Everything You Need to Know About Camping in Glacier National Park

Home to more than 700 miles of trails and an abundance of picturesque lakes and mountains, Glacier National Park certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to natural beauty. Whether you’re hoping to see the wildflowers or planning to drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road, there’s something here for every kind of traveler, style, and budget. If you’re looking to fully immerse yourself in this spectacular environment, there are a ton of campgrounds in and around the national park, plus a few glamping sites and RV parks nearby if you prefer not to rough it as much.

From the most remote spots to pitch your tent to the best amenity-rich and family-friendly places to park your camper, here’s everything you need to know about camping, glamping, and RVing in Glacier National Park.

Campgrounds in Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park offers 13 on-site campgrounds. While seven of these must be reserved in advance through the National Park Service’s booking portal, Recreation.gov, six operate on a first-come, first-served basis. During the main camping season (late spring through fall), fees range between $15 and $30 per night, depending on the time of year and how primitive the campground is. Winter camping is always free, but facilities and roads are limited.

Keep in mind that you’ll also need to purchase an entry pass (or flash your annual pass) and provide proof of your camping reservation to gain access to that section of the park. If you’re staying elsewhere, a timed-ticket vehicle reservation will be needed to enter the North Fork and Going-to-the-Sun Road between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the summer (generally from mid-June through September).

Our list below begins with campgrounds on the northwest side of the park and ends with those on the southeast end, as indicated by this map on Glacier National Park’s website.

Kintla Lake Campground

Kintla Lake Campground is the park’s most remote option, making it a great choice if you’re looking for silence and solitude. It’s also the northernmost campground on the U.S. side of the park, just a few miles as the crow flies from the Canada border. You can expect a peaceful forested setting with incredible mountain views from this scenic spot alongside beautiful Kintla Lake. Note that your journey here will be a bumpy one along a dirt road, and there are just 13 first-come, first-served spots with basic amenities (vault toilets vs. flushing toilets). The campground is closed from late November to mid-May.

Bowman Lake Campground

Also relatively remote is the Bowman Lake Campground, situated in the North Fork area of the park. Like Kintla Lake, Bowman Lake is located on a dirt road, which means you’ll have to make a rough, dusty, and bumpy ride out to reach it. Once you get there, you’ll find 48 first-come, first served campsites primed for pitching a tent in the gorgeous Glacier National Park wilderness. The lake provides plenty of opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking—hiking near it is a popular activity, too. The campground features basic amenities and closes each year from early November to mid-May.

Quartz Creek and Logging Creek Campgrounds

For fans of primitive camping, Quartz Creek and Logging Creek are two of the national park’s smallest campgrounds, each one accessible only by narrow, dusty roads. With just seven basic tent campsites apiece—RVs and trailers are not allowed in either one—and no facilities except seasonally available pit toilets, you can truly get back to nature without any distractions from the beautiful scenery around you. Both campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis and closed from late October through June.

Fish Creek Campground

Fish Creek is Glacier’s second-largest campground, and its central location makes it ideal for visitors who want to get out and explore. Here, campers can enjoy views of Lake McDonald and attend ranger-led evening programs that focus on the area’s natural and cultural history. The on-site showers, flush toilets, and running water make stays at Fish Creek comfortable. There are 178 sites, with 18 that can accommodate 35-foot RVs. This is one of the campgrounds that requires reservations and it closes seasonally from early September to mid-May.

Apgar Campground

Not far from Fish Creek, Apgar Campground is the largest in the park with 194 spaces, including 25 that are RV-friendly (up to 40 feet). It’s also located near Apgar Village, where you’ll find a few shops, a restaurant, the Apgar Nature Center, and several vendors offering boat and bike rentals. In the evenings, you can take a short walk to Lake McDonald to see the sunset and attend talks by park rangers to learn more about the area’s history and culture. Apgar Campground is open year-round, requires reservations, and has showers, flush toilets, and sinks with running water.

Sprague Creek Campground 

You’ll need a reservation to camp at Sprague Creek, which has just 25 campsites. Due to the narrow and bumpy nature of the entry road, RVs (or vehicles plus trailers) over 21 feet are not allowed at the campground. That means campers with tents can enjoy the incredible views of nearby Lake McDonald and set up their sites beneath the shady trees—a real game-changer during the hot summer months (the campground is typically open from mid-May through September). Flush toilets are also available.

Avalanche Creek Campground

With 87 campsites fit for both tents and RVs—50 of which can handle vehicles up to 26 feet long—Avalanche Creek is just west of the Continental Divide. You’ll find flush toilets and potable water at this developed camping area, which is open seasonally (usually from early July to late September). It’s one of the park’s most popular campgrounds, so advance reservations are required.

Many Glacier Campground

Of the 109 campsites at Many Glacier Campground, 13 can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long. Largely thanks to amenities like flush toilets and sinks with running water, this seasonally open campground is typically pretty popular among visitors, so it requires reservations. It’s also close to some of Glacier National Park’s best hikes, including Grinnell Glacier and Swiftcurrent Pass, among others. Just a short walk from the campsites, Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins has a gift shop and camp store, ideal for snagging any last-minute supplies. The campground is usually open from mid-May to mid-September.

St. Mary Campground

With 148 sites, St. Mary is the largest campground on the eastern side of the park. Three of those sites are meant for RVs and trailers up to 40 feet long, while 22 can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet long. In other words, this could make a great option if you have a larger camper. The year-round campground offers showers, toilets, and sinks with running water, and is close to several shops and restaurants that sit just outside the park entrance. Visitors must reserve their sites in advance in the spring, summer, and fall, but spots are first come, first served in the winter.

Rising Sun Campground

For beautiful views of sunrises and nearby Red Eagle Mountain, head to the Rising Sun Campground. It’s also near Logan Pass, the extremely popular highest-elevation point of the park that’s accessible by car. Rising Sun has 84 sites, which can accommodate vehicle lengths up to 21 feet. It’s first come, first served and located along Going-to-the-Sun Road, about six miles from the St. Mary Campground. Note that this site closes each year from early September through late May.

Cut Bank Campground

You’ll need to drive five miles down a dirt road to reach Cut Bank Campground, located on the eastern side of the park. The spot offers 14 modest first-come, first-served campsites meant for campers with tents. Because of the layout and the rough access road, RVs are discouraged. Facilities are basic, with pit toilets, and the campground is closed from late September through May.

Two Medicine Campground

Just 13 miles from the town of East Glacier, Two Medicine Campground has 100 campsites, 10 of which can handle RVs or truck-and-trailer vehicles up to 35 feet long. The camping area, open from early June to mid-September, offers amenities like potable water and flushing toilets, as well as access to vendors selling bus and boat tours. You’ll also find a handful of hiking trails, including a scenic one to Running Eagle Falls that is wheelchair accessible. Note that you will need to reserve your campsite in advance, as this particular campground is quite popular in the summertime.

The Best Campgrounds and RV Parks Outside Glacier National Park

There are also several campgrounds and RV parks in the areas around Glacier National Park, just a short drive from one of the main entrances. As a reminder, you’ll need to secure the proper entry passes and car reservations to visit certain portions of the park if you’re staying outside its borders.

KOA (Kampgrounds of America) operates two amenity-rich campgrounds on either side of the park, West Glacier KOA Resort and St. Mary / East Glacier KOA Holiday. Each one is pet-friendly and has an on-site coffee shop, grocery store, playground, swimming pool, dog park, and laundry facilities. Both sites offer a range of tent and RV sites and cozy cabin accommodations. The West Glacier location has an ice cream shop, while the St. Mary / East Glacier outpost offers extra amenities like a bocce ball court, a putting green, and a nature trail around its perimeter, plus a glamping tent rental option.

The Best Glamping Sites Near Glacier National Park

If braving the elements in a traditional tent or RV isn’t your cup of tea, there are a few glamping experiences to choose from just outside the park. In Coram, Under Canvas Glacier is known for its luxury amenities, including organic bath products, bedside battery packs, and spacious suites and safari tents, all of which feature West Elm decor. You’ll also find an on-site cafe, group activities like yoga and live music, and evening campfires complete with complimentary s’mores.

Just down the road, Treetops Glacier by Wander Camp bills itself as a “treehouse resort.” Cabins among the 40-acre site’s pine trees feature soaking tubs, kitchenettes, and king-bed lofts reachable via ladder. Under Canvas is open seasonally from June to mid-September, while Treetops has year-round availability.

Glacier National Park Camping Regulations

Several regulations are in effect to help ensure the comfort and safety of guests at all campgrounds within the national park. For instance, you can only pitch a tent inside designated campgrounds—that is, unless you have a wilderness camping permit. During the peak season, typically from July through Labor Day, you can only camp for up to 14 days total. Guests must also adhere to food storage rules to avoid attracting bears, which can find their way into anything that isn’t properly secured. Concerning camping etiquette, campgrounds tend to keep quiet hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. For a full list of rules and restrictions, visit the park’s website.