Best/favorite car campgrounds?

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djallen35
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Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by djallen35 »

Hi All,
I'll be in Glacier in late July/early August for hiking/exploring/camping, etc. We are doing a 4 night backpacking trip in backcountry sites, but plan on being in the park for a week. I am looking for recommendations for the best car campgrounds in the park or also hotels (cheapish) nearby. I know most are first come, first serve, so any insightful info would be great!
Thanks!
llholmes1948
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by llholmes1948 »

djallen35 wrote:Hi All,
I'll be in Glacier in late July/early August for hiking/exploring/camping, etc. We are doing a 4 night backpacking trip in backcountry sites, but plan on being in the park for a week. I am looking for recommendations for the best car campgrounds in the park or also hotels (cheapish) nearby. I know most are first come, first serve, so any insightful info would be great!
Thanks!
I would recommend that you firm up your plans a bit more. For the most part I think the best car campgrounds are the ones closest to the trails where you want to hike. As far as I know the campgrounds in the park are all fine.

I don't consider any motels/hotels on the west side to be cheap but some are less expensive than others. On the east side we found the rooms in the older section of the Circle R Motel in East Glacler to be inexpensive. We also attended a wedding in Valier and found the Mountain Front Lodge to be nice and inexpensive. Valier is a bit of a distance from the Park but if I found lodging to be tight in the Park I would consider staying there. These recommendations are from 2008 so they are not exactly current but I hope this helps.

Hope you have a great trip to the Park and will post a report.

Lyman
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by PeteE »

djallen35 wrote:Hi All,
I'll be in Glacier in late July/early August for hiking/exploring/camping, etc. We are doing a 4 night backpacking trip in backcountry sites, but plan on being in the park for a week. I am looking for recommendations for the best car campgrounds in the park or also hotels (cheapish) nearby. I know most are first come, first serve, so any insightful info would be great!
Thanks!
I have been staying at Johnson's in St Mary a lot recently. $29.70+tax/night for a tent site with two people.
http://johnsonsofstmary.squarespace.com/
http://www.webreserv.com/showproduct.do ... &ptid=2839
It's just not worth it[to me] to stay at park CG's in the last few years.
The camp grounds are more crowded than ever. Record attendance the last couple years and I bet this year will be another record crowd.
Riding around looking for a spot just doesn't appeal to me.

And I'm not a big fan of how the Glacier Park Law Enforcement Rangers "arbitrarily" enforce the camp ground "rules".

It cost me 4 times as much to stay at Johnson's than the park's CGs, but I don't mind. Good food nearby including Johnson's own place.
Laundry and showers on site. WiFi in the office/laundry area.

Easy drive to hikes beginning on the Sun Road or in Many Glacier---which is where the majority of people go. And not too bad of a drive to Two Medicine. NOT so good for North Fork activity.

Johnson's takes reservations and the site is open for reservations.

I would get a place at Johnson's for your stay and call it good. Spend more time hiking than driving around changing locations.
http://www.webreserv.com/showproduct.do ... &ptid=2839

Just made a reservation
No. Reservations: 1
Persons: 1
Total Amount: 63.56 USD
Deposit Due At Reservation: 31.78 USD
Balance Due: 31.78 USD


Johnson's of St. Mary
Address: Johnson's of St. Mary

21 Red Eagle Road

St Mary, Montana, 59417-9701
Phone: (406) 732-4207
Email: reservations@johnsonsofstmary.com

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations made prior to 30 days of check in will receive a full refund of the deposit, minus a $15.00 processing fee. The deposit is NON-REFUNDABLE for cancellations of any reason within 30 days of check in. Cancellations within 48 hours of the date and time of check in will be charged for the FULL COST of the scheduled stay. Refunds will not be granted to customers who choose to leave early, for any reason

pete
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toddnick
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by toddnick »

I have stayed in most of the car campgrounds at Glacier...

East side (where I generally spent 80% of my vacation nights)

I love Many Glacier Campground (I've spent 90 nights there); the location is ideal for hiking and right in the mountains...
Rising Sun Campground is also in an excellent location though not as scenic as Many Glacier...

On the West side (where i generally spend 10% of my vacation nights, the other 10% is at Sperry or Granite Park Chalet)

Sprague Creek is amazing if you can get a campsite on the water; if not, the other sites are too close to the road...
Apgar and Avalanche are very convenient and generally nice campgrounds...
I really enjoy spending a night or two at Bowman Lake Campground up in the north fork; really pretty and remote area of the Park...
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by PeteE »

I agree with Todd that CG's like Many Glacier, Sprague Creek, Rising Sun et al are nice places to stay.
I have stayed at most all of them at one time or another. I would stay at them now, even putting up with the rude LEO's.

BUT...I just don't have the patience to check on line every day for the chance at a reservation at those requiring them, or...
Drive around and around a camp ground waiting for someone to leave so I can jump in and get a spot.
And then if you are changing locations, go through that routine all over again.

It wasn't that long ago that you didn't have to go through all that.
I used to be able to drive over after work in the afternoon and get a place at Rising Sun, a fave of mine for Sun Road hikes.
However, the ever increasing visitor numbers every year are making it more and more difficult to just "drive in and find a spot".

Last year I drove over dozens of mornings all summer long to hike, camp, take pictures, whatever.
And virtually every time I would see "FULL" signs at Sprague Creek, Avalanche Creek, Rising Sun, and St Mary. Same with Many Glacier.
Keep that in mind if you plan on getting a car camp ground spot this year.

So maybe y'all have more patience than I do. Wouldn't take much since I have very little patience for stuff like that. 8)
Now days I'll find a spot at Johnson's and stay there for the duration. Not that big a deal to drive to hikes on the Sun Road or Many Glacier.

All that said, I fully understand why many, maybe most of y'all, would prefer to stay at the CG's within Glacier Park.

My 2 cents worth

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."

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djallen35
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by djallen35 »

Thanks for all your advice guys. I too cringe at the thought of driving around looking for a campsite. I'm liking Johnsons. Our flight will get in late on the first day (coming from NJ), so I'm thinking a cheap hotel on the west side for that first night then a slow drive over Sun Road to St. Marys area and set up at Johnsons. I'd rather spend more time hiking than worrying about where I'm going to sleep. I wish they had more reservable campsites in the park (although I'm sure they'd all be reserved by now anyway)
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Re: Best/favorite car campgrounds?

Post by Selkie »

Fish Creek Campground, on the West Side, has a small number of reservable sites still available within the time span.

West Glacier Motel is among the cheaper options:
http://www.glacierparkinc.com/lodging/w ... el-cabins/

St. Mary Campground is fine. A loop (mostly) for tents, B loop for tents and RVs, C loop for big rigs and group camping. Showers. Easy walk to the visitors center for evening talks. Access to a swimming hole on the river.
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