Located on the east side of Glacier National Park St. Mary Campground offers great access to the Going to the Sun Road and Many Glacier area.
You can easily reach the must-see things in the park from this campground. The campground is located near the St. Mary entrance to the park close to the Rising Sun visitor center.
There is gas, a grocery store and amenities right outside the park a few minutes from the campground.
St. Mary Campground
St. Mary's Campground has low to medium bushes and ground cover with some trees. The sites are pull through making it easy to park an RV or camper van. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit.
One thing to check is if the pull through is one site or two. Some of them are split in half and the campsites are really close to each other.
Some of the sites are 100% in the sun. We are including as many site photos as we can at the bottom of this post so you can see what the sites look like.
Season: Open year round
Number of Sites: 148
Location in the park: East side of Glacier National Park
Located a half-mile west of the St. Mary entrance near St. Mary, Montana.
Campsite Cost:
April 19 to May 23 all sites are first-come-first-served and the Fee is $10/night
May 24 to May 30 all sites are first-come-first-served and the fee is $20/night.
May 31 to September 1 the campground is operated as part of the National Recreation Reservation System and the fee is $23/night.
September 2 to September 15 all sites are first-come-first-served and the fee is $20/night.
September 16 to October 31 all sites are first-come-first-served and the Fee is $10/night.
November 1 to April 18 all sites are free and the campground is in primitive status with no running water. Campers should bring their own water.
Payments accepted: cash and check
Reservations: Yes, Sites can be reserved June 1 through September 1.
Latitude/Longitude:
- Latitude:
- 48.7508333
- 48° 45' 2.9999" N
- Longitude:
- -113.4469444
- 113° 26' 48.9998" W
Elevation: 4488 feet
Accessible Sites: #146
Pets Allowed: Yes, Pets must be on a leash less than 6 feet long.
St. Mary Campground Reservations
Are campground Reservations Available? Yes, Sites can be reserved June 1 through September 1.
Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777
Online? Recreation.Gov
How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? Individual campsites may be reserved up to 6 months in advance and not less than 3 nights prior.
First Come, First Served? Sites not reserved ahead of time are available on a first come first serve basis.
Glacier National Park Entrance Fee
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Park Entrance Pass - $35.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $30.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Per-Person Entrance Pass - $20.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.
Annual Park Entrance Pass - $70.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.
$45.00-$145.00 for commercial sedan with 1-6 seats and non-commercial groups (16+ persons), $25.oo for vehicle plus $20.00 per person 16+.
$75.00 for commercial van with 7-15 seats
$100 for commercial mini-bus with 16-25 seats
$200.00 for commercial motor coach with 26+ seats
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Glacier Ticketed Entry
In 2021, Glacier NP created a ticketed entry program for the Going to the Sun Road. This was created to help relieve congestion and allow visitors to enjoy the park.
For 2025 the park will have ticketed entry from June 13 through September 28, 2025 between the hours of 7 am and 3 pm.
One ticket per vehicle will again be required to enter the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) at the West Entrance, St. Mary Entrance, and the new Camas Entrance.
A ticket per vehicle will also be required at the Polebridge Ranger Station to visit the North Fork area of the park.
The GTSR and North Fork tickets will be two separate tickets. The park anticipates a portion of tickets becoming available by early March.
The park will offer three-day tickets for GTSR rather than the seven-day ticket offered last year, and one-day tickets for the North Fork.
Visitors with lodging, camping, transportation, or commercial activity reservations within the GTSR corridor can use their reservation for entry in lieu of a $2 ticket.
Campground Amenities
Flush Toilets: Yes
Showers: Showers are located in Loop C for registered campers only.
Payphone: No
Is wifi Available? No
Is cellular Phone Service Available? No
Is camp host available on site? Yes
Is firewood available for purchase? Firewood is available for purchase at most camp stores.
It is unlawful to gather or cut firewood
Amenities at each campsite:
Fire pit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
Bear Box in site/area? Yes,
Potable Water? Yes
Fee showers are available at the Rising Sun and Swiftcurrent Motor Inns and private campgrounds adjacent to the park.
RV Camping at St. Mary Campground
RV Length: 3 sites can accommodate up to 40 feet, 22 sites can accommodate up to 35 feet
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Generator use in campgrounds is permitted only during the hours: 8:00 - 10:00 am; 12 noon - 2:00 pm; and 5:00 - 7:00 pm.
Loop A is generator free
Hookups: No
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How to get to St. Mary Campground
Approximate driving distance via Going-to-the-Sun Road:
St. Mary entrance: 0.9mi
West entrance: 48.8mi
Campground Regulations
A maximum of two tents per site is permitted.
Sites may not be left unattended for over 24 hours.
Campground speed limits are 10 miles per hour.
The maximum number of people in a campsite: limited to eight people
The number of cars per campsite: two vehicles
Checkout time: 12 noon
Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Maximum Stay:
Between July 1 and Labor Day, camping in Glacier National Park is limited to 14 days, either in a single period or combined separate periods.
Between Labor Day and June 30, camping in Glacier National Park is limited to 30 days, either in a single period or combined separate periods.
St. Mary Campground Map
Photos of St. Mary Campground
Check out all of the Camping in Glacier National Park!
Glacier National Park Lodging
There are amazing Glacier National Park Lodging options within the park. Glacier has some of the most amazing National Park Lodges in the park system.
Lodging near Glacier
Lodging outside of the park includes in Kalispell and Whitefish, Montana along with West Glacier on the west side of the park.
On the east side of the park, there is loading in St. Mary's.
Wander Camp Glacier - Enjoy glamping tents under the stars. This smoke-free campground features express check-in, a picnic area, and free self parking. Accommodations offer 3 bathrooms and showers.
Meadow Lake Resort - 3.5-star family-friendly resort. A free roundtrip airport shuttle, 18 holes of golf, and a coffee shop/café are just a few of the amenities provided at Meadow Lake Resort & Condos. The onsite American cuisine family restaurant, Meadow Lake Bar & Grille, features golf course views and happy hour. Enjoy the gym, as well as activities like volleyball. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a playground and an arcade/game room.
Cedar Creek Lodge - 3.5-star lodge, free breakfast buffet, a terrace, and laundry facilities at Cedar Creek Lodge and Conference Center. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a fireplace in the lobby and a gym
Kandahar Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort - free continental breakfast, a garden, and a library at Kandahar Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The onsite fine-dining restaurant, Café Kandahar, features local cuisine. In addition to laundry facilities and a fireplace in the lobby, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
Pine Lodge on Whitefish River, Ascend Hotel Collection - Enjoy a terrace, an arcade/game room, and dry cleaning/laundry services at The Pine Lodge on Whitefish River, Ascend Hotel Collection. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Enjoy the gym, as well as activities like hiking/biking. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a fireplace in the lobby and a business center.
Lodge at Whitefish Lake - 4-star family-friendly hotel by the lake, At Lodge at Whitefish Lake, you can look forward to a marina, a poolside bar, and a terrace. With a beachfront location, beach massages, and fishing, this hotel is the perfect place to soak up some sun. Indulge in aromatherapy, a body treatment, and a manicure/pedicure at Spa at Whitefish Lake, the onsite spa. The onsite fine-dining restaurant, Boat Club, features pool views and al fresco dining. Enjoy the gym, as well as activities like rowing/canoeing, snowshoeing, and kayaking. In addition to a coffee shop/cafe and a garden, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
Click on the map below to see additional vacation rentals and lodging options near the park.
If you want a break from camping check out the Glacier National Park Resorts.
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