Max length allowed at Glacier NP

[ejulson]

I've checked the Glacier website for what's allowed in the different campgrounds and it states 35' combined truck & trailer. I'm pulling a 31' 5ver and with the truck, am longer than that.

Does anyone have any experience as to how strict they are with that total length? Is it an issue of the road curves being too sharp to make turns, or maybe just an arbitrary policy on length that has some wiggle room.

Sure would like to head up there, but not if I can't get in.

[Lauren]

A lot of it depends on your interests. If you are into more Nature, laid back, hiking, etc, you want to be on the east side. If you like commercial aspects then it would be the west side. We have been to both a few times and much prefer the east side. But we use FHU places.

[ejulson]

Thanks for all of the great information and links to other resources. I plan to call the park and talk to a ranger, but you guys have helped focus on the campgrounds that might be best for me to look at.

I was also considering the option of a mixed use RV park located just outside the entrance. It's called Glacier Campground. Anyone have any experience with this place. It looks pretty good online.

[DaveG39]

I stayed last summer at Johnson's of St Mary. You should fit there and it is across the street from the park entrance.

[2gypsies1]

Apgar probably has the biggest sites and our 40' motorhome and Jeep fit easily. However, reservations are not accepted. Get there early morning and you'll get a site. It's a big campground. Stay nearby the previous night.

Many Glacier - 1/2 of campsites are reservable and many are 'iffy' for longer than a 30' trailer and truck

St. Mary has smaller sites than Many Glacier but a few bigger ones

[LittleJimsSon]

Over the past 10 years we have stayed on the East side at St. Mary's campground. We have had a 37 foot and 32 foot class A and a 30 foot trailer--our overall length has always been around 50 feet. There are about 25 sites you can fit into with no problems. There are no hookups, but a dump station at the entrance. We have stayed in A, B, and C loops. The longer sites fill up quickly, so get a reservation as soon as reservations open (6 months ahead). We would love to stay in Many Glacier (great hiking!), but the sites are too small. Two medicine has a number of sites that will take your rig. Enjoy the park!!

[4runnerguy]

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. You can click here and check out pictures of the campsites at the various CG's in Glacier. It's not always all about length, but also driveway slope, rocks, and overhanging branches. These pics give a pretty clear view of many of the sites.

[TenOC]

accsys wrote:

padre1944 wrote:
That length is for the Highway to the Sun road, which is extremely curvey and steep. Don't know about the campgrounds, but if you can't get to them without going on that road, might be a problem.

Not really, the Going to the Sun Road restrictions are 21 feet long by 10 feet high by eight feet wide. The OP is correct that most campgrounds have a 35' limit listed though St Mary does have three 40 foot sites.

I camped at St Mary CG in a 33 foot TT so I am longer than you. I had problems getting into the site assigned on the B loop but made it. I was in a 35 foot site. The pull through are wide spots on the side of the campground road with low wooden post and low brush to prevent you from driving off the assigned site "road". No room to "swing wide" and pull in. At my site the length was not the problem. The swing wide and the "tail swing" was the problem.

There were a number of big rigs MH camped on the upper C loop with no problems.

On my next trip, I am planning on staying at the Canada Waterton Lakes National Park downtown campground with full hookups and a Very nice park. Maybe better views and overall better NP that USA Glacier NP. It may cost a few $ more, but I will try it. I will do a day trip to USA Glacier and drive the Going to Sun road in my TV.

Be aware, this year 2017 Canada does not charge any park entry fees so expect larger than normal crowds.

[accsys]

padre1944 wrote:
That length is for the Highway to the Sun road, which is extremely curvey and steep. Don't know about the campgrounds, but if you can't get to them without going on that road, might be a problem.

Not really, the Going to the Sun Road restrictions are 21 feet long by 10 feet high by eight feet wide. The OP is correct that most campgrounds have a 35' limit listed though St Mary does have three 40 foot sites.

[padre1944]

That length is for the Highway to the Sun road, which is extremely curvey and steep. Don't know about the campgrounds, but if you can't get to them without going on that road, might be a problem.

[Busskipper]

coolmom42 wrote:
We camped at Two Medicine with a combined length of 46 feet, truck and trailer. It looked to me like at least 3/4 of the sites would have been fine for us. Many of the sites are kind of semi-circle pull-through for parking, with a table & tent pad off to the curb side of the driveway.

google "Two Medicine campground, Glacier" then go to maps and then go to the earth view. You can see the type of parking I'm talking about very easily. There are clearly some substantial sized trailer & truck combos there.

Apgar campground also has some of those types of sites, although it's not clear how many.

I would suggest calling and talking to a ranger about it. Ask for someone knowledgeable about the details of the campgrounds.

CLicky Two Medicine

[coolmom42]

We camped at Two Medicine with a combined length of 46 feet, truck and trailer. It looked to me like at least 3/4 of the sites would have been fine for us. Many of the sites are kind of semi-circle pull-through for parking, with a table & tent pad off to the curb side of the driveway.

google "Two Medicine campground, Glacier" then go to maps and then go to the earth view. You can see the type of parking I'm talking about very easily. There are clearly some substantial sized trailer & truck combos there.

Apgar campground also has some of those types of sites, although it's not clear how many.

I would suggest calling and talking to a ranger about it. Ask for someone knowledgeable about the details of the campgrounds.