Favorites for Glacier National Park, MT

gtkato · 07-11-2011, 11:39 AM

I will be heading up to Eastern Washington via WY and MT and want to spend 5 or 6 days in Glacier National Park. I will be traveling in an Rockwood Mini Lite 1809S and pulling with Nissan Xterra. I have not been to Glacier Park before and need some recommendations for:
1. Best Campgrounds (will spend 5 nights) WITHOUT RESERVATIONS
2. Our favorite spots are next to water (lake or river)
3. Will be traveling through the park east to west
4. Don't mind going off the beaten path IF not too rough and towing a TT
6. I do fly fish
7. We may take our kayaks if there are enough lakes to portage
Any suggestions from those of you that have done Glacier already.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
(in the past, I have asked for suggestions on RV Net and had many great suggestions from RV'ers.)

cjones · 07-11-2011, 11:51 AM

Can't remember the name of the park campgound but its the one on the southwest corner of Lake McDonald. Stayed there about 6 years ago and it was great.

Glenn5995 · 07-11-2011, 07:17 PM

I'm soooooo envious. I love Glacier! If you are up to hiking, make sure you hike to Hidden Lake and Iceberg Lake.

We didn't stay in the park itself. We stayed at Canyon RV Campground in Hungry Horse. Hopefully they will soon have the Going to the Sun Road open. Have a GREAT TIME! (I know you will)

kz08h5 · 07-11-2011, 07:48 PM

Do a thorough check before you plan your route. Last year when I was there you could not pull a TT through the park. There were also restrictions on motor homes.

The North Fork of the Flathead river has good fishing on the west side of the park. National forest on west side GNP on the east side.

Glenn5995 · 07-11-2011, 08:33 PM

Correct, you will not be able to pull your TT on GTTSR. Vehicle and vehicle combination restrictions are 21' max length, 8' max width and 10' max height. To get from one side of the park to the other with your TT, you would need to cross on the south side of the park on US 2.

jimh · 07-11-2011, 08:43 PM

i wouldn't even think of pulling a trailer thru the park.
we stayed on the west side at "the great north American rv park and yert (or yurt) village".
full hookups. chose because of price and hookups. no lake.
there is an rv park on the east side close to the gate.
we also went into canada and saw their part of the park. that is assessable from the east side of glacier.
i think it is US 2 that goes around the park to the south. no problem with the roads roads around the park.

gtkato · 07-12-2011, 08:30 AM

Thanks everyone for you input. Great pictures that have me inspired to get to Glacier.

DAISY BOYKIN · 07-12-2011, 09:08 AM

Columbia Falls Is a good place to stay, there is a "GOOD SAM" park by the name of Columbia Falls RV Park 1-888-401-7268. If you are of age, make sure you have a "Golden Age Pass" for the national parks. Was there in 2009 in August. The weather was great. There is a great rodeo in Kalispell on the weekends worth seeing. There is no sales tax in Montana.

First Class trip, probably tops all my trips and vacations, yes even Key West !

Columbia Falls is just outside the gate to the park, for fuel, groceries ETC.

Glenn5995 · 07-14-2011, 03:25 PM

The Going to the Sun Road opened yesterday (07/13/2011)! Have a great time.

gtkato · 07-18-2011, 08:53 AM

Thanks Daisy, we will check out Columbia Falls
and thanks for the heads up on the GTTS Road Glenn.
My only decision now is whether or not to take our two kayaks that have to go on top of our TV. Can you launch kayaks from any of the campground lakeshore sites (we have transport wheels but would like to be within close proximity to the water). The question of whether it is worth bringing them, or just enjoy the scenery, hiking, and photo ops. I think we will plan our first two nights at Two Medicine CG, then a night or two at Many Glacier. Go around to west side and spend a night or two a Apgar or Fish Creek. Any insight would be helpful.
The rest of our vacation up to Washington State, the kayaks would just sit on top of our TV (create a lot of wind turbulance and weight with all the kayak gear)

Glenn5995 · 07-18-2011, 09:04 AM

I don't know how difficult it would be to launch kayaks at Glacier, but looks like it would be worth it:

DAISY BOYKIN · 07-18-2011, 11:30 AM

Your trip to Glacier NP will be a great trip, mine was. There is an awful lot to do in the park, hiking, just plain sightseeing. There is not much on the east side of the park, totally different from the west side. An all day trip across on the RUN FOR THE SUN road. Take a picnic lunch. Plenty of waterfalls to hike to that are a short distance from the road or parking lot. I made two trips across the park just to see what I thought I missed the day before. Rent the bicycles, they will take you up to the top in a bus, put you out for the ride of your life back down from the top. Go to the lodge for a visit to the past, it was built as a train station at the start of the park. Oh, I about forgot. The first trip across the GNP, when we got to the top (half way point) the tempature was 39° with a wind of about 45 MPH. The next day the wind, dead calm, temp 72° (take a jacket)

If you go to Washington state, by all means go to the San Juan Islands. camp on the mainland north of Seattle. You can catch a ferry at ANACORTES, you pay for a round trip. the ferry will drop you off at the very last island, go sightseeing, re-catch the ferry go to the next island, go sight seeing, catch the ferry, go to the next island then as you catch the last ferry back to the mainland, make sure you make pictures of MT Baker which is 10781 FT tall in the distance. The ferry charge is pay one time to go out to the last island, price includes return trip. You have to be a very EARLY BIRD TO CATCH THE FERRY. You can get a schedule from the Internet or local. The San Juan Islands are just south of Bellingham, Wa.

Montana Glacier NP will be a treat that I myself will return to along with the coast of Washington, some of the most beautiful country in the world.
I am retired from the Navy after 24 years, been all over the world, but the places I just described to you are the best.

I hope you are allowing about a month for your trip, if not, well you may miss something for sure. You can rent Kayaks just about anywhere.

gtkato · 07-18-2011, 01:28 PM

Glenn,
You've taken some really great photographs. Great photos=Great memories (especially in the middle of winter).
Daisy,
Thanks for the insight....sounds like you had a wonderful trip also. I grew up in Seattle and know the area like the back of my hand. Countless trips up and down 101, and countless days in the San Juans...fishing...claming....crabbing..ferry boat rides...Hurricane Ridge...
We will be in Eastern WA near Wenatchee (Fish Lake)
Last year we went from Eastern WA to Olympic Penninsula, down 101 into OR, across the Columbia River back into ID, WY, and CO....3800 miles and wonderful camp meals and photos.
I always say that we own the Million $$$$ second home with Million Dollar views! (our tiny 1809S...priceless!)

Glenn5995 · 07-19-2011, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtkato

Glenn, You've taken some really great photographs. Great photos=Great memories (especially in the middle of winter).

gtkato,

Thank you. Indeed, many great memories. That is what I love the most about our RV, the quality time we have together as a family and the many great memories. We went to the Grand Canyon (North Rim) this year, but hopefully in the next couple of years will make it back to Glacier. The kids grow soooo fast and there is only so much vacation time and $$$. David and Audra were 7 years old when we visited Glacier (2008), how time flies.

When do you start your trip?

gtkato · 07-19-2011, 08:11 AM

Yes time flies by quickly.....but the wonderful memories of our trips keeps us wanting more (btw...I sure miss my Totally tricked out Cummins TD with 400 hp and 800 lbs of torque)
With this economy, it just did'nt make sense having my Dodge and TC sitting in the driveway 6 months of the year.
We will be heading up to Glacier in a couple of weeks (probably stop 3 or 4 nights on our way up...Saratoga Lake Wy....fly fish a river or two) stay 7 days in Glacier, then head up to Washington St....
Have a great remainder of summer, and enjoy every moment in your RV...love your set up....probably our idea of retirement in a couple of years...5th wheel and CTD.

wls · 07-25-2011, 09:54 AM

sounds like our trip, we are in havre mt, right now, heading out this AM to glacier, will be staying at the columbia falls rv park. then we are heading to the coast of wash, we came across on hwy 2, then down to 12, from the UP of Mi. not sure on our return trip to mid-mich yet. we will be gone about 4-5 weeks, been gone a week as of now.

wayne anthony · 07-25-2011, 10:40 AM

Living about 40-50 miles from Rocky Mountain Park, I would recommend Glacier, if you have to drive the same distance to both. Maybe 600 to Glacier and 400 to Rocky would probably be the break even point for me. Wayne

campgal · 07-28-2011, 12:55 PM

We love GNP!! We were there this past weekend. We didn't camp anywhere near GNP. We drove from the west side to Logan Pass. Yes, there is a TT restriction but we don't recommend it because Going-to-the-Sun Road is under construction on the west side from Logan Pass to the Loop. Some parts of the constructed road run a one-lane. Road construction or not, it is still worth the drive! Take your time!

wayne anthony · 07-28-2011, 04:46 PM

When I was there a couple years ago, there was no problem driving the truck across. How ever when we got to Logan Pass, there were no parking spots. The next day we took the free shuttle and didn't have to worry about parking. Wayne

Al Fresco · 07-28-2011, 09:40 PM

My wife and I have stayed at the Fish Creek campground a couple of times. If you intend to stay there, I would avoid loop B. The access road is rather steep in spots and many of the camp sites are far from level. Loop A is level and easier to maneuver. It has a couple of the few camp sites in the Fish Creek campground with views of Lake McDonald.

Apgar campground, while somewhat more busy and crowded, has the advantage of being within walking distance of the transit terminal which offers free bus rides to many destinations in the park – including Logan Pass. You are also close to Apgar Village with its shopping, restaurants, ice cream shop, etc. We used the free bus service for almost all our traveling within the park and highly recommend it as a way to get around.

Just be aware that both of these campgrounds are very popular and that it may be difficult to secure a “perfect” campsite without a reservation. You should also be aware that all campgrounds in the park strictly enforce bear safety regulations. That means no liquids on the ground and items including any food, waste materials, soap, ice chests, water jugs, etc. (basically anything that might attract a bear) cannot be left in the open when the camp is not occupied. I know that at the Fish Creek campground the hosts make daily inspections and sternly inform campers of any infractions. Don’t ask me how I know.

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