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    Home » Travel » US National Parks

    Published: May 24, 2019 · Updated: Feb 14, 2025 by JohnTillison · This post may contain affiliate links

    Fish Creek Campground - Glacier National Park

    Fish Creek Campground is the only reservable campground on the west side of Glacier National Park. This is a large campground with tons of different sites.

    One thing to know when making your reservations is many sites are on a hill. If you have any mobility concerns with hills, rocks, or tree roots make sure you pick your site carefully. At the bottom of this post, we are including as many site photos as we can to help you make picking a site a little easier.

    Fish Creek Campground

    Season: End of May - Sept

    Number of Sites:  178

    Location in the park: West side of Glacier National Park.

    Campsite Cost: $23.00 / night

    Payments accepted: cash and check 

    Reservations: Yes, Recreation.gov 

    Latitude/Longitude: 

    • Latitude:
    • 48.5477778
    • 48° 32' 52.0001" N
    • Longitude:
    • -113.9852778
    • 113° 59' 7.0001" W

    Elevation: 3,500 feet

    Accessible Sites: 8 sites (A8, A10, A12, A34, B65, B68, D158 and D160)

    Pets Allowed:  Yes, they must be on a leash less than 6 feet long. 

     

    Campground Reservations

    Are campground Reservations Available? Yes

    Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777

    Online? Recreation.Gov

    How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? Campsites are released on a 6-month rolling basis

    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.

    2024 America The Beautiful National Park Pass

    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 A and are available 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, Campsites contain fire rings but do not have fire grates for grilling/ food preparation

    Picnic Table in the site? Yes

    Bear Box in site/area? Yes, Communal bear boxes are available in each loop 

    Potable Water? Yes

    Fee showers are available at the Rising Sun and Swiftcurrent Motor Inns and private campgrounds adjacent to the park. 

    Don't forget to pack

    Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water. 

    We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.  Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors. 

    Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.

    Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

    Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!

    Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!

    Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.

    RV Camping at Fish Creek Campground

    RV Length: 18 sites can accommodate up to a 35 foot RV or truck and trailer combination.

    Dump Station: Yes

    Generators: 8 a.m.-10 a.m., 12 p.m.-2 p.m., 5 p.m.-7 p.m. There are no generators allowed in Loop C

    Hookups: No

    Escape Campervan in front of a hotel

    For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!

    Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando

    How to get to Campground

    Approximate driving distance via Going-to-the-Sun Road: 
    West entrance: 4.5mi 
    St. Mary entrance: 51.2mi

    Fish Creek is located four miles northwest of the west park entrance near West Glacier, Montana. Access is from U.S. Highway 2, approximately 32 miles northeast of Kalispell, Montana.

    Campground Regulations

    No group camping in Fish Creek. Parties of nine or more may make reservations for the Apgar Campground Group Sites or at the St. Mary Campground.

    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.

     

    Fish Creek Campground Map

    Photos of Fish Creek Campground

    Some sites are really hilly! If you have any mobility concern with walking on hills with rocks and tree roots make sure to check which site you choose carefully. 

    D162, D164, and D166 are gorgeous sites along the creek. 

    Site A4

     

    Site A6

     

    Site A10

     

    Site A12

     

    Site A14

     

    Site A17

     

    Site A19

     

    Site A21

     

    Site A27

     

    Site A34

     

    Site A35

     

    Site A21

     

    Site B36

     

    B38

     

    B42

     

    B43

     

    B45

     

    B47

     

    B49

     

    B51

     

    B53

     

    B55

     

    B56

     

    B59

     

    B61

     

    B63

     

    B64

     

    B66

     

    B67

     

    B68

     

    B69

     

    B72

     

    B73

     

    B74

     

    B76

     

    B78

     

    B80

     

    B81

     

    B83

     

    Site B85

     

    Site B89

     

    Site B91

     

    C93

     

    C95

     

    C99

     

    C103

     

    C105

     

    C106

     

    C107

     

    C108

     

    C110

     

    C112

     

    C115

     

    C118

     

    C130

     

    C140

     

    C144

     

    C146

     

    Site D148

     

    Site D149

     

    Site D151

     

    Site D153

     

    Site D157

     

    Site D158

     

    Site D159

     

    Site D160

     

    Site D161

     

    Site D162

     

    Site D164

     

    Site D166

     

    Site D177

     

    Site D179

    You will want to make reservations as soon as you can in Glacier National Park especially during the incredibly popular summer season!

    If you don't want to camp the entire time you are in the park check out these Glacier National Park hotel options. Learn more about Glacier National Park Camping. 

    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.

    Make sure to follow Park Ranger John on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok

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    Filed Under: Camping, US National Parks

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