St Mary Campground - Glacier National Park — Glacier National Park

There wasn't any shade, but it was good for September. The view was beautiful. The restrooms were clean. There were only two showers open for the whole campsite. Showers are located in the upper loop. The camp host was very helpful. 

There was a creepy man camping, who approached me several times inviting me to come back to his site with him. I had to pass his site every time I went to the restroom/shower. Please don't be a creeper! A reciprocated "good morning" doesn't mean anything more.

This is the smallest site I’ve ever camped in. I had enough room for my small 2person tent, small table and camp chair. I stayed in Loop C not the best loop very small sites that aren’t very visually appealing. I drove around the other loops and determined that Loop A has the best sites, but it was full. It served its purpose, I would only stay again if it was my only option. There are flushing toilets & spigots for drinking water. No individual bear boxes only a shared one near the restroom. The only PRO would be that they have free showers, the showers have seen better days but still fulfilled their purpose. The location puts you at the east side of Glacier so getting to Logan’s Pass is a lot quicker than the West Glacier entrance, I was able to get the Logan’s Pass before most people which secured me a highly desirable parking spot as the parking lot was full by 7:30am. Overall it was an okay campground, it’s safe, has flushing toilets, running water and showers. It you only need a place to sleep it works well.

I stayed in B loop site 72 (which is all the way down before looping around) and the closest food locker was at least a .10th of a mile back towards the entrance. It was too far to walk back and forth with my things so I drove them. But in order to do that I had to go out then come back in since the road is one way. I found out later there was one closer near the bathrooms but it can’t be seen from the side I was staying on. Speaking of bathrooms, there was no soap - not even a dispenser. So everyone has no choice but to touch the door with their dirty hands. If this is done in light of bear presence, then there should at least be a panel on the bottom of the door to allow for the door to be opened with a foot.

Great NP campground with no hookups, NO GENERATOR RUNNING IN LOOP A, Big rigs go to loop C

We stayed here for a week in 2 different spots because it is so hard to get even one night. The campground is conveniently located on the edge of glacier national park. There are ranger talks in the campground every night.

According to the NPS website, this campground is closed for 2021.

Gorgeous views, and a fox even visited our campground! There are actual bathrooms at this campground, with sinks and running water. Our site had a picnic table and a fire pit. We tent camped while we were here (August), and this was one of the few campgrounds which would allow it, as bears had been spotted in a few of the other campgrounds recently. There was a general store nearby, which sold firewood and basic food items, along with the typical kitschy souvenirs. I can’t wait to visit again!

We stayed at St. Mary's for 1 night, then got up early the next day and found a spot with a tree at Rising sun. Many of the tent sites at St. Mary's are out in the OPEN prairie and so very blazing hot in July and August. Remember the sun doesn't set up here until 10pm. Our neighbors washed dishes IN THE fresh water spout, DON'T DO THIS, gross and you might kill me. I also saw people washing in the RV dump room, DON'T DO THIS, gross and you might kill yourself. Showers were hot and pretty clean. Camp hosts were super kind and helpful. Be sure to eat at Johnson's of St. Mary's. Fried Chicken and Good Soup are AMAZING after a 10 mi hike. I don't have a picture because I was so miserable roasting in the throws of Hades.

Honestly, I probably will not stay on this side of the park when I return to Glacier. The campsites were very rocky and uneven. There were pads for tents but unless you have a very small tent, it's not going to fit. Add to that, the area is very exposed to winds and dramatic weather changes. The entire time we were there (early July), it never got out of the upper 40's whereas the west side of the park was in the 70's.

The bathrooms were just okay, could use an update.

I loved this campground. Great size to sites and they have dimensions on their reservation website.

They had new bear boxes for every 4 sites this year with extra around bathrooms. Make sure you keep your camp bearproof as rangers will make sure it is.

We didn’t get to have a fire until our last day there, as the stores were out of firewood and they advise you not to bring your own. Their bathrooms were minimal, and we had to go to another loop to use the women’s restroom or the showers.

We brought our puppy and couldn’t go on any trails, but still had plenty to do in the park. If you plan on hiking make sure to not bring animals, and buy bear spray before arriving at glacier. We camped here mid June when the going-to-the-sun road wasn’t open. Made for a long drive around the park to reach easy glacier. One advantage of this was that the park was not near as busy on the east side as lake McDonald when we stopped through.

If you’re a fisherman or fisherwoman make sure to try your luck at St Mary Lake. I caught a 28” Lake Trout, and my fiancé caught a 35” Burbot. Both fish were caught off shore and both tasted amazing. Look for rocky shores or deep water and let that bait sink to bottom before retrieving.

Yellow was a hot color and Mepp spinners were great for us. Remember as long as you are within the park you do not need a Montana fishing license.

Good luck camping!

They had new bear boxes for every 3-4 sites this year. Make sure your camp is bear proof at all times. We had great luck fishing at St Mary Lake from the shore. 28” lake trout and 35” burbot among others. 

One issue we had was finding firewood to buy. They were sold out at the local stores for 4 of 5 days we were there. Would’ve brought our own, but it is very strict to not bring outside wood in and not pick up from the ground. 

Make sure to go after June 20th or so because the going to the sun road will be open. It opened a few days after we left. Quite the drive around if you’re coming from Idaho/Washington side wanting to go to east glacier. On the other hand, because of the road being closed we didn’t have near the traffic as lake McDonald did when we were traveling through. 

We brought our dog, but because of him we couldn’t do any hiking. Still were a lot of different roadways to explore. Every corner held a new breathtaking view.

Overall nice campground and typical a national park. Our site had no shade and felt very exposed (A loop was better) but we enjoyed the proximity to the visitors center and ability to walk to the shuttle.

We loved our stay here in early June. We had site C101, which had one of the best views in the C loop! Bathrooms and showers were nearby, and the area was very quiet and peaceful. The location is great, right by St. Mary Lake. There are plenty of hikes and views nearby. We even saw a bear on the road outside of the campground! We can’t wait to go back.

This is a smaller campground on the east end of the GTTS road. Close to St Mary where there are some amenities. In the shoulder season this campground is open to primitive camping.

Large campground, close to services and inside park. Much exposed to the wind, which can be brutal. Little scenery. Fire pits, water access and toilets. A couple miles to all services, quick access to going to the sun road. Not a favorite of mine but when you need to get a spot to camp, this beats not having one.

The campsites are a little small but they do the job. We camped here in June and had frost on our tent in the morning. They do have nice showers with warm water which was a plus because at the time of year we went the showers at Many Glacier weren't open yet. Bathrooms were nice but we did have to clean so poop and ants away before we could set up camp. All and all I would stay here again. Definatly take the drive and hike St. Marys falls and if you do make sure you go all the way to the top. Soo worth it!

Beautiful views, close to the going to the sun road, several lakes. Just awesome all around!

The sites are small, and some have very little - if any - privacy. But views are outstanding! Each loop has flush toilets and a dumping station (for dish water and portable toilets). Only loop C has showers, but very easily walkable from B via the path. Loop A was closed when we were there in late June 2018. Evening ranger programs every night in the summer. I’d definitely camp here again. Photos below were taken from the campground.

We stayed one night at this campground while on a 10 day camping road trip through US national parks. It’s on the eastern side of Glacier National Park. The campground is open year round and is easily accessible. We stayed overnight on May 22 which was still considered off season so the nightly rate was discounted. Furthermore, since the campground is owned by the national park service, I got even more of a discount with my national parks annual pass. It only cost us 5 dollars to spend the night. The campground is in an open meadow near the St. Mary entrance to the park and has views of the glacial peaks. Just be prepared to feel out in the open and to meet your campground neighbors. If you want to feel alone in nature this probably isn’t the campground for you. The campground has flushing toilets, sinks with running water, and a shower (much appreciated after five days of car camping).

The campground is fine but The time we visit the park was not such a great choice, full of smoke and fire. If you want to see the nature in its beauty you definitely should try it and dont forget the pepper spary.

One of the most scenic places to stay overnight with the view of St.Marys lake right in front of you! Hikes nearby are Gunsight pass and Virgina Falls and Rising Sun Campground is tight around the corner! Popular site to stay in the summer due to tourist hiking and backpacking.

This is a big National Park campground that will fill up every day in the summer. It is close to the park boundary so you get the best of both worlds...civilization and the park’s beauty. We spent all day hiking nearby so didn’t spend much time in the campground. It is busy but was clean. We used the shuttle so we didn’t have to worry about driving and parking. We stayed in the tents loop, nice and far from RV land.

Don't get me wrong, it's hard to be critical about anything related to Glacier National Park. I absolutely love that place. St. Mary Campground was a little bit of a buzzkill for campers looking for solitude and epic scenery. Most of the mountains are obstructed by trees, our sky view had a power line running through it, and it was a bit noisy. However, it is arguably the best location on the east side of the park to start your adventure up Going To The Sun Road. The rangers were very friendly. Up the road, there is a couple bars, gas station. PS: Don't buy Going To The Sun Beer unless you're just into the novelty. I gave it a shot and it was eh...

We had St. Mary Campground almost to ourselves when we visited in May. We had our pick of sites, and we chose a site that had a great view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. It was the perfect place to serve as a base for a few days of exploring Glacier in the early season.

Since the summer season had not yet started, sites were only $10 (They are $23 in the summer), but there were only flush toilets. Remember to store your food properly; we had some foxes around our site that badly wanted our dinner!

The Going to the Sun Road was still closed in the middle, but we were able to drive up about 12 miles on each side. St. Mary’s Campground also allowed us easy access to the Many Glacier area.

Our favorite springtime Glacier activities included: Hiking to Middle and Lower Quartz Lake (a 12-mile loop), hiking to Avalanche Lake, and kayaking Lake Josephine to Grinnell Glacier.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Glacier)

Some of the bigger National Parks out west have free shuttle bus services and Glacier’s runs right to this campground so you can access day hiking without having to drive and park. Being close to the entrance means you can easily head into town for restaurants, grocery, etc. Pros: tons of hiking, beautiful area with a stream nearby, generally very private and generous campsites, ranger talks, ease of travel via shuttle, clean, good value. Cons: you need reservations in the summer, some bear activity, no tent-only sections, no showers (as of 2009). Bring your passport to hop over into the equivalent Canadian park.

My wife and I entered this area of the park from the Jackson Glacier Overlook. Hiked in about 6 miles to the Gunsight Campground. Beautiful water falls along the trail at the start. Keep an eye out for bears and moose. The Gunsight campground had about 6 or 7 tent pads large enough to accommodate two tents if needed. There is a pole to hang your bear bag from and a designated cooking area and pit toilet. It was very very windy when we were there. The camp is right near an alpine lake fed from the snowmelt so you have great tasting fresh water (treated it with a steripen). Very comfortable site!

We planned a trip to GNP only a few months before going and accomadations were tough to find. We stayed at St Mary's for two nights on two different sites. The sites are small but we spent so little time there because we were out exploring the park. They had dry flat areas for the tent, clean bathrooms, and potable water. The location within the park was great as it was our jump off point to exploring.

First of all, I can't write this review without giving incredible thanks to the fire crews who were able to open this campground as quickly as possible during the Reynolds Creek Fire. We were scheduled to camp at St Mary on the night of July 29 2015, and when we went to bed on the 28th (at Fish Creek, on the west end of the park), they weren't sure if St Mary would be open. Needless to say, I was extremely stressed, but waking up in the morning to hear that St Mary Campground was open was one of the best things I'd heard in WEEKS. Though we had to circumnavigate the park to the south due to the Going-to-the-Sun Road still being partially closed, I was so relieved that I didn't have to find a contingency plan. The staff were very cheerful, in spite of the campground being pretty deserted and quiet (no birds or animals). I get the impression that this part of the park isn't as frequently visited, which is a bit odd. Most people head up to the Many Glacier area after their time in West Glacier, but I don't think St Mary campground should be passed over so quickly. It's a very well planned campground, with large bushes that block each pull-through driveway from the road and separate each site. We stayed in A07 and A09, right next to each other, and we could neither see nor hear our friends in the next site over. The ground was soft and excellent for pitching a tent, and the showers (though a bit of a trek from our sites) were warm. I think even when this campground is full it still feels very secluded - it was excellent! It's very different from West Glacier, but I don't think this campground is to be missed.

This campground is extremely hard to reserve simply because it is the best. With WiFi and Showers/ Restrooms it provides a very home away from home feeling. However I suggest taking the road less travelled and hiking to the off the grid campsites that don't need reservations and give you the ultimate outdoor experience. As a precaution carry bells to make noise for bears. I also recommend bear spray.

It was our first time to Glacier National Park. It was a long trip from Des Moines, Iowa with 5 kids in the Ford Expedition, and our camper being pulled behind. This is one of the few campgrounds in the park that you can reserve ahead of time, but don't procrastinate, it fills up fast.

I have seen a lot of National Parks but Glacier is one of my favorites. We saw a Grizzly Bear within 200 yards of the road and with the binoculars we got a great look. The Going to the Sun road was amazing and we had some great hikes at Logan Pass.

As for the campground, we had a great spot in loop B site 67. ****Also, the campground is advertised as NO SHOWERS, but there is a secret shower house with a few stalls in loop C, they are not very nice, but if you need a shower you have some options.

This park and this campground are amazing!