St. Mary Campground
Jen G.
Reviewed Aug. 30, 2016

Secluded and Private

First of all, I can't write this review without giving incredible thanks to the fire crews who were able to open this campground as quickly as possible during the Reynolds Creek Fire. We were scheduled to camp at St Mary on the night of July 29 2015, and when we went to bed on the 28th (at Fish Creek, on the west end of the park), they weren't sure if St Mary would be open. Needless to say, I was extremely stressed, but waking up in the morning to hear that St Mary Campground was open was one of the best things I'd heard in WEEKS. Though we had to circumnavigate the park to the south due to the Going-to-the-Sun Road still being partially closed, I was so relieved that I didn't have to find a contingency plan. The staff were very cheerful, in spite of the campground being pretty deserted and quiet (no birds or animals). I get the impression that this part of the park isn't as frequently visited, which is a bit odd. Most people head up to the Many Glacier area after their time in West Glacier, but I don't think St Mary campground should be passed over so quickly. It's a very well planned campground, with large bushes that block each pull-through driveway from the road and separate each site. We stayed in A07 and A09, right next to each other, and we could neither see nor hear our friends in the next site over. The ground was soft and excellent for pitching a tent, and the showers (though a bit of a trek from our sites) were warm. I think even when this campground is full it still feels very secluded - it was excellent! It's very different from West Glacier, but I don't think this campground is to be missed.

  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016
  • Review photo of St. Mary Campground by Jen G., August 30, 2016