Glacier National Park

ReneeG wrote:

Kavoom wrote:

caysea7254 wrote:
Thank you everyone I appreciate all the great info. Ok do now we will just yry and book private campgrounds. Thanks again!

I would. Less stress TRYING to get a campground and you are in early, set up ready to go. Take Grizzlies seriously up there... Really. Some guy running got killed outside the KOA here a few years ago. WE almost hit one on the roads a few years back. They can really really run fast. Oh, the road around the park is fun also if there are any issues with the going to the sun road. Two great places to visit. Many Glacier is a must. to Lake McDonald Lodge is fun decent food if you do a sit down. In Many Glaciers watch for bears there also although Black bears are more likely by the parking lot (Ask my wife). IF you can make a run into Canada do so and hit Waterton. Great little town. We once saw like 15 Grizzlies on that run... And the Canadians let the deer run the town and they are pretty aggressive about it, the deer that is. So watch your beer sitting down at one of the places there...

OK, other things to do. On the south road from West and East Glacier, there is a place called the Izaak Walton Inn. Go There. Many of their rooms are old cabooses and the restaurant is pretty good. For ALL of you, most of the road is NOT in the park but down by the motel restaurant there is ONE area where you enter the park and go from 70 to 50 in about three seconds. The National Park LEO"s will get you... Watch it. Ask me how I know. I have a friend who has a cabin there and lets me camp and hook up to water electric for free... YAY... Oh the road to Polebridge is getting away from it all. No power on that side of the park north of Polebridge, just super rich people who make their own power. IF you are adventurous go to Bowman Lake. That is getting away from it all. MOST of the time you can make it up there... OH, and there is some washboard up that way... But that area is a lot of fun. There is a little bar up there in no where but It might be gone now.

Not to mention the mercantile at Polebridge and the pastries! Oh the pastries, both sweet and savory! They ended up being our picnic lunch for a drive from there to the East side checking out St. Mary's CG within the park.

Depending on Covid, the drive into Waterton may not be possible, but if it is possible, it's worth it. There's even a CG in town.

Hmmm, forgot about those pastries... Got the mug though...

I have pulled into Apgar before noon on three trips and have gotten a site every time. This was during peak travel months all three times. There is a web page that shows historical information as to when the campground has filled. I don't know how to show the page.

Wow Kavoon thank you so much!!!My gosh great information that we will definitely use! I want to thank everyone that has given us great information, you have no idea how much we appreciate it!

Just slightly off topic but do you know where Glacier NP got its name?

Is that a question, or asking us to research it?

I suspect, based on the history I looked up, than someone with the Great Northern Railway started to call the region Glacier Mountains, or Park. The park once held about 150 glaciers when it became a national park, and it was named Glacier at that time.

Apparently now there are only 26 remaining, and many of those endanger of disappearing soon.

A few years ago, we had no trouble getting "first come" sites at Two Medicine and Many Glacier campgrounds, midweek in September.

That was a few years ago.

This year, and for the next few years, life will be different -- many, many RV "Covid newbies" from all over the country, prevented from traveling overseas or to Canada, roaming around the national parks in search of campsites.

The good old days are over, at least for a while. I hope I am wrong.

I know that most on this tread are trying to get a site in a park campground. If you don't mind staying outside the gate on the East side I can tell you that the St Mary KOA is taking reservations. We made ours for early June.

Thank you Bob and Ann appreciate it!!!

Another vote for the St. Mary’s KOA. It’s been a few years but it was one of the better-run KOAs we ever encountered, with a lot of amenities.

For one thing, we were able to book one of the red “Jammer” antique bus tours of the Going to the Sun Road with pickup right in front of the KOA. Not sure what’s happening this season.

They had good laundry facilities, a huge grass dog park with killer view, and unusually good fresh pizza for a campground.

Thanks everyone all replies appreciated!