looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

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Wen
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looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

Hi,
Is there a specific page to look for camp site cancellations ? We just decided to go and booked our flight yesterday. We are planning to get a walk-in site on July 5th, but rather have a camp site booked before we get there.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Wen
Jen

Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Jen »

recreation.gov shows two sites available at St. Mary on July 5. Better hurry! :)
Wen
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

I did see one day there, and a couple of days at Swan Lake. What's the likelihood to get a walk-in at the same site, or two sites for 6 nights ? Or a cancellation ? Just not sure where we will go in between and move the tent everyday. If there is no better way to get camp site, I guess we will have to get what we can.

Thanks.
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by PeteE »

FYI...Swan Lake is nowhere near Glacier Park.

If staying on the East side and you can't get in a park campground, check into reserving a spot at KOA or Johnson's in St Mary.
Both take reservations.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
Wen
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

KAO is $125 a night. Booked the 5th at St. Mary. I will keep checking for cancellations or go early on the 6th for walk-up.
Jen

Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Jen »

Wen wrote:KAO is $125 a night. Booked the 5th at St. Mary. I will keep checking for cancellations or go early on the 6th for walk-up.
Once you are there on the 5th you can easily get another of the non reservable sites for the following nights.
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by PeteE »

Wen wrote:KAO is $125 a night. Booked the 5th at St. Mary. I will keep checking for cancellations or go early on the 6th for walk-up.
$125.00/night at KOA St Mary??? For a tent site???? That has to be a cabin though, right?

Johnson's, which is literally across the road from KOA, is $29.70/night for a tent site for 2017.
http://www.webreserv.com/showproduct.do ... &ptid=2839
But, I don't believe it's active yet. Too early.

I've stayed at both places. Johnson's is not nearly as nice as KOA, but you won't die there :)
Nothing at KOA makes it worth $125.00/night--for me 8)

But you are in for the first night, and as Jen indicated, that's a good thing.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
Jen

Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Jen »

When I stayed at the KOA in 2011, the tent sites were around $50/night. Still WAY overpriced IMO for an open NO privacy site. What I remember from that stay was being sprayed in the face with AquaNet™ while washing my hands in the bathroom. A different crowd altogether at the KOA. ;)
llholmes1948
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by llholmes1948 »

Jen wrote:When I stayed at the KOA in 2011, the tent sites were around $50/night. Still WAY overpriced IMO for an open NO privacy site. What I remember from that stay was being sprayed in the face with AquaNet™ while washing my hands in the bathroom. A different crowd altogether at the KOA. ;)
Jen,

What is this AquaNet? A new brand of bear spray? Maybe I should get some. Those people at KOA are in the forefront of life and have all the new products.

Lyman
Wen
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

Pete, $125 is for the cabin. I only saw for 2 people, so clicked on it. KOA campsite is $48+. Johnson $29+. I read some reviews, and people seemed to like Johnson over KOA.

We want to hike below. Is driving from St Mary to below trails the best option ? Will keep looking for Two Medicine and Many Glacier for a night.
Two Medicine: Dawson Pass, Pitamakan Pass
Many Glacier: Grinnell Glacier, Swiftcurrent Pass, Iceberg Lake
Logan Pass: Highline Loop (or Trail)
Lake McDonald: Mt. Brown Lookout, Avalanche Lake
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by PeteE »

Wen wrote:Pete, $125 is for the cabin. I only saw for 2 people, so clicked on it. KOA campsite is $48+. Johnson $29+. I read some reviews, and people seemed to like Johnson over KOA.
KOA has some nice facilities like pool, hot tub, nice showers, a small store, and more. However, it can be noisey and some camp sites arevery open or get muddy like one i had down by the river one time. Just not worth the price imo.

We want to hike below. Is driving from St Mary to below trails the best option ?
Personally, I would prefer to "base" in St Mary to do all my day hiking on the East side...but then I live here so enjoying the experience of the various GNP campgrounds doesn't interest me too much anymore.
However, I understand why many visitors would want to stay at park CGs at Swiftcurrent an Two Med for hikes in those areas.
St Mary is very centrally located for hikes. It's about 30-40 minutes from Swiftcurrent. Logan Pass is abiut 30 minutes also. Two Med is farther- close to an hour from St Mary. Nice camp ground at Two Med for doing Daw-Pit lop trail.
A night at Two Medicine would be nice.
Two Medicine: Dawson Pass, Pitamakan Pass. Again, I like the St Mary area, be it KOA, Johnson's(my preference), St Mary CG, or even Rising Sun CG in the park. But as I said, many visitors will want to stay " in the park" proper.
Driving over to the West Side to do Avalanche and Mt Brown is not bad at all, IF you leave early in the AM and beat the bad traffic. The West to East is not bad at all early. Most traffic will be going W-E.
The day hikesyou picked are good ones too imo.
If more questions, holler 8)


pete :wink:


Many Glacier: Grinnell Glacier, Swiftcurrent Pass, Iceberg Lake
Logan Pass: Highline Loop (or Trail)
Lake McDonald: Mt. Brown Lookout, Avalanche Lake
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
Wen
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

Thank you for all the information !
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by llholmes1948 »

I agree with Pete. The distances are not that great so there is nothing wrong with staying at St. Mary and doing hikes at Many Glacier, or the Highline. Two Medicine is a bit longer drive but clearly doable. Staying at Two Medicine or at East Glacier would make doing hikes at Two Medicine easier.

You have picked some very good hikes but I hope you realize that Mount Brown is one tough hike. I think there are better options for a limited stay in the Park. I would suggest Siyeh, Piegan, Cobalt Lake, Cracker Lake.

My son tells me he wants to try Mount Brown and I think he views it as an endurance test. I have hiked there three times so maybe he will convince me to try it again. A nice hike in huckleberry season as there is plenty of nourishment en route but you have to be aware of bears.

Of course if there are rumors of large herds of goats at Mount Brown (as there was in 1972 which turned out to be true), then I am there! I have not heard that it has been goat central in recent years.

Hope you have a great trip.

Lyman
Wen
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by Wen »

I was able to get 3 nights at St. Mary ! Someone must had cancelled.

St. Mary: 3 nights
Two Medicine: walk-up site only ?
(2:20 drive ?) to Apgar: walk-up site.
(3:30 hour drive ?) to MSO
Maybe should stay the last night at Swan Lake, which is 2 hours to MSO. Is it worth going ?

Thanks for the hikes and routes suggestions. We should be good for 15 mile hike a day. Took the Everest base camp via Gokyo Ri trek 6 years ago. Hard, but Memorable !
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Re: looking for camp site for July 5 - 10

Post by al_in_al »

Wen wrote: Two Medicine: Dawson Pass, Pitamakan Pass
It's not clear if this is your plan, but definitely combine these into a loop (the Dawson-Pitamakan Loop) - the best part is the 4-mile ridge walk in between the two passes. It's 18 miles and tough, but doable. Of course, you are going pretty early in the season, so I'm not sure the trails will be completely melted out yet.
Wen wrote: Many Glacier: Swiftcurrent Pass
Logan Pass: Highline Loop (or Trail)
You can also combine these pretty easily. 15 miles RT, but would require you to use the shuttle system since it isn't a loop. Again, this is if the Highline is open while you're there.
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