Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park

We've camped all over...all over Glacier and all over the country, and this is hands-down one of our favorite campgrounds. 100% our fave national park campground! An authentic unplugged, quiet camping experience.

The remote location is amazing, and the campsites are nicely spread out in a moody, dark forested area with near full shade. There are a couple of paths directly to the lake, literally a 2-3 minute walk from anywhere in camp. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables, and there are a few vault toilets and several trash bins and potable water spigots. No showers or sinks. Deer galore! The visitor tent is pretty cool, especially for families with kids. It has activities and games like scavenger hunts, books/tools for identifying wildflowers/plants/scat etc. And there's a camp host onsite seasonally, also.

Note that all sites are FCFS. Rangers at the entrance usually have a fair idea of whether you'll get a spot.

Even though the park has gotten much busier in the past few years, Bowman still remains a quietER gem. The long road keeps people away, I guess - although some 2023-24 construction/improvements has made it quite a bit better.

Long, rough dirt roads leads you to this primitive campground at the gorgeous Bowman Lake.

The sites are roomy with lots of trees. Clean pit toilets and a few water spigots are available.

For those who want it, there is no cell service!

Spend the day kayaking or paddle boarding in this serene, remote location. Polebridge Mercantile is about 30-40 minutes away for a small selection of food supplies you might need.

First let me say DON’T plan on camping here unless you have the proper vehicle to get you safely up that road. If you are driving a low profile vehicle you are likely to blow your suspension as it is a dirt road with lots of potholes. I was fine with my 4Runner but I definitely saw some people in cars that should not have been driving on the mostly uphill road. With that being said this was my definitely one of my favorite places I’ve camped. The sites are huge so you’re not on top of your neighbors, lots of trees to hang a hammock etc. it was so quiet & peaceful. Lots of wildlife, the lake is a short 2 minute walk down a designated trail. You can kayak, paddle board or canoe on the lake. There are tons of areas to sit around the lake to relax or have a picnic. Due to the remote location they only have pit toilets and a few water spigots around the campground. There is no cell service and even my satellite GPS was finicky at times. There were a couple bear boxes open to anyone but none on the individual sites. Everything must be stored inside of your LOCKED vehicle due to bear activity. Polebridge is about 30 minutes and they have a small store with the best baked goods. You can drive to Kintla Lake it’s about an hour on the dirt road. Kintla Lake is even more secluded, but worth the drive. I will be returning to Bowman Lake as it was one of my favorite places in Glacier.

We were visiting GNP in mid-June 2021 and originally wanted to stay at Apgar, or another campground closer to the Going to the Sun road, but since we did not have reservation to get into Glacier National Park & going to the Sun Road, we headed up to the north fork area of GNP to see if we could get a campsite at Bowman lake or Kintla Lake Campground.  When we arrived at the Polebridge Ranger Station the ranger thought we should be able to get a campsite at Bowman so we headed the 6+ miles down the  curvy dirt road to Bowman Lake. When we arrived around 2pm there were only 3  campsites occupied so we found a nice level campsite to pitch our tent.  The campsites were spread out enough that you had plenty of privacy (except for those dang deer and chipmunks that keep on visiting us). This campground only has pit toilets.  The views from the lake are unbelievable and we enjoyed our hike around the lake. We also drove the 15+ miles up to Kintla Lake (the campground was empty and had only a few campsites compared to Bowman Lake).  When we returned to GNP in September of 2021 we were able to get a campsite at Apgar but we took a day off from hiking and drove up to Bowman Lake, this lake is a hidden gem, so peaceful and so beautiful, definitely worth the long bumpy trip.  Bowman lake is definitely my favorite lake at GNP.

Be ready for a bumpy ride to this campground, but it is nice and secluded within Glacier NP.

Such a beautiful place to stay. Recommend late May stay or Mid August 🤘🏻

The drive to Bowman is anxiety inducing with the ever changing potholes, tight curves, and white knuckle driving. But it is 100% worth it for the secluded sites and lake views. It was nice to get away from the Glacier crowds and meet like minded camping people who wanted to experience the more wild side of Glacier. The vault toilets were decent and the bear boxes easy to use.

Nice NPS campground within walking distance to Bowman Lake and several trailheads. This is a good spot to camp if you plan on hikeing or boating near/on the lake. Super clean, lots of shade and hammock trees, vault toilet, first come. I was surprised there was only one bear box for the whole campground to share instead of one at each site. Especially after seeing a leather deposit of bear scat on the Bowman Lake trail. No showers here but you can pay for a shower down at Polebridge Market Place, which you want to visitor anyway for their amazing baked goods (pizza after 3 pm too!). There was a ranger hanging out in the parking lot of the trail head area if you have any questions (though her job looked to be more traffic management than anything else).

Cool spot to hang around for a couple days. The 3 hikes right off the campground are pretty cool with the Bowman lake trial being the easiest. Relatively busy campground while I was there. With the first come first served, lots of people drive through looking for a place. The view of the lake from the campgrounds beach area is awesome. It was pretty smoky while I was there but that’s summer in Montana.

Went in mid June 2019 best trip ever.

We spent a single night here. It was so good. Super quiet. Tons of wildlife (saw multiple deer, various birds, a grizzly on way in). I couldn't sleep any more so I got up at 4:30, made coffee, and walked down to the lake about 5 am. It was like a painting.

The ranger was super nice, too.

It’s a good 7 mile hike in, but a beautiful hike and the destination is worth it. The site itself is right on the shore, with plenty of room for multiple parties to enjoy the lake at once.

Bowman Lake has to be one of my most favorite locations in Glacier Park. Bowman Lake has a wonderful hiking trail (26.2 mile round trip) located here. The road leading up the campground is narrow and trailers are restricted from use. During the summer months this location will need advance reservations due to limited space. Best time to visit this camping location is duding the months of September and October.

On our last day in Glacier we headed over to Bowman Lake in hopes of finding a campsite. Despite it being the end of June we got there at 2 PM and found plenty of sites open. We had our pick of the little. The sites are all great. Lots of trees to use for hammocks, good picnic tables, and nice fire pits. The campground only has pit toilets, but the secluded area makes up for it. This is the place to go to avoid the regular Glacier camping crowds. The campground is about a 5 minute walk to the lake and just a short drive form Polebridge. Absolutely gorgeous and my favorite place to camp in Glacier.

Be prepared for a dusty, bumpy, narrow, pot-holed drive in on the road. There's a sign at the beginning of the incline that indicates parking availability… pay attention to the sign, it will tell you if no parking is available. If the road is wet, it is treacherous! Remember to bring bug spray and bear spray, be aware of your surroundings. 

You'll be a high elevation so be ready for cooler nights. I used my 0-degree sleeping bag, and that worked great. Limited campsites so get there early on the weekend. Several trails lead into the mountains, one leads along the lakeshore. There is drinking water, pit toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, plus some bear-proof storage boxes.Highly recommend taking the time to explore and camp at this location.

I love Bowman Lake. I've camped here more than anywhere else in Glacier. I've seen bears, the northern lights, and done many wonderful hikes in the area.

The best thing about the campground, though? It's near my favorite place in the US—Polebridge. Seriously, if you go to Glacier but don't make the trek up to Polebridge, you'll never understand what you're missing!

This campground is secluded and beautiful. The campground itself was very well maintained. At the time that we went (late May/ early June 2018) there were only a handful of other people there so it was very quiet which was awesome. I thought being from Arkansas we could handle some mosquitos but oh no the mosquitos are on a whole other level here. No amount of Off Deep Woods could save us. Definitely wish we had brought a thermacell or something like that which would probably make it a lot better. We didn’t hike in this area because of the mosquitos but there are several trails. We kayaked on the lake and it was amazing! Don’t be like us though and think you can kayak the entire thing and back unless you start EARLY when the water is smooth because otherwise you are going to struggle.. for 5 hrs🤪

The spots aren’t very private. The mosquitos are intense. The walk to the lake is 2 mins. The view at the lake is amazing. Get there early because it does fill up.

Be food safe. We had a black bear next to our vehicle one morning. The 6 miles dirt road out there is ROUGH. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise if you aren’t 4x4. Views are totally worth it. Not good biking or trails for dogs either. But the lake is gorgeous and if you have a kayak - it’s a blast! Glacier is competitive camping for sure but bowman seemed to fill up a little later.

the bowman lake campground is about 30 - 40 minutes north of Polebridge. The road is very rough and takes a while to drive, but it is doable by most cars. The campground is at Bowman Lake, a stunning lake in Glacier National Park. The sites are big, have plenty of flat room for tents, and are on the shade. Mosquitos were terrible when we were there! But the hiking in this area is very nice and accessible. I want to go back!

This place was quite the drive to get to but so worth it. The lake views are breathtaking and lots of wildlife encounters. Met a black bear on the trail there and deer were visiting our campsite all night. The ranger stationed there was very friendly and helpful.

There is no better place to camp in Glacier than Bowman Lake. Great access to everything, usually can find a spot pretty easy, and beautiful! Cannot fail here!

This campground is perfect. It's used primarily as a hiker's camp, but there are some car campers who venture out there. It's about an hour to hour and half of driving from Apgar Village, as there are several miles of dirt/gravel roads that require you to go slow at times. Bowman Lake is absolutely beautiful and there are several trails leading you to amazing views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Every site at Glacier park was full except Bowman Lake. Got lost and turned around looking for it but once we found, it was worth the drive. Friendly camp, beautiful lake, lots of great hikes...

This campground is at the end of a winding six-mile dirt road, which means that you'll be covered in dust by the time you get there, but which also means that there are no big RV rigs. It is so quiet and beautiful, but the mosquitos will about drive you nuts, and they're the reason I can't give this campground five stars. Bring bug spray (but not citronella; that attracts bears). The lake is simply stunning, especially in the early morning, when the sun comes up over the mountains. There are trailheads right next to the lake shore, with varying distances and difficulties to choose from. The campsites are clean and level, but watch out for stumps along the driveways, or you may lose a bumper. Restroom facilities are only pit toilets, but they're the cleanest and least-smelly pit toilets I've ever seen, and there is plenty of hand sanitizer inside. Potable water taps and food storage boxes are available near the toilets. We didn't see any bears, but deer frequent the campsites, sniffing around the fire pits, searching for food, and they're not scared of people. They'll come right up to your tent. It's crazy.

I consider myself pretty lucky to go to college in a state where there is great outdoor activities. Bowman Lake Campground, which is located within the Glacier National Park is pretty awesome. Everywhere you look, there is something beautiful. The scenery within this campground is to die for. The storage on my camera was full by the time my friends and I left because I took pictures of everything. The trees, flowers and plants were my favorite. All my friends (and myself) have hammocks, so we always like staying in a campsite that has good trees to hang our hammocks. We were able to get a spot where there were trees really close to our campsite, so we were able to hang our hammocks while keeping warm by the fire. We also really enjoyed the lake. It was gorgeous. One of my friends has a kayak, so we took turns taking it out on the water. I got up one morning earlier than everyone else, and took the kayak on the water. The sunset was beautiful, and the lake was so calm and relaxing. One FYI to everyone....The road leading to the campground is pretty ruff, but it is manageable if you go slow. The road is pretty narrow, so just be careful of on coming cars coming down from the campground. Just go SLOW. I would also suggest to get to the campground early in the morning. They don't take reservations, and the campground isn't very big...limited spots. So if you want a good spot, or a spot at all, I would suggest getting there early in the morning. My friends and I also really loved hiking along the trails that were near the lake. There was actually a trail (not sure if it had a name?) that took us along the lake shore which was one of my favorite walks we did. I honestly can't wait to come back and stay here. I definitely will do more research on other hikes nearby because I know the views would be awesome the higher you get!!

I absolutely love the Glacier National Park. I might be a little bias, because I am from Montana, but I think its one of the best National Parks in the states. Bowman Lake, which obviously is located in the Glacier National Park is no exception...because it is gorgeous. I have stayed here two times, and both experiences were great! I really enjoy the hiking trails in this campground, and kayaking in the lake nearby. The lake that is close to the campground is called Pristine Lake and of course Bowman Lake. The only downside is the road leading up to the campground. It is a pretty narrow road, so you just have to be careful and watch for cars coming the opposite direction of you. The road is gravel/dirt and does have a few switchbacks. Again, just drive slow and carefully. When I went, in June, the campground wasn't too busy but I do know during the weekends and summer months it does get pretty busy. I would just suggest getting there early enough to get a spot. I am an avid hiker, and they definitely have some pretty awesome hikes. Just make sure you talk to a ranger, or do your research ahead of time to find out how long/hard each hike is. I did Numa Ridge, which was gorgeous and 6 miles long. Saturday morning I got up really early and did Brown Pass which was 14 miles round trip, but well worth it. There is also Akola Lake (6miles) and Quartz Lake (6.5miles). I would recommend doing at least 1 hike, because the views and scenery are amazing. The campground itself is pretty basic...tent areas, trees and some amenities. If you are like me, I am hardly at my campsite because I am out exploring.

Bowman lake is beautiful, and the bumpy ride on the gravel road is a small price to pay for the serenity of reaching the finger lakes in the northwest of Glacier NP. The campground is noted as 'primitive' on the NP map -- this label along with the tale of the bumpy road to get there keeps the less serious campers, trailers and RV's away. And although it is "primitive" by name, it simply means that there may not be a campground host, and there is not potable water access.

All of the campsites are easy access to the crystal clear lake with the mountain backdrop. Lots of trees for hammocking. Plenty of people carry in their own kayaks and SUPs.

Another amazing nugget on the journey to Bowman lake is the outpost of Polebridge. This tiny outpost has a mercantile with the most amazing baked goods, and sells all kinds of craft beers, veggies, and whatever necessities you may need for your camping adventure. There is also a small saloon. It's about 6 miles on gravel road from Polebridge to Bowman, but you'll fall in love with the little place, and you'll be glad you don't have to go all the way to Kalispel if you run out of beer.

When I say off the beaten path I should really be saying unpaved path. Make sure you have good shock absorbers on your vehicle, as it is miles and miles of dirt roads to get here.

Once you arrive the lake itself is spectacular. The campground is right next to it, and some of the campsites have an amazing view. We had plenty of shade (there are a lot of trees).

Warning: I experienced more mosquito bites here than at any other spot in Montana. Bring your repellant!

I usually do back country camping and wasn't sure how I'd feel about staying at a campground. I thought it would be noisy and too close to other campers. The sites were very nice. It was a very quiet campground. The trails were beautiful around the lake and we rarely ran into other hikers.