1. Book early
With only three of the park’s campgrounds offering reservations, it’s important to plan ahead.
If you want the peace of mind of a reserved spot and you plan on heading to Glacier during peak season, make reservations well ahead of time.
Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance for St. Mary Campground, Fish Creek Campground, and Bowman Lake Campground. For any of the other campgrounds, plan to get there early to claim your spot.
2. Check the RV length limitations
If you’re camping in an RV, make sure to check the specs for each campground. Many have size limitations as short as 21 feet long. Others only have limited access to longer RVs.
You’ll need to plan ahead carefully to ensure you find a spot that suits your rig. In fact, you can only drive on the park’s main drag, Going to the Sun Road, in vehicles that are no longer than 21 feet due and no taller than 10 feet due to the tight winding road and overhead clearances in some areas.
3. Be ready to boondock
Camping in Glacier National Park is a primitive experience. There are no utility hookups, sewer hookups, or dump stations inside the park, so come prepared with full water tanks and empty grey and black water tanks.
Some campgrounds do allow generators at certain times of the day.
4. Prep for bears
There is a high level of bear activity throughout the park. With this in mind, it’s essential that you properly store food in a bear-proof container or bear bag.
You should also not leave food unattended when leaving your campsite. You can actually be fined $50 for doing so.
If tent camping in one of the more backwoods locations, bear spray is highly recommended.
5. Orient yourself
Choose a campground that is close to the sites you most ish to see. Glacier National park is organized in a triangle with St Mary’s to the east, Apgar to the southwest, and Many Glacier to the northeast.
Camp in a place that gives you easy access to the sites you plan on visiting.
Amanda Williams
Amanda Williams is a writer, plant-nerd, and outdoor enthusiast. She has traveled extensively, around the U.S., throughout Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Everywhere she treks, she takes time to enjoy the outdoors. John Muir is her hero. She aspires to inspire people to live better as he did.
