Glacier National Park ~ Camping recommendations?

[raygunner]

So when I needed help with planning my last vacation to Arizona I turned to Paceline and was provided with great advice which provided for an amazing trip!

And it's coming up quick on vacation time again and during the plan phase for another trip, this time to Glacier National Park, and I thought that asking the forum for advice would be prudent.

So the rough plan is to Amtrak from Chicago to East Glacier. Maybe have some lodging for that evening since the train gets in somewhat later in the day. But then we'd like to camp for 3-4 days.

Anyone have any camping spot recommendations? We'd be going in early September.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!!

[David Kirk]

I have no idea where the best place to camp would be....but I do know bear spray is a mandatory deal. I'm sure you know this but so many don't and think nothing will happen to them.

Have fun - it's an awesome place!


dave

[raygunner]

Alot of stuff I'm seeing is "walk up" for group sites but I'd preferably like to have a site nailed down before traveling all the way out.

If this trip doesn't pan out we also have Iceland on the radar as well as a bed in Christian's basement. Maybe Montreal too.

[malcolm]

Can't help with camping, but I just got back from Glacier. It was awesome.

Lots of spectacular day hikes. The highline from logans pass to the chalet, I think 8 miles or so one way was great. Lots of marmots and ground squirrels of course but also a bunch of big horn sheep and beautiful views.

Met a couple that had spent a couple days camping at the lake, I assume John's Lake that is at the end of John's lake trail. They said it was really nice and they were the only ones there. I think it's back country though. I think 6 miles or so one way.

We visited a camp ground that looked pretty nice. Right on Lake McDonald I think it was. When you enter the park road and get to where you have to turn right or left go left away from going to the sun road and in a mile or so you'll see the sign for the lake camp ground, can't recall the name. Not sure if that's what you are looking for or not but it had really nice bathrooms and shower, very clean and removed from the camp area itself but within sight of the lake.

Also most of the improved camping I saw was full so you may want to call in advance if you want improved camping.

If you can visit Whitefish, kinda touristy but has good restaurants and a nice brewery. Carolyn's in Columbia Falls is a cafe in a gas station but they have awesome huckleberry pancakes and fried pies.

If you are day hiking bring or buy bear spray, saw lots of grizzlies.

[warren128]

Lake McDonald is beautiful, but it's at West Glacier, OP was asking about East Glacier :)

I'm not sure if you need reservations or not, but at East Glacier, Two Medicine Campground at Upper Two Medicine Lake is very, very spectacular. My wife and I were at Upper Two Medicine Lake in 2015 to take pictures. We ran into a couple who were staying at the campground, right next to the lake with it's spectacular view.

Have a great time!

Here's a picture of the view from in front of the campground.

http://www.fototime.com/E89BCF2B9532625/standard.jpg

[commonguy001]

The only two that take reservations I'm aware of on the east side are St Mary's and now Many Glacier.
Of those two I would pick Many Glacier as there are so many good trailheads right there.

I've camped at St Mary's and it's perfectly fine but would totally do Many Glacier, especially if you're tenting. It's in a better location (IMO) and is smaller. None of the camp grounds in the park have electric so that may be something to think about.

[moose8]

I'm going to glacier for a few days in August but with a baby so we won't be camping. She likes hikes though so if there are any cant miss day hikes I'd love to hear about them.

[HenryA]

Its already been said, but pay really close attention to the bear situation - there are lots of Grizzlies there. We had a close encounter of the nearly wrong kind near Many Glacier 7-8 years ago. My wife's eyes still get big when she talks about it.

And Glacier NP is a great experience.

[AngryScientist]

that is an excellent picture warren!

[warren128]

that is an excellent picture warren!

Thanks! :)

[malcolm]

Sorry I didn't see he specified east glacier, sorry.

We saw several grizzlies hiking from Many Glacier, can't remember the exact trail head.
Lots of bears, actually saw a grizzly in a field near the parking lot of the hotel right before you go out the east gate. Literally 100 feet from a full parking lot.

There is a map that many of the stores have that has like 100 day hikes on it with a little blurb about each on the back.
We did several and all were spectacular, several really short ones were really good. I think Highline from logans pass was my favorite as I said before great views and lots of big horn sheep which I'd never seen in the wild. Lots of folks saw some mountain goats, we couldn't find them.

[72gmc]

Spent a week in Glacier with my family a few years ago. We took the train from Seattle and disembarked at the West Glacier station. My wife wasn't about to tent camp in bear country so we stayed at the Village Inn in Apgar (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60832-d226520-Reviews-Village_Inn_At_Apgar-West_Glacier_Montana.html).

Acknowledging that it's not East Glacier, here are some notes anyway:
- I love that park.
- The train was a great way to go.
- I spoke with many people who were there to hike and camp and they all raved about the St. Mary's and Many Glacier areas.
- Apgar has good camping of the trailer, car, or tent variety with close proximity to a small store, a small restaurant, a ranger station and even a short drive or hike to West Glacier.
- Hiking to West Glacier for a better grocery selection (on the highway, because the ranger said there were bears on the hike/bike trail) was a novel and nervous experience. Spray can on the hip, and lots of talking out loud to myself like a madman. On the way back I was food carrying food.

My primary note: plan well if you're going to step off the train more or less into the park. We weren't roughing it so we did feel the limitations of few services and the schedule of the in-park shuttle service. If we were to do it again with the girls, we'd step off the train in Whitefish and rent a car. A car (or bike) makes so much more of the park accessible.

[melac1]

Avalanche Campground is pretty beautiful. Also, If you want to go hiking, there are many options to do so in the vicinity of the campground.

[levels1069]

Wife and I just got back from Glacier, and spent most of our time in East Glacier. We camped the entire time.

Best campsite that you can reserve - St. Mary's. Big campground, nice facilities, right inside the park so it's an easy "home base" for day hikes in Many Glacier and main canyon.

Best campsite - Two Medicine. Hands down the most beautiful place we've ever car camped, per the pictures above. Show up early (7am) and it shouldn't be hard to snag a good spot. We found two spots at Two Medicine in mid-July, their busiest time, without issue because we got there before 7:30am.

Be real mindful of bears (black and grizzly) around anywhere in East Glacier, and always care bears spray, as we saw our fair share. Especially around Old Man Lake on the way up to Dawson Pitamakan Pass.

PS - Although it requires extra safety planning, if you have the chance to snag a backcountry camping permit don't pass it up. Star gazing from the backcountry of East Glacier will be a memory I'll never forget.

[KVN]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet - but I suggest staying in the East Glacier lodge your first day. The lodge is rad, and since all the sites are walk-up and get filled up early, you'll be able to find a nice campsite your second day.

[raygunner]

Thanks for all the great info...I think we're headed to Glacier come September!