WEST GLACIER, MONT. -Glacier
National Park visitors are welcome this holiday weekend, with many services and
facilities becoming available.
The Apgar Campground, the largest
campground in the park, hosts almost 200 camping sites for tents and RV
campers. Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities
provide flush toilets and sinks with running water. All Apgar Campground sites
are first-come first-serve, with a summer overnight fee of $20.
Most campgrounds in Glacier are on
a first-come first-serve basis.Reservations
are available at Fish Creek and St. Mary Campgrounds beginning June 1, and may
be made up to six months in advance through the National Recreation Reservation
Service at https://www.recreation.gov/ or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Campers without
prior reservations are also welcome at these campgrounds, as space is
available.
Water is available at most campgrounds, but there are no
electrical or water hookups at any campground in the park.Dump and water fill stations are available at
most campgrounds.Water is not available
when a campground is in primitive status. Many campgrounds can accommodate campers and trailers, with some size
restrictions.
Specific information about each campground, including a map
of the sites, operating dates, available services, current and historic fill
times, and more is available by visiting https:///www.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/cgstatus.cfm.
Campgrounds in primitive status cost $10/night.When campgrounds are in primitive status no
water is provided.Any water taken from
streams or lakes requires treatment before use. Primitive and winter front-country campgrounds include pit toilets, no
running water and only a limited number of sites.
Hiker/bicyclist sites are available at Apgar, Avalanche,
Many Glacier, Rising Sun, Sprague Creek, and Two Medicine Campgrounds for $5
per person per night, and at Fish Creek and St. Mary for $8 per person per
night.
Group sites are available by reservation for groups. These
sites are located in the Apgar and St. Mary Campgrounds.These sites can be reserved up to one year
in advance through the National Recreation Reservation Service at https://www.recreation.gov/ or by calling
1-877-444-6777.Many Glacier and Two
Medicine Campgrounds have one group site at each campground, and both are on a
first-come first-serve basis.
Campers are reminded to keep a clean camp and obey food storage
regulations.Animals are attracted to
food and food odors. All food, garbage, and equipment used to cook, serve or
store food must be kept sealed in a vehicle or in an approved bear-resistant
container.For more information about
food storage regulations, please visit the park's website at https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm
or contact the park at 406-888-7800.
The park's campground opening and closing dates are as
follows:
Glacier National Park Campground
Operating Dates
(Through night of dates listed)
Nightly
Fees
Primitive
Camping Operating Dates
(No
water available)
Apgar
May 1 -October 11
$20
Primitive camping in picnic area October 12-31 and
April 1-May 1: $10 per night;November 1-March 31: Free with valid entrance
pass;
Avalanche
June 19 -September 13
$20
Closes for
season 12 noon September 14;
Bowman Lake
May 21 -September 13
$15
Primitive camping September 14-October 31 weather
dependent:$10 per night;November 1 through closure: Free with valid
entrance pass;
Cut Bank
June 5 -September 27
$10
Operated in primitive status all season, closes Noon
September 28
Fish Creek
June 1 -September 6
$23
Operated as a National Recreation Reservation
Campground;Closes 12 noon September 7;
Kintla Lake
June 11 - September 13
$15
Primitive Camping May 20- June 11, $10 per night
Primitive camping September 14-October 31 weather
dependent: $10 per night;November 1 through closure: Free with valid entrance pass;
Logging Creek
July 1 -September 20
$10
Primitive camping all season;Closes 12 noon September
21;
Many Glacier
May 22 -September 27
$20
Primitive Camping September 28-October 31 weather
permitting: $10 per night;
Quartz Creek
July 1 -October 30
$10
Primitive camping all season;Closes 12 noon October
31;
Rising Sun
June 19 -September 13
$20
N/A
Sprague Creek
May 8 -September 13
$20
N/A
St. Mary
April 1-June 4
$10
St. Mary Campground will be closed to vehicle traffic
from April 1st-June 4th, 2015. The campground will be open for walk-in
campers only. The cost will be $10 per night and the campground will remain
in primitive status, no flush toilets nor running water. Vehicles can be
parked in the St. Mary Visitor Center parking lot and walk to Loop C, which
is approximately a 1/2 mile.
June 5-September 7
$23
Operated as a National RecreationReservationCampground;
September 8-20
$20
N/A
September 21-October 31
$10
Primitive Camping September 21-October 31;November
1-March 31: Free with valid entrance pass;April 1-regular season opening in
May: $10 per night;
Two Medicine
April 18 -September 27
$20
Primitive camping September 28-October 31 weather
permitting: $10 per night;
Currently visitors can drive 15.5
miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche Creek along the Going-to-the-Sun-Road.
Over the holiday weekend, hikers and bikers will have unlimited access from
Avalanche towards Logan Pass.As of
Tuesday, May 26, access may change day-by-day depending on road crew work
activity, with unlimited access after 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Vehicle access is limited to the
St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road due to
road rehabilitation work. Hikers and
bikers will have access beyond the gate duringthe Memorial Day Weekend
only.Beginning Tuesday, May 26 -
June 18, hikers and bikers will not have access to the Going-to-the-Sun Road on
the east side due to road reconstruction crews working seven days a week,
including evenings.This work will
include heavy truck traffic hauling recycled asphalt.The
recycled asphalt was removed from the road over the past two years and is being
reapplied as base material in preparation for paving this summer.
Visitor centers are located at Apgar, St. Mary, and Logan
Pass and each feature unique exhibits and activities. Interpreters and rangers
are available at each visitor center during open hours.The park's visitor center opening and closing
dates are as follows:
Glacier National Park Visitor
Center
Operating Dates
Hours
Apgar Visitor Center
May 16 -June 12
9am-4:30pm
June 13 -September 7
8am-6pm
September 8 -October 12 (operates weekends only
beginning October 12)
8am-5pm
St. Mary Visitor Center
May 23 -June 27
8am-5pm
June 28 -August 22
8am-6pm
August 23 -September 27 (closes for rest of year)
8am-5pm
Logan Pass Visitor Center
June 19 -September 7
9am -7pm
September 8 -September 20
9:30am-4pm
Park stores within each visitor
center are operated by the Glacier National Park Conservancy, an official
partner of the park. Visit http://glacierconservancy.org/
to learn more about the Conservancy and the products and materials available.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
