Best Equestrian Camping near Browning, MT

Montana is absolutely gorgeous! I may be biased because I go to college in Montana, but there is so many great outdoor activities. The mountains and scenery are my favorite. Some college friends and I have done a lot of camping over the years together, and Glacier Campground was one of my favorites. The campground is awesome, and is a few exits down from the Glacier National Park. Trees surround you within the campground, which was great because my friends and I had hammocks so those were easy to hook up with all the trees! One thing we really enjoyed doing was we did some horse back riding! There is a place nearby where you can go and do this. We had a blast!! There are many lakes and rivers too that are great. We enjoyed swimming in the lake, and also rented some kayaks at a local shop a few miles away. The campground does offer spots for tents, RVs and they also have cabins. We chose to tent because we are poor college students :). Maybe at some point we would try renting a cabin because they looked pretty fun. We didn't reserve our spot ahead of time, but we were able to get a spot still. It was in the spring time, so I'm sure if it was in the summer months you might want to call and make a reservation. Each campsite does have a table and fire pit which came in handy for us. We only stayed for the weekend, but wish we could have stayed longer to do some hiking. Because Glacier National Park is right around the corner, I know they have great hikes. If you are into hiking, I would definitely research hikes in that area. I can't wait to come back!!

The campground is about as close as you can get to the east entrance of Glacier NP! The views from our site were amazing. The RV sites are on top of a hill and it got very windy when the Chinook winds hit with gusts up to 65 mph. The sites are a bit close together but we were expecting that in a place like Glacier.

The campground also has a laundromat and bathroom/showers. Propane fill was $4/gal. You shouldn't count on any sort of internet while you're there though. Verizon and T-Mobile will say full bars of 4G but the data speeds are non existant. The campground has wifi but it is equally slow.

Also note that there are only 2 gas stations in St Mary and are both VERY expensive ($6/gal in Aug 2022) so we planned around it and either filled up in Browning or West Glacier.

This is both a campsite review and a Dyrt Ranger product review.

CAMPSITE REVIEW: We almost cancelled our trip to Glacier due to the current forest fires that have closed some of the park. We decided to take a chance on it though, and stayed just outside the west entrance of the park, at the privately owned Glacier Campground. We decided, given possible problems with smoke and haze, to rent one of their camper cabins instead of tent camping. Their camper cabins here are cozy and really nice, and much more reasonably priced than any others in or near the park! There were a lot of nice tent and RV spots for camping too, the whole place was like an upscale state park with many large, secluded shady campsites tucked into beautiful mature forest. There is a terrific indoor-outdoor cafe on site, and a central gathering area with playground and group picnic shelters. There are hot showers and regular bathrooms too. The campground is 1/2 mile to the entrance to Glacier National park, but 1/2 mile in the other direction is the new “Crown of the Continent” Geotourism and Education Center sponsored by the state of Montana and National Geographic. The folks at the campground can shuttle you over here to view the high quality environmental and geography education exhibits on display, to sample local foods and crafts, or to sign up for outdoor adventures like horseback riding, fly fishing, llama trekking and more. The campground itself is pet friendly, they even allowed our dog to stay in a camper cabin with us, which many dont. To our dismay, we discovered that dogs arent allowed on hiking trails within Glacier National Park itself, but we got advice at both the campground and at the Geotourism Center about National Forest trails in the area that dogs ARE welcome to hike on. So this a fabulous place to stay, with something for everyone, and an especially good homebase for dog families who want to get out on area hikes. Note: there is also an Amtrak train stop near this campground, and they have a shuttle to pick you up if you arrive by train!

PRODUCT REVIEW (note: I made a video review that is in the photo gallery for this written review, but it seems to have uploaded in low-res format. For the high-def version, check this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RSpe9dDicR0ICEPaS_JBpTlKqszY9kWa

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, sometimes I get to test new products. This is a review for the OOmg women's low-rise sport shoe made by OOFOS. I was interested to try them out because they are billed as supportive "recovery shoes" for hikers or runners after a long trek. As I have plantar fasciitis and am also a few months post-recovery from a broken metatarsal, I wanted to try something that might help on an upcoming hiking and camping trip. After the shoes arrived, I thought I should break them in a bit so I wore them around the house and on dog walks around the neighborhood--so comfortable from the start that no breaking in was needed, but I also didn't want to take them off! Really comfortable and really supportive. I was really impressed--so impressed that once we started on our trip, I wore them on short easy hikes rather than just wearing them after hikes, and they held up well. In fact, they were more comfortable than my actual hiking shoes, so I ended up wearing them on all my hikes over the next week, more than 40 miles of action. They may not have the deep tread or the ankle support needed for really rugged or really steep and slippery mountain trails, but I tried them on easy to moderate trails in all kinds of conditions and they held up great, and so did my feet in them. I was really really impressed, more than I thought I would be. Through all the days of hiking, no pain, no arthritis, no trouble walking, these are not just great recovery shoes, but great overall walking shoes.

One other aspect that really impressed me was this: prior to my trip, I discovered a crack in the sole of the shoe, about an inch long, which appeared just a few days after I got them while I was just doing casual walking around the neighborhood. Perhaps I somehow stepped on something sharp that cut into the sole but I didn't know it because the soles are so thick and comfortable? I was disappointed about that and mentioned it to customer service when they emailed to see how I liked the shoes. They informed me that they guarantee their shoes, that if there is a problem in the first six months they can be returned for replacement. That seemed like a good plan, so I thought I would see how they held out during the hiking trip and maybe return them when I got home. However, part way through the trip, I checked the sole and the crack appeared to be smaller, only a half inch instead of an inch. At the end of the trip, I checked again--no crack at all! It seems the sole is made out of some kind of self-healing material. Walking on it had therefore made the crack better, not worse. Wow! Amazing! Needless to say, I won't be returning this pair, and will surely buy more in the future. I can't say enough good things about these shoes! In sum:

Pros:

1. These shoes have great arch support. They would be supportive for anyone, but I need especially good arch support with my plantar fasciitis, and these are more supportive than any other shoes or orthotics I have.

2. Good overall support. These shoes really cradle your whole foot with both support and shock absorption. I broke a metatarsal in my foot a few months ago, and wanted to go hiking anyway despite residual arthritis from it, but I found I had no pain at all when wearing these shoes, even on the one day when we hiked a fairly steep trail over 8 miles.

3. Self healing material in sole. There was a pretty good sized crack in the sole before we left for our trip, it slowly closed during the trip and was "healed" by the end of the trip ten days later. Impressive!

4. These shoes fit well right out of box, there was no need to break them in, the uppers are flexible and well fitting so they stay on nicely without laces, they also retain their shape without stretching out even while conforming to your foot. The order info recommends ordering a half size up as they run a little small, so I did that; I usually wear an 8 1/2 so ordered a women's size 9 and they fit perfectely.

5. Despite the snug fit, I never developed any blisters even after more than 40 miles of walking in them. I also didn't get sweaty feet when wearing them without socks, so the uppers are breathable, but they are also comfortable with peddies or regular socks

6. These are supposed to be recovery shoes for the end of the trail, after you have been hiking, but I found they were good ON the trail for both regular walking and fairly challenging hiking, and I tested them in a variety of conditions, in sun, rain, mud, on rocks, in forest shade and in the open, wading in water and sand, and they held up well through all of it. They seem to have good grip and traction on damp trails, though I am not sure about really steep or slippery trails

7. Not waterproof, but they dry quickly when they get wet

8. You can wash them if they do get dirty, I hand washed them with dish soap and so they look almost like new and dont lose their shape when they get really wet.

Cons:

1. These shoes aren't cheap, and some folks might be put off by the price. However, I would like to point out that I have paid more for supportive official orthopedic-type walking shoes, but these feel better and work better for me, so they would be worth every penny!

2. These are great casual outdoor shoes and I wouldn't hesitate to buy more in other colors! They are such good shoes, though, that I wish I had some like them to wear for work or formal occasions; but they don't really have a supportive shoe like this one in a nice dressy style. Maybe that will change, if they do come up with any I would buy them.

So, overall, wonderful shoes! Highly recommended!

This campground was amazing! very chill and friendly staff. Repairs on electric mentioned in previous reviews is finished! $25 for non electric sites and $45 for electric. still no water or bathrooms but clean porta potty’s provided. We stayed in our camper at a non electric site (to save $$) and they allowed us to run our generator. Yes the road there is bumpy but our camper did just fine just drive slow. Very quick drive to the park! also please visit 2medicine grill just down the road on the way there for THE BEST breakfast ever!!! there was a bear near camp one of the nights and the staff was on top of the situation, monitoring and making sure we were safe. highly recommend!

We were staying at Two Medicine and found this campground. We drive through to see if it would be an option to not stress about jumping through the horrific reservation process to stay at Glacier. They have 95 spots, all lot of shade but also some sunny options if you have solar panels and require recharging. Porta-potties on,y and no running water, we carry 40 gallons so big deal for us. The staff was super nice and looks really laid back with very few people there. Next time I come to Glacier staying here.

Great in crowded campground 90+ sites and only maybe a dozen filled. Glacier NP was full. Primitive facilities but very clean and quiet

Right off highway 2, this campsite is a dirt lot with a pit toilet next to the road and train tracks. Minimal shade, no service.

The pro is that it’s probably only 20-30 minutes from the east entrance to Glacier and it’s not far before entering Blackfeet Reservation, which non tribe members cannot camp on.

But I would not spend time at this site.

We tent camped ( primitive). Tent camping is somewhat grouped together, some open sites, some wooded. Bathrooms/showers are in need of updating. Showers are token operated( you get 1 token per night/per person that allows a six minute shower). There is a small store, and a restaurant on property. St. Mary’s entrance to Glacier NP is 1 mile away. Most tent sites are grass, you drive and park right up to site. We stayed 3 nights, 2 of the 3 nights were a little noisey up to midnight including LOUD music until 2:00 A.M. the last night. Personally, we would probably not stay there again unless updates were made. Not much of any view from campsite either.

Decent camp grounds. Lots of spots however somewhat close together. Showers and restroom are okay. staff is very polite. Restaurant next door is handy and very good.

We were supposed to stay at the KOA, but they had water damage issues and told us of this campground, right around the corner. Small close together spaces for each site, but they are required with a fire ring. The showers and toilets worked well, but there was no hot water that lasted longer than a few minutes. You get limited tokens for showers and they are the only way to turn them on. They have a restaurant, which is very delicious. It has a very nice home town feel. Good service as well. They sell firewood, but it is very expensive, I would recommend driving half a mile to the grocery store in the town to get wood for less than half the price. Wildlife passes through frequently, and we were able to see a moose walking through the woods right next to our site. The staff is very friendly.

Nice campground. Sites are a little close together for the full hookups but the electric water and sewer were in good shape.

They have 150 tent sites and say they typically have something available last minute. We did the grinnel glacier hike and we were camping all the way in whitefish so we stayed here for a night in Between. Hot showers and laundry! You do need shower tokens!

Excited they had a spot available when we couldn't find anything else. No water or electric sites were pretty good. Site was level. Bathrooms were clean but smelled weird.

As close to glacier as you can get without being in it. We stayed in the tent meadows for one night. It was pretty busy and close together tent spots. Everyone was friendly. They have showers and bathrooms for guest use and even a place to eat. Rv spots are really tight together. We enjoyed staying here though, cool views of glacier and going to the sun road is strait across the road.

We were in site 14. We had water and electric. The shower house was old and outdated. Our electric hook up was on the wrong side. There was no wifi and no cellular service except at the office. There was also a lot of road noise. No dog facility.

That’s the only reason to stay here. Unkept sites , weeds knee high. Up on hill beautiful view if you get one facing that way. Very tight. 30 Amp only. Very dusty hard to sit outside. People drive to fast. Kick up dust. The KOA looks better. Very close to st Mary entrance

We booked 1 night for a campsite and tried to cancel 21 days before reservation, was told that it was not refundable because 1 night is the deposit and the deposit is only refundable over 30 days before the reservation. Email was sent during the proper time frame but was never responded to by the camprground.

The campsites are nice but small everyone is squished together so there is no privacy. There are bathrooms, showers and water. You get a token for the shower when you check in.