The sites are equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. The campground has water spigots, a dump station, an amphitheater, and food storage lockers. There are restrooms with flushing toilets, running sinks, and showers.

• Operating season: Avalanche Campground in Glacier National Park operates from mid-July to mid-September. 
• Fees: $30/site/night

Rising Sun Campground

If you’re wondering where to camp in Glacier National Park East, Rising Sun should top your list. Rising Sun Campground is about 10 minutes southwest of Saint Mary Entrance along Saint Mary Lake. 

As its name suggests, this campground is named after its gorgeous sunrises. It also offers incredible views of Red Eagle Mountain, with plentiful trailheads around the nearby Logan Pass area. 

Rising Sun is a midsize campground with 84 campsites for pitching tents, parking trailers, and RVs. However, note that this campground only accommodates small rigs under 25 feet long. 

The sites vary in size and level of privacy. Choose open sites if you want to enjoy a cool breeze or a shaded one for more privacy. There are picnic tables, fire pits, and fire grills on all sites. The campground has restrooms with clean, flush toilets, trash collection, a dump station, and drinking water. Plus, there’s a restaurant and a camp store nearby where you can pay for hot showers. 

• Operating season: Rising Sun Campground is typically open from early June through late September.
• Fees: $20/site/night

Best Campgrounds near Glacier National Park

West Glacier RV Park

West Glacier RV Park is tucked behind West Glacier Village, only a mile from the West Entrance. This is one of the best camping spots near Glacier National Park if you want an RV park with full hookups. 

West Glacier RV Park Campground has 102 sites - all pull-through. The sites are 84 feet long, and each has power and water pedestals, a picnic table, and a fire ring. 

The campground has four bathhouses, each with accessible shower stalls, running sinks, and flushing toilets. The property also offers a coin-operated laundry facility, a camp store, a kids’ play area, a dog park, and complimentary Wi-Fi. 

• Operating season: West Glacier RV Park is open from mid-May to late September. 
• Fees: cost starts at $75/night

Glacier Peaks RV Park

Another great option for those camping outside Glacier National Park is Glaciers Peaks RV Park. The first thing you’ll probably love about this campground is its central location between the conveniences of Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and Kalispell. It’s roughly 30 minutes from the West Entrance and around 40 minutes from Lake McDonald. 

Glacier Peak RV Park has 60 sites. The sites are 60 feet to 70 feet long and can accommodate large rigs with slide-outs. They are all pull-thru sites with full hookups (50, 30, and 15 amp), picnic tables, and fire rings. 

Other features and services in the campground include a large laundromat, clean bathrooms with showers and flush toilets, free Wi-Fi, and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. 

• Operating season: Glacier Peaks RV Park is open year-round and accepts reservations and walk-ins. 
• Fees: Starts at $75

Tips for Camping in and Around Glacier National Park

1. For first-time visitors who are unsure where to camp in Glacier National Park, we’d recommend sticking to campgrounds around the West Glacier area. These include Apgar, Fish Creek, Sprague Creek, and Avalanche campgrounds. 

2. Glacier National Park camping sites book up fast. Be sure to reserve your spot as soon as reservations open, typically six months in advance. 

3. Choose your campground wisely. Some campgrounds in Glacier are not RV accessible, including Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, Sprague Creek, and Logging Lake. 

4. Choose a campground that matches your camping style. Glacier National Park has 13 campgrounds with over 1000 camping sites. Whether you prefer a remote spot with only a few neighbors or enjoy the vibe of camping as a community, there’s something for everyone in this park. 

5. Your Glacier National Park camping trip probably won’t be all solitude. However, having a flexible itinerary is one way of beating the crowds because you can pivot to less busy areas. 

Final Thoughts

There you have it - a guide to help you decide the best campground in Glacier National Park. From tent-only camping sites on the lake to an RV heaven with full hookups, we know you’ll enjoy your camping trip to Glacier National Park. 

Meet you on the trails!

Featured image by: Daniel Crowley.