Avalanche Campground is located on the west side of Glacier National Park. Right next to the gorgeous Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake hiking trails. You can easily explore this part of the park from the campground.
Surrounded by big trees most of the campsites are shaded and offer a respite from the hot summer sun. There are flush toilets and running water. Each loop has communal bear boxes available if you do not have a car with you.
Most of the sites are pull-through sites making it easy to camp with an RV or camper van.
There is an amphitheater right in the campground with great ranger programs frequently held. We saw multiple deer wandering among the campsites.
Avalanche Campground also provides easy access to Lake McDonald and Avalanche Creek. This is one of the most popular campgrounds in Glacier NP.
Avalanche Campground
Season: 6/22 - 9/15
Number of Sites: 87
Location in the park: West side of Glacier National Park near Lake McDonald.
Campsite Cost: $20.00 / night
Payments accepted: Cash and check
Reservations: No
Campground Address:
Latitude/Longitude: 48.6780° N, 113.8187° W
Elevation: 3,100
Accessible Sites: Yes
Pets Allowed: Yes, pets must be on a leash at all time
Campground Reservations
Are campground Reservations Available? No
First Come, First Served? Yes, This is a very popular campground in the park. You will want to arrive as early as you can to get a spot.
Campground Amenities
Flush Toilets: Yes
Payphone: No
Is wifi Available? No
Is cellular Phone Service Available? No
Is camp host available on site? Yes
Is firewood available for purchase? Yes, you can buy firewood in Apgar Village
Amenities at each campsite:
Fire pit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
Bear Box in site/area? Yes, in the area
Potable Water? No
RV Camping at Campground
RV Length: 50 sites that can accommodate up to 26 foot RV or truck and trailer combination.
Dump Station: yes
Generators: no
Hookups: no
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Don't forget to pack these camping essentials
How to get to Campground
Approximate driving distance via Going-to-the-Sun Road:
West entrance: 15.7mi
St. Mary entrance: 34mi
Campground Regulations
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.
Avalanche Campground Map
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.
Photos of Avalanche Campground
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.
Additional Glacier Resources
Glacier Lodging Guide - Find out about all the lodging options within the park.
Glacier Camping Guide - Find out about all the campgrounds that can be found within the park.
Montana National Parks - Don't miss any of the great National Parks you can visit in Montana.
Free National Park Days - Find out the five days during the year the National Park Service waives entry fees.
Most Visited National Parks - Check out the most visited national park sites in the United States.
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