Fishing enthusiasts will find St Mary Campground positioned directly at the eastern entrance to Glacier National Park, where St Mary Lake offers excellent shore fishing opportunities. Located along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, this National Park Service campground eliminates the need for timed entry reservations that other park entrances require during peak season.

The campground spreads across three loops with 148 sites, each featuring a picnic table, fire ring, and tent pad. Loop A sits closest to the entrance and offers the most privacy with natural vegetation between sites. Loop C provides pull-through sites with mountain views but less shade coverage. "Bathrooms are clean and have sinks, and even better—there are showers," notes [Stefanie I.](https://thedyrt.com/camping/montana/st-mary-lake-glacier-national-park/reviews/204494). Bear lockers are shared between every three to four sites, and rangers strictly enforce food storage regulations in this active grizzly habitat.

Water spigots are scattered throughout the campground, with a dump station and water fill-up area at the entrance. The facility operates without hookups but includes flush toilets, warm showers, and dishwashing stations with greywater disposal. Generator use is prohibited in Loop A, maintaining quieter conditions. Evening ranger programs run during summer months, and campground hosts provide assistance and local information.

Access to Many Glacier is straightforward from this location, sitting 30 minutes from Logan Pass when the Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open. Seasonal road closures can extend travel times significantly when driving around the park's perimeter. Local stores frequently sell out of firewood, and park regulations prohibit bringing outside wood or collecting from the ground. "Both fish were caught off shore and both tasted amazing," reports [Steven K.](https://thedyrt.com/camping/montana/st-mary-lake-glacier-national-park/reviews/58267) about lake trout and burbot fishing success.

The campground works well for RV travelers who need to park trailers at the visitor center while exploring the park by car, though sites can feel exposed in the more open loops.

## Overview

 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.Beginning August 17th through September 11th, St. Mary Campground will transition to a day-of reservation window, reservations for these dates may not be made in advance but must be made on the day of anticipated camping.Generators are allowed only in Loops B & C. Generators are prohibited in Loop A.For information on nearby campgrounds, including on US Forest Service land or the Blackfeet Nation, take a look at [Glacier National Park's website][1].
## 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][2]. 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][3], 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. For information on nearby campgrounds, including on US Forest Service land or the Blackfeet Nation, take a look at [Glacier National Park's website][1]. 

[1]: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/nearby-camping.htm
[2]: http://www2.parkscanada.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton/index_E.asp
[3]: http://www.blackfeetnation.com/

St Mary Campground - Glacier National Park — Glacier National Park

Looking for the best campgrounds near Babb, MT? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Babb is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Babb, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Babb

The Best Camping Near Babb, Montana

Every campsite in Glacier in peak season will get full. Use this website to see what is still open each day and historical info on when the campsites fill up (sometimes as early as 8 a.m.) http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/cgstatus.cfm

St. Marys is a good bet because of all the privately owned campground in the town. Johnson's is nice and has a great little café. There is also a KOA. St. Marys hedges your bet on options, rather than hoping Many Glacier is open (for example). Also great access to the Going-To-The-Sun Road. 

Camping in Glacier in Summer is Busy, St. Mary is a good bet

Expect large noisy crowds if you go during the busy season.  September and October, however, and this place is fantastic.  With the Aspen leaves in golden brilliance and beautiful blue glacial waters of St Mary Lake and River, its fantastic this time of year.   This campground also affords you easy access to Going To the Sun Road when park visitor numbers are far fewer.  Look elsewhere in summer.

Depends on the time of year-Go in the fall!

We drove up from Bozeman and spent our first night there. The facilities were a little dirty and our neighbors were noisy late into the night. But the scenery was so beautiful and no bugs where there so it balanced out to a decent nights stay.

Good Way to Start Our Vacation

While our relatively small and sparse campsite (B-91) at St. Mary Campground left a bit to be desired compared to other campgrounds in Glacier N.P. -- e.g., trees, shade, although it was conveniently close to the restroom -- it was nonetheless a good place to camp.  The campground location, walking distance from the St. Mary Visitor center where you can get a shuttle or a Red Bus park tour and close to the entrance to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and the fact that it's inside the Park, made it a better choice in our opinion than the private campgrounds outside the park, which looked less appealing.  And it's still close enough to town for easy access to groceries, etc. Another bonus is that it's reservable (recommend reserving well in advance for high season).

Location, location, location

St. Mary's Campground is on the Mideastern side of Glacier National Park. It was a primitive camp with no hook-ups and very limited generator hours. Eager to start exploring, we rode our bikes to the visitor center to get information on hiking, etc. The rangers informed us that the shuttles were not running yet and most of the park wouldn't be accessible until July due to snow. Our RV was too long to drive the main road into the park so we would need to rent a car back in town in order to drive further into the park. 
There was a river nearby the camping loop so we walked over to check it out. The boys collected rocks and I found some driftwood to take home. It was very beautiful there. 
 it was around 60 degrees in the camper when we woke. We drove up to Many Glacier Lodge and hiked around Swiftcurrent Lake which was 2.6 miles around. Then we took a boat tour across and hiked another 1/4 mile to Lake Josephine for another boat ride.  On the hike, we crossed suspension bridges, small creeks, played in the snow and saw lots of beautiful scenery. That hike was another 2.8 miles. The boat was full and couldn't hold all of the people going back at 5:15 so a few of us stayed behind at  Lake Josephine with a guide.  The temperature was dropping and mom was the only one with a jacket.
After our boat finally arrived and the tour was complete, we headed to the RV for our ride back to St. Mary Campground. In the parking lot, we saw some bighorn sheep looking for some handouts. The next day,we borrowed a car from some nice people that were on our boat tour and drove to Logan Pass which was as far as the road had been cleared and also marked the Continental Divide. The visitor's center was not open yet for the season but there was a ranger posted there. The boys built a snowman, which was a first. They also got sworn in for their junior ranger badges; although, I think Jason and I were more excited about adding another one to the collection than they were.
Then we drove back down to Sun Rift Gorge for a 5 mile hike. There were many waterfalls along the way and the path was lined with beautiful wildflowers.
It rained off and on which made the hike a little tough. We turned around before making it to the 3rd waterfall and started our trek back to the SUV. We came to a fork in the trail where no one could agree which to take. Nathan made a $100 bet that his way was right. We took Big Jason's path anyway. About 1/2 mile back, Big Jason knew this path was not correct. There were wild roses and numbered plaques marking the way. We had not seen these before. We emerged onto the road and began walking in the direction we thought was correct. 
Since everyone was tired and wet, there was not much talking going on which made it too quiet to warn animals of our presence. Big Jason came face to face with a black bear trying to cross the road. They were probably equally afraid of each other because the bear turned and ran back into the woods.  As Jason caught his breath, he tried to get a photo but was unsuccessful. No proof that bears really do exist! He turned and called out "UNRA...EARBA" which means "RUN...BEAR" in pig Latin. This has been a joke in our family for the last year because we had not seen a bear yet in all of the National Parks we had visited. We waited around to see if he would re-emerge at another place down the road. Sure enough, about 100 yards away, he quickly crossed the road. I snapped a quick picture but my camera was on the wrong setting so it is not so great. At least we have the proof! By the way, never run from a bear....black, grizzly or otherwise. 
We were exhausted after the long day of rain and hiking and had managed to miss lunch in the process. Our RV was  a welcome sight and we felt safe and secure there.
This was one of the most beautiful National Parks we visited. I took about one thousand pics here. 

Breathtaking Views & Huckleberries!

We somehow ended up coming at the busiest time of the year to the park, with Glacier completely full from the Canadian Holiday!! This is the biggest and most popular spot in Glacier!! Absolutely gorgeous sites, wild life, flowers and growth. Breathtaking hiking and views! 

Oh So Popular 

As others have said, St. Mary might be your best bet if other campgrounds are full (which they will be in the summer). Only stayed one night. Not a lot of shade, and the campsites were a bit close. Beautiful night sky. Running water was appreciated after backcountry camping. If you are willing to walk a couple miles there are a few restaurants and a store with camping necessities (we needed to replace a broken lantern).

Not my favorite but had availablity

It was our first time to Glacier National Park.  It was a long trip from Des Moines, Iowa with 5 kids in the Ford Expedition, and our camper being pulled behind.  This is one of the few campgrounds in the park that you can reserve ahead of time, but don't procrastinate, it fills up fast.

I have seen a lot of National Parks but Glacier is one of my favorites.  We saw a Grizzly Bear within 200 yards of the road and with the binoculars we got a great look.  The Going to the Sun road was amazing and we had some great hikes at Logan Pass.

As for the campground, we had a great spot in loop B site 67.  ****Also, the campground is advertised as NO SHOWERS, but there is a secret shower house with a few stalls in loop C, they are not very nice, but if you need a shower you have some options.

This park and this campground are amazing!

One of my favorite campgrounds... St. Mary - Glacier National Park!

This campground is extremely hard to reserve simply because it is the best. With WiFi and Showers/ Restrooms it provides a very home away from home feeling. However I suggest taking the road less travelled and hiking to the off the grid campsites that don't need reservations and give you the ultimate outdoor experience. As a precaution carry bells to make noise for bears. I also recommend bear spray.

Camp Ground Fills Up Fast

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.

Secluded and Private

We planned a trip to GNP only a few months before going and accomadations were tough to find. We stayed at St Mary's for two nights on two different sites. The sites are small but we spent so little time there because we were out exploring the park. They had dry flat areas for the tent, clean bathrooms, and potable water. The location within the park was great as it was our jump off point to exploring.

Great location for exloring GNP

My wife and I entered this area of the park from the Jackson Glacier Overlook. Hiked in about 6 miles to the Gunsight Campground. Beautiful water falls along the trail at the start. Keep an eye out for bears and moose. The Gunsight campground had about 6 or 7 tent pads large enough to accommodate two tents if needed. There is a pole to hang your bear bag from and a designated cooking area and pit toilet. It was very very windy when we were there. The camp is right near an alpine lake fed from the snowmelt so you have great tasting fresh water (treated it with a steripen). Very comfortable site! 

Hiking the Gunsight Pass

Some of the bigger National Parks out west have free shuttle bus services and Glacier’s runs right to this campground so you can access day hiking without having to drive and park. Being close to the entrance means you can easily head into town for restaurants, grocery, etc. Pros: tons of hiking, beautiful area with a stream nearby, generally very private and generous campsites, ranger talks, ease of travel via shuttle, clean, good value. Cons: you need reservations in the summer, some bear activity, no tent-only sections, no showers (as of 2009). Bring your passport to hop over into the equivalent Canadian park. 


Popular and close to visitor’s center 

We had St. Mary Campground almost to ourselves when we visited in May. We had our pick of sites, and we chose a site that had a great view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. It was the perfect place to serve as a base for a few days of exploring Glacier in the early season.

Since the summer season had not yet started, sites were only $10 (They are $23 in the summer), but there were only flush toilets. Remember to store your food properly; we had some foxes around our site that badly wanted our dinner!

The Going to the Sun Road was still closed in the middle, but we were able to drive up about 12 miles on each side. St. Mary’s Campground also allowed us easy access to the Many Glacier area.

Our favorite springtime Glacier activities included: Hiking to Middle and Lower Quartz Lake (a 12-mile loop), hiking to Avalanche Lake, and kayaking Lake Josephine to Grinnell Glacier.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: [Switchback Kids (Glacier)](http://switchbackkids.com/glacier/)

Spacious sites with a view!

Don't get me wrong, it's hard to be critical about anything related to Glacier National Park. I absolutely love that place. St. Mary Campground was a little bit of a buzzkill for campers looking for solitude and epic scenery. Most of the mountains are obstructed by trees, our sky view had a power line running through it, and it was a bit noisy. However, it is arguably the best location on the east side of the park to start your adventure up Going To The Sun Road. The rangers were very friendly. Up the road, there is a couple bars, gas station. PS: Don't buy Going To The Sun Beer unless you're just into the novelty. I gave it a shot and it was eh...

Good location, but didn't meet expectations.

This is a big National Park campground that will fill up every day in the summer. It is close to the park boundary so you get the best of both worlds...civilization and the park’s beauty. We spent all day hiking nearby so didn’t spend much time in the campground. It is busy but was clean. We used the shuttle so we didn’t have to worry about driving and parking. We stayed in the tents loop, nice and far from RV land.

Dense forest with easy access to everything 

One of the most scenic places to stay overnight with the view of St.Marys lake right in front of you! Hikes nearby are Gunsight pass and Virgina Falls and Rising Sun Campground is tight around the corner! Popular site to stay in the summer due to tourist hiking and backpacking.

St. Mary Sites

The campground is fine but The time we visit the park was not such a great choice, full of smoke and fire. If you want to see the nature in its beauty you definitely should try it and dont forget the pepper spary.

St. MARY lake

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). 


Off Season Convenience

The sites are small, and some have very little - if any - privacy. But views are outstanding! Each loop has flush toilets and a dumping station (for dish water and portable toilets). Only loop C has showers, but very easily walkable from B via the path. Loop A was closed when we were there in late June 2018.  Evening ranger programs every night in the summer. I’d definitely camp here again. Photos below were taken from the campground. 


Small sites, gorgeous views

Beautiful views, close to the going to the sun road, several lakes. Just awesome all around!

Definitely the best glacier campground

The campsites are a little small but they do the job. We camped here in June and had frost on our tent in the morning. They do have nice showers with warm water which was a plus because at the time of year we went the showers at Many Glacier weren't open yet. Bathrooms were nice but we did have to clean so poop and ants away before we could set up camp. All and all I would stay here again. Definatly take the drive and hike St. Marys falls and if you do make sure you go all the way to the top. Soo worth it!

BEAUTIFUL VIEW

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.

It meets a need......

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.

Quiet and convenient

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. 

Lovely

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. 

Nice campground

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.

Quiet campground with great park rangers and services.

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

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.

Just okay

We stayed at St. Mary's for 1 night, then got up early the next day and found a spot with a tree at Rising sun. Many of the tent sites at St. Mary's are out in the OPEN prairie and so very blazing hot in July and August. Remember the sun doesn't set up here until 10pm. Our neighbors washed dishes IN THE fresh water spout, DON'T DO THIS, gross and you might kill me. I also saw people washing in the RV dump room, DON'T DO THIS, gross and you might kill yourself. Showers were hot and pretty clean. Camp hosts were super kind and helpful. Be sure to eat at Johnson's of St. Mary's. Fried Chicken and Good Soup are AMAZING after a 10 mi hike. I don't have a picture because I was so miserable roasting in the throws of Hades.

HOT. Blazing. Did I say Hot?

Gorgeous views, and a fox even visited our campground! There are actual bathrooms at this campground, with sinks and running water. Our site had a picnic table and a fire pit. We tent camped while we were here (August), and this was one of the few campgrounds which would allow it, as bears had been spotted in a few of the other campgrounds recently. There was a general store nearby, which sold firewood and basic food items, along with the typical kitschy souvenirs. I can’t wait to visit again!

One of my favorite camping trips of all time!

According to the NPS website, this campground is closed for 2021.

Campground is closed for 2021

We stayed here for a week in 2 different spots because it is so hard to get even one night. The campground is conveniently located on the edge of glacier national park. There are ranger talks in the campground every night. 

Amazing 

Great NP campground with no hookups, NO GENERATOR RUNNING IN LOOP A, Big rigs go to loop C 

Great views and lots of wildlife 

I stayed in B loop site 72 (which is all the way down before looping around) and the closest food locker was at least a .10th of a mile back towards the entrance. It was too far to walk back and forth with my things so I drove them. But in order to do that I had to go out then come back in since the road is one way. I found out later there was one closer near the bathrooms but it can’t be seen from the side I was staying on.
Speaking of bathrooms, there was no soap - not even a dispenser. So everyone has no choice but to touch the door with their dirty hands. If this is done in light of bear presence, then there should at least be a panel on the bottom of the door to allow for the door to be opened with a foot.

Two complaints

This is the smallest site I’ve ever camped in. I had enough room for my small 2person tent, small table and camp chair. I stayed in Loop C not the best loop very small sites that aren’t very visually appealing. I drove around the other loops and determined that Loop A has the best sites, but it was full. It served its purpose, I would only stay again if it was my only option. There are flushing toilets &amp; spigots for drinking water. No individual bear boxes only a shared one near the restroom. The only PRO would be that they have free showers, the showers have seen better days but still fulfilled their purpose. The location puts you at the east side of Glacier so getting to Logan’s Pass is a lot quicker than the West Glacier entrance, I was able to get the Logan’s Pass before most people which secured me a highly desirable parking spot as the parking lot was full by 7:30am. Overall it was an okay campground, it’s safe, has flushing toilets, running water and showers. It you only need a place to sleep it works well. 

It’s a campground - Cell service for AT&T 

There wasn't any shade, but it was good for September. The view was beautiful. The restrooms were clean. There were only two showers open for the whole campsite. Showers are located in the upper loop. The camp host was very helpful. 

  

There was a creepy man camping, who approached me several times inviting me to come back to his site with him. I had to pass his site every time I went to the restroom/shower. Please don't be a creeper! A reciprocated "good morning" doesn't mean anything more.

Very Open Campground

Perfect location for alpine start at trails along GTTSR and at Logan Pass. Exactly 30 mins from Logan Pass without traffic. We stayed in site A14, which has a decent amount of privacy thanks to plenty of foliage (it's not one of the open sites) and sits on a'corner' with a trail running directly to the river. Fresh water right across the road and a bathroom and trash cans within a 2-minute walk. This loop is closest to the campground entrance, just a couple minutes from both the St Mary park entrance and Sun Road. It's also the furthest from the showers (loop C) and no generators are allowed, but that's what makes it the most peaceful loop here. Certainly not a secluded campground, but fantastic for the location and convenience.

Convenient Location, Some Sites More Private Than Others

We stayed at B87 and A44 with our 19 foot camper van. Both sites were semi private, close the the restrooms. Bathrooms were ok sites were not shaded but you just can’t beat the location! Would definitely stay here again if we can’t get into MG.

Great Location, Semi-Private 

We camped in our van at a campsite. Site was easy to find

Camped in van 

We’re currently staying at St. Mary’s Campground, located right inside the east entrance of Glacier National Park, and the Going-To-The-sun road. One of the biggest perks this summer (2025) is that you don’t need a park entrance reservation to access the park from this entrance—unlike most of the other entrances, which are still under the reservation system. That alone made it worth booking here. 

The campground is surprisingly well-equipped for a place with no hookups. There’s a dump station and water fill-up right at the entrance, but I also spotted a few water spigots scattered throughout the campground itself. Bathrooms are clean and have sinks, and even better—there are showers! There’s also a wash sink station for doing your dishes and a greywater dump area inside the campground. Definitely not your typical dry camping setup.

Bear lockers are available (not one per site, but they’re around), which is important considering the local grizzlies. We’re in Loop C, and it’s pretty balanced—half the loop has nice, small pull-through sites with picnic tables, tent pads, fire rings, and some much-appreciated shade. The other half of the loop is much more exposed—no trees or bushes, so you’ll be out in the open if you end up on that side.

The campground hosts have been super friendly and helpful, and there’s even a ranger talk in the evening, which is a nice touch. I haven’t had a chance to check out Loops A or B yet, but if I do, I’ll update this review with more info.

Overall, it’s a great base for exploring the east side of the park and super convenient if you’re heading to Many Glacier. Definitely recommend.

East Entrance Ease

Three large loops, some with modest shade, others in the wide open (the latter type with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains).  All a bit scruffy looking, but serviceable.  Low on amenities (no electricity, water faucets scattered about) and relatively tight pull-through spaces, but all have a fire ring and picnic table.  Well patrolled by rangers, with a daily evening program in the summer. As others have mentioned, timed entry tickets are not needed at the St. Mary entrance to the park, so you can head into the park any time you like.  **Added bonus**: if you are camping with a travel trailer (and thus not able to drive the Going-to-the-Sun road because of length limitations), you are allowed to park your trailer in the the RV section of the St. Mary Visitor Center parking lot for the day, and drive in with your car alone.  We were there in late June/early July: don't know if this option is  available when the very high season hits in later July and August.

Dry Camping Surrounded by Magnificent Mountains

This place is ideally located. It’s very pretty and has easy access to things. There is water available, but no electricity or hookups. They do have showers on the C loop. 
A loop 
is a NO generator loop

Great host

Level driveway for our class B.  Nice people and easy access to Going to the Sun road.

Beautiful views

There are only 3 showers for 142 campsites. One of which has not hot water. So that’s a bit of a mess. The bathroom at the loop we stayed at is out of order so it’s a bit of a hike to find another one. But the campground host was wonderful and provided plenty of information about the park and helped us plan the next couple of days. 

Could use improvement but extremely friendly staff  

generator hours keep things pretty quiet. sites are kind of close together and a little open so you don't get a ton of privacy at most of the sites it looked like. very windy the few days we were here. Very nice to have showers in a national park campground as that is outside of the norm, but one only had ice cold water and the rest were not the greatest (either pressure was lacking or the head was busted so it sprayed weird). recycling center was all the way at the front entrance of the campground rather than one for each loop.

basic but gets the job done

Stoped here overnight before the going to the sun road. Nice site and decent privacy. No showers and bathrooms are just ok. Close to beaver pond hiking trail for a good evening hike. All around a good quick stop. Pictures are from hike

Good accessibility to park

Nice level sites. Clean bathrooms. Short little walk over the lake to the visitors center which hosts nightly ranger talks. It was pretty buggy this time of year but lovely none the less. A few of the sites had way better views than ours so pick a spot that’s less wooded for a better view!

Clean, open, big sites

Nice campground. Busy even as it started to get cold. The sites are practically right on top of each other so it’s important everyone around you is keeping it clean camp. There was grizzly Cat a few hundred feet away and it was big. They are there and not afraid of you.

Photos of St Mary Campground - Glacier National Park — Glacier National Park

Real photos from real campers