IndianaTom wrote:Thanks for the heads up! Trying to make my fifth trip in a row. Last year I got lucky with reservations. Two years ago I got my reservation for Many Glacier on a Cancellation (appreciate those people taking the time to do that). Then I got up at 5AM to move to Rising sun. Took a folding chair with me, left wife sleeping. I was 2nd in line, got a spot, drove back at 9 to pick up the wife.
You got it. That's pretty much what it takes to get a spot these days.
I am half tempted to buy property on Duck Lake so I have a spot to go to for the rest of my life with no hassles. That might end up in divorce court.
That's funny
**Update** Missed out today. I may just stop this madness and go for a backcountry permit.
BC reservations are tough too. However the process is more fair that front country reservations. At least I believe they will be after the changes they made for this year.
If your main interest in visiting GNP is day hiking and/or backpacking/backcountry camping....
I believe your best off finding a place to base camp, either inside the park or close by to your area of interest, e.g. East Side, West Side, Two Med etc.
Then just drive/shuttle to your trail heads. Otherwise you'll spend too much time driving, moving, waiting in lines, blah blah.
IF, you are the type that wants to just car camp and enjoy the ambience of the CG's inside the park...
Then brace yourself for long lines and all the hassle that goes with it.
GNP is just NOT what it used to be.
my 2cents
pete
Me too Tom. It's the most "fair" way, although I don't like the term "fair" too much since it can't be easily defined imo.IndianaTom wrote:I don't like the reservation model, I prefer the first come, first serve method...
I don't think Yosemite's way would work nation wide.It's interesting to me that there isn't a policy across all the parks and each one operates independently even though they use the same reservation software.
Easy to make a reservation? I thought the point of this thread was the opposite- it’s quite hard to make a reservation for MG campground!The frustrating thing is that when you actually go to the campground, some of these sites sit empty because it's easy to make a reservation, but much harder to actually show up at the campsite on the reservation date.
Unfortunately, the border doesn’t open until 7:00 am, so I am unable to get in line for a campsite at the wee hours of the morning. And how about the family that is traveling from the West side to the East side and wants to hike at Logan Pass on their way across the Park before making their way to their MG campsite? The reservation system makes them happy and works for them, too. So I agree that there is no plan that makes everyone happy, but the reservation system works for some of us better than first come, first serve.The is NO plan that will make everyone happy, so it's First Come, First Serve.
Just like being in the service again...Hurry up, get in line, and wait.
The process of making the reservation is easy. Getting lucky is rare (hard). We walked around the campground a few times and spotted open sites each time. I guess they let the site sit open for two nights and then give it to a camper.teapot57 wrote: Easy to make a reservation? I thought the point of this thread was the opposite- it’s quite hard to make a reservation for MG campground!
I am glad most of my plans this summer are in the backcountry. The crowds are definitely getting worse year after year.She was out in West Glacier yesterday afternoon with friends to hike Avalanche lake.
They ended up not finding a parking place and came back home. She said traffic was "horrible".