the dyrt
Standard (tent/RV)
Group
RV Sites
Tent Sites
Fires Allowed
Pets Allowed
Drinking Water
About St. Mary Campground
St. Mary Campground is the largest campground on the east side of Glacier National Park, and is conveniently located approximately a half-mile from the St. Mary Visitor Center. The visitor center offers interpretive programs, shuttle service and Red Bus tours leaving from the center. The campground sits near the entrance of the popular scenic byway, the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Recreation
St. Mary Campground is located on the east side of the park, which boasts some of the best trails available for day hiking. Trailheads start at a higher elevation than those on the west side, so less ascent is required to reach scenic vistas.
Facilities
Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities provide flush toilets and sinks with running water.
A couple of miles down the road and outside the park, visitors will find all the comforts of home, including restaurants, gift shops, camp stores, gas and groceries.
Natural Features
Though shade is sparse, the aspen trees that grace St. Mary Campground flutter in spring and summer breezes and provide colorful splashes of yellow late in the season. Views of Singleshot, East Flattop and Red Eagle Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the landscape.
St. Mary Lake which, although too cold and occasionally too rough to swim in, provides refreshing scenery on warm days.
Nearby Attractions
One must-see attraction is the sister park across the U.S.-Canadian border, Waterton Lakes National Park. As the other half of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Waterton Lakes offers fantastic hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the Townsite of Waterton.
Immediately east of Glacier National Park lies the picturesque Blackfeet Indian Reservation, spanning 1.5 million acres. Visit the Museum of the Plains Indian, in Browning, Montana, for a fascinating introduction to the rich cultural heritage of the largest Indian tribe in Montana.
ADA Access: N
Sites
144
Operator
National Park Service
Access
Drive In
Walk In
Features
ADA Accessible
Alcohol Allowed
Drinking Water
Fires Allowed
Firewood Available
Market
Pets Allowed
Phone Service
Picnic Table
Reservable
Sanitary Dump
Showers
Toilets
Trash Available
Water Hookups
Contact
Location
St. Mary Campground is located in Montana
Directions
Located a half-mile west of the St. Mary entrance near St. Mary, Montana. Access is from U.S. Highway 89 approximately 33 miles northwest of Browning, Montana or over Logan Pass when open. Vehicle restrictions are in effect.
27 Reviews of St. Mary Campground
Just okay
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.
Loved this quiet campground
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!
Loved this quiet campground
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!
Quiet campground with great park rangers and services.
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.
Nice campground
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.
Lovely
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.
Quiet and convenient
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.
It meets a need......
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.
Definitely the best glacier campground
Beautiful views, close to the going to the sun road, several lakes. Just awesome all around!
Off Season Convenience
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).
