Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds – Everything You Need to Know

Once you book a trip somewhere, you often start your planning by looking up where to stay. I was quickly sold on staying at Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds. They’re cheap, beautiful, and you get to spend more time in nature.

Lucky for you, I did extensive research into which campgrounds are the best ones in the park. I’ve compiled a list of all of them and put them in order of location and the top picks.

Keep on scrolling if you just want the list. Read this section if you want to know more about camping in the park. Or head on over to my comprehensive Guide to Glacier National Park if you’re not feeling the camping but want to visit the park.

Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds Jump To:

Things to Know about Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds

There are 13 options for campgrounds in Glacier National Park. For $10-$30 per night you get a beautiful spot with access to even prettier trails.

Here’s a map of the park that shows all the campgrounds and trails.

Keep in mind that if you choose to camp, you are at the mercy of nature. If it rains or snows or is cold as heck or your site is infested by mosquitoes, you need to be prepared to handle it.

You can reserve most spots ahead of time, and the others are first-come, first-served. You need to reserve campsites ahead of time on recreation.gov, usually available around 6 months prior to your camping date. You can set an Availability Alert on recreation.gov to let you know when the dates you want are available to book.

Some of the campgrounds are primitive, meaning that you will have a pit toilet and potentially no running water.

Most campgrounds do not have cell service. In fact, Apgar is the only one I know of that has even spotty service. You can get WiFi at the Apgar and St. Mary’s visitors centers.

Showers are scarce in this park. Fish Creek, St. Mary, and Apgar are the only campgrounds with showers IN them, but some, like Many Glacier and Rising Sun, have paid showers nearby. For us, showers were closed by September 17^th. 

Winter camping  is only available at St. Mary and the picnic area of Apgar. It is primitive and free.

Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds to that you must reserve ahead of time at recreation.gov:

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

All reservation-only campgrounds in the park  do not have check-in kiosks; proceed directly to your site and a Campground Host will check you in at your site.

Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds that are first-come, first-served:

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

If you are doing first-come, first-served, you can sign up for text alerts for when the campgrounds fill: Sign up for Glacier National Park Notifications and be the first to know. Text GNPCGS to 333111 to sign up.

To check in: there are different protocols for each campground. Generally, you will stop at the fee station and pick up a fee envelope, proceed into the campground and find an available campsite. Place your fee envelope in the fee tube within a ½ hour of picking your site.

Rules for Camping at Glacier NP

Each campsite is limited to 2 cars, 2 tents, and 8 people. You’ll have to get a group site if you’ve got a crowd.

Check out is at 12pm. You can’t leave your site abandoned for more than 24 hours. Quiet hours are at 10pm each night.

Always keep food items away from bears! Use the bear lockers provided in the campgrounds or keep food in the car. Do NOT leave as much as a candy wrapper on a picnic table. Protect those beautiful animals.

You shouldn’t take an RV or truck/trailer into the following campgrounds: Bowman Lake, Cut Bank, Kintla Lake, Logging Creek, Quartz Creek, and Sprague Creek.

Here is the list of Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds.

I have separated them by area of the park and then which ones are the best options. Clicking the links will take you to the reservation site (if they can be reserved at recreation.gov).

East Glacier Campgrounds

1. Two Medicine Campground 

I have heard and read incredible things about this campground. We had it on our itinerary, but our plans changed when it was so cold and foggy, and we needed to shower. If you can make it here, do it. Two Medicine Lake is beautiful, and the photos of the mountains reflecting on the water are enough to make me want to go back to Glacier National Park just to camp here.

100 sites are available. No showers. Loops A and C see more bear activity. Some spots are on the river.

2. Many Glacier 

While this campground is not the prettiest, it is by far the closest to the best trails. Located on the East side of the park, this is the area where we saw the most wildlife.

100-ish sites available. Paid showers at Swiftcurrent Inn. Does have some generator-free areas.

If you don’t feel like opening the map I shared previously, here’s a shot of what trails you can access from this campground. There is something for everyone here.

3. Cut Bank Campground

First-come, first-served.

I thought this campground was so beautiful. It’s small (only 14 sites) and primitive, but I loved how peaceful it was. It doesn’t fill as quickly as other campgrounds and offers hikes right from the campground.

No water, vault toilets during the summer.

Don’t make the mistake of setting your GPS to Cut Bank and driving to the town of Cut Bank. Totally not the same thing. I did this, and we wasted who knows how long driving off the map before we realized our mistake.

4. Rising Sun Campground

First-come, first-served.

84 campsites, potable water, sunrise views of Red Eagle Mountain, token showers and a camp store across the street, bear sightings, right off of Going to the Sun Road, and easy access to Logan Pass, this campground is an excellent option for some of the popular hikes in the park. Keep in mind that if this portion of Going to the Sun Road is closed, you will be unable to get to this campground. Rising Sun is only open in the summer.

5. St. Mary Campground 

I didn’t read anything that rated this as the best campground, but it provides access to Going to the Sun Road, beautiful St. Mary Lake, and with 148 sites, it is the largest campground on the East side of the park. People complain about the cramped spots and lack of privacy; find spots at the ends of the loops if you can. This is the only campground on the East side that has showers in it.

West Glacier Campgrounds

1. Apgar Campground

Apgar is the largest campground in the park (194 sites). It is a great home base for exploring the West side of the park. It is a short walk from your campsite to Lake McDonald and Apgar Village, where you can rent boats/canoes, get coffee at a cafe, rent bear spray, shop, and watch beautiful sunsets on Lake McDonald. Flush toilets, showers!, and running water.

2. Bowman Lake Campground

First-come, first-served.

I would have loved to have made it to this campground. It’s a little off the beaten path, but the views of Bowman Lake are spectacular. 33 miles North of the West entrance, part of the drive is said to be mostly dirt and quite bumpy, therefore be careful with small cars. This campground has 46 sites, potable water, and vault toilets.

3. Sprague Creek Campground

This campground goes higher on the list because you can camp with views of Lake McDonald, which is beautiful. It is one of the smaller campgrounds with only 25 sites, but it is not always quiet because of its location right off Going to the Sun Road. It is ideal for tent campers rather than RVs. Potable water and flush toilets.

4. Fish Creek Campground

It is located on Lake McDonald, only 2.5 miles from Apgar Village, and is the 2^nd largest campground in Glacier (178 sites). Some spots offer views of Lake McDonald. It was closed when we were there due to wildfires. This campground has showers, flush toilets, and potable water.

5. Logging Creek Campground

Logging Creek is very similar to the next campground listed, Quartz Creek. This one wins a higher spot on the list because it’s a shorter hike to Logging Creek Lake. This campground only has 7 sites, requires a long, dirt road drive, and has no potable water. Vault toilets.

6. Quartz Creek Campground

Like Logging Creek Campground, this tiny campground only has 7 sites. You have to drive on a long, dirt road to get to it, and it’s still a 6 mile hike to Quartz Lake. It is always primitive with no potable water available. Vault toilets.

7. Kintla Lake Campground

If Bowman Lake Campground is off the beaten path, Kintla Lake Campground is WAY off the beaten path, specifically almost in a different country. It is 40 miles North of the West entrance of the park and near Canada. I have read that the roads are terrible. Consequently, some warn to not take rental cars up here. But I have also read that if you’re looking for solitude and quiet, this place is ideal. You can’t take motorized water craft on the lake, so it’s very serene. Only 13 sites are available, but they rarely fill up. Potable water, vault toilets.

Middle of Glacier National Park

Avalanche Campground

This campground is kind of in the middle of Going to the Sun Road. It has 87 sites and access to a couple trails. Nothing spectacular here but might be worth a stay if it’s on your route. You are close to some popular day hikes from this campground. Flush toilets and potable water.

Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds

There ya go! All 13 Glacier National Park Montana Campgrounds. Everything in this park is astounding, so don’t stress too much about where you stay. Pick your route, pick your campgrounds, figure out when to arrive to the campsite, and go! Enjoy everything the park has to offer. Check out my Guide to Glacier National Park to figure everything else out for your trip! And if you want to rough it a little bit, read about how to backpack Cracker Lake (the most beautiful aquamarine lake).

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if you’ve been to the park and have advice to add!