Glacier RV Camping: Campgrounds, Road Fit & 2026 Rules

2026 access note: Glacier National Park says vehicle reservations are not required anywhere in the park in 2026. That does not remove the entrance pass, campground reservation, shuttle ticket, parking limit, capacity diversion, or road-size rules described below. This guide was checked against current National Park Service pages on August 2, 2026; recheck the official links on your travel day. See our editorial policy and data sources and methodology.

Featured photo: Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Photo: NPS / Tim Rains. Public domain via NPGallery. Scenic road context only—check current road conditions before travel.

Quick answer

Glacier separates campground fit from road fit. Apgar and St. Mary each have a small number of sites that can accommodate a 40-foot RV or vehicle-and-trailer combination, but Going-to-the-Sun Road prohibits vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet, including bumpers, or wider than 8 feet, including mirrors, between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet tall may also have difficulty westbound between Logan Pass and The Loop because of rock overhangs (NPS road restrictions).

For 2026, no vehicle reservation is required anywhere in Glacier. Logan Pass has a separate access system from July 1 through Labor Day, September 7: private-vehicle parking is limited to three hours, and every rider age two or older needs a dated ticket for the express Logan Pass Shuttle. The 2026 shuttle is not the former hop-on, hop-off system, and it does not serve Avalanche Lake or Trail of the Cedars (NPS 2026 Logan Pass rules). Utility hookups are not provided in Glacier campgrounds.

Step 1: Make the 21-foot decision

21 feet or shorter and 8 feet or narrower: your vehicle is within the published length and width limits for the restricted middle section when that section is open. Measure bumper-to-bumper with racks and cargo attached, and mirror-tip to mirror-tip. Our rig-measurement guide gives you a repeatable method.
Longer than 21 feet or wider than 8 feet: do not drive the restricted section between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. A towing crew can leave the trailer at its campsite and use a compliant tow vehicle. Another option is the ticketed 2026 shuttle to Logan Pass from Apgar Visitor Center, Lake McDonald Lodge, St. Mary Visitor Center, or Rising Sun Picnic Area.
Over 10 feet tall: NPS describes this as a difficulty warning, not the same prohibition as the length and width limits. Rock overhangs can create trouble westbound from Logan Pass to The Loop.
Moving an oversized rig between west and east: NPS lists West Glacier to St. Mary via US Highway 2 and Highway 89 as about 90 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours. Treat that as an estimate; construction, traffic, and weather can add time (NPS directions and travel times).

NPS announced the full 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road open for the 2026 season on June 22. That announcement is not a live road-status guarantee: weather, incidents, and construction can still change access. Check the park’s current conditions page on the day you drive.

Going-to-the-Sun Road vehicle checks
Measured vehicle or combination	Restricted middle section	Planning action
Longer than 21 ft	Prohibited between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun.	Leave the trailer at camp and use a compliant vehicle or shuttle.
Wider than 8 ft, including mirrors	Prohibited on the same section.	Measure mirror tip to mirror tip before entry.
Over 10 ft tall	NPS identifies possible westbound difficulty between Logan Pass and The Loop because of rock overhangs.	Treat this as a serious route warning and use current NPS guidance.
Campground fits up to 35–40 ft	That campsite fit does not grant road access.	Plan the campsite and the restricted-road vehicle separately.

Summary of NPS limits already cited in this guide. Checked August 2026; confirm current road status before departure.

Step 2: Match the campground to the measured rig

The values below come from the NPS reservation-campground page updated July 9, 2026. They describe the largest officially listed spaces, not a promise that every site fits that length. Select a specific site whose equipment-length field fits your measured combination.

Campground	Official 2026 fit	Services and generator notes	2026 booking/use note
Apgar West side	194 total sites. NPS lists 25 sites that can accommodate an RV or vehicle-and-trailer combination up to 40 feet.	Seasonal potable water, dump station, flush/vault toilets, and showers. No utility hookups.	Reservations are required in spring, summer, and fall; no campground reservation is required in winter.
Fish Creek West side	178 total sites. NPS lists 18 sites that can accommodate a combination up to 35 feet.	Seasonal potable water, dump station, flush toilets, and hot showers. Loop C is generator-free.	Reservations release on a rolling six-month basis, with a portion available four days before the desired date.
St. Mary East side	148 total sites. NPS lists 3 sites up to 40 feet and 22 sites up to 35 feet.	Seasonal potable water, dump station, flush toilets, and hot showers. Generator use is prohibited in Loop A; park-wide generator hours still apply elsewhere.	NPS lists reservations from April 18 through October 31, 2026. Winter arrangements are primitive and do not require reservations. NPS also posts a construction closure for January 1–June 30, 2027.
Rising Sun East side	84 total sites. Vehicle or vehicle-and-trailer length is limited to 21 feet.	Seasonal potable water, dump station, flush toilets, and nearby token-operated showers. Generator use is prohibited at sites 49–84.	The current NPS campground card uses a same-day, zero-day reservation window through Recreation.gov. Because cell service is limited, arrange it before entering or use visitor-center Wi-Fi.

A hanging brown campground sign at Glacier National Park reading Apgar Campground Full.

Official table records: Recheck the NPS 2026 campground inventory and reservation notes, camping services and generator rules, and 2026 shuttle ticket rules before booking or departure.

Two Medicine warning: the current NPS campground page states that Two Medicine Campground is closed for all of 2026 because of construction. Do not build a 2026 overnight plan around it.

No-hookup rule: NPS says utility hookups are not provided and campers may not connect to campground water, sewer, or electrical outlets. Potable water and dump stations listed above are shared seasonal services, not campsite hookups. Use our tank and dump-station planning framework before arrival.

Step 3: Use the 2026 access system correctly

Vehicle reservations: not required on Going-to-the-Sun Road, in Many Glacier, Two Medicine, the North Fork, or anywhere else in Glacier during 2026.
Capacity still matters: NPS may temporarily divert vehicles when an area reaches capacity. A campground or other qualifying service reservation permits entry during a temporary restriction, but delays can still occur.
Logan Pass parking: from July 1 through September 7, 2026, private-vehicle parking is limited to three hours and enforced 24 hours per day. Park first, then obtain the free timestamped permit from the kiosk and display it on the dashboard.
Logan Pass shuttle: it operates July 1–September 7, 2026. Tickets are tied to a date, boarding location, and departure time and carry a $1 Recreation.gov processing fee. Tickets are released in two windows: a portion 60 days ahead at 8 a.m. MDT and the remainder at 7 p.m. MDT for the next day. Tickets are not sold inside the park.
Know what the shuttle does not do: in 2026 it provides express day-use service to Logan Pass. It does not provide requested stops and does not serve Avalanche Lake or Trail of the Cedars.

Campers preparing a meal at a Glacier National Park campground with a bear safety sign in the foreground.

Step 4: Two workable 2–3 night plans

Plan A — West base

Camp: choose Apgar for the park’s largest published rig inventory or Fish Creek for a smaller 35-foot maximum inventory. Confirm the exact site, not just the campground maximum.
Logan Pass day: if your day vehicle clears the 21-foot and 8-foot limits, drive only after checking road status and the three-hour parking rules. For a longer alpine day—or if the RV itself exceeds the road limits—book a dated shuttle ticket from Apgar Visitor Center or Lake McDonald Lodge.
Second day: visit a west-side objective by compliant vehicle. The 2026 shuttle does not reach Avalanche Lake or Trail of the Cedars.

Plan B — East base

Camp: choose St. Mary when you need the east side’s small inventory of 35- and 40-foot sites; choose Rising Sun only when the full vehicle combination is 21 feet or shorter.
Logan Pass day: book the express shuttle from St. Mary Visitor Center or Rising Sun Picnic Area, or drive a compliant day vehicle and follow the three-hour parking system.
Second day: consider Many Glacier after checking current area status. No 2026 vehicle reservation is required, but vehicles can still be temporarily diverted at capacity. Two Medicine Campground is not an overnight alternative in 2026 because NPS lists it closed for construction.

Failure modes to avoid

Confusing “no vehicle reservation” with “no reservation”: campgrounds and the Logan Pass Shuttle still use reservations or tickets.
Using brochure length: a nominal 20-foot van can exceed 21 feet after a rear rack, spare, or cargo box is added.
Assuming a 40-foot campsite makes the road legal: campsite fit does not override the 21-foot/8-foot middle-road restriction.
Planning around the old shuttle: the 2026 service is ticketed express service to Logan Pass, not the previous hop-on, hop-off network.
Calling seasonal water and dump facilities “hookups”: Glacier provides no utility hookups.
Treating a seasonal opening announcement as live status: check current conditions on the day of travel.

Departure-day checklist

Check NPS current conditions and road status.
Confirm the measured vehicle or combination is no longer than 21 feet and no wider than 8 feet before entering the restricted road section.
Confirm the exact campsite and its equipment-length field.
Save the campground reservation and any Logan Pass shuttle ticket offline; cell service is unreliable.
If driving to Logan Pass July 1–September 7, plan for the three-hour limit and dashboard permit.
Confirm seasonal potable-water and dump-station availability; arrive ready for dry camping.
Allow extra time and fuel if routing the RV around the park via US Highway 2 and Highway 89. Use the RV fuel calculator.

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Tip: cell coverage inside Glacier is limited. Save the campground table and the Logan Pass ticket rules before you pass the entrance station.

Frequently asked questions

What size RV can drive Going-to-the-Sun Road?

NPS prohibits vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet, including bumpers, or wider than 8 feet, including mirrors, between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet tall may also have difficulty westbound between Logan Pass and The Loop because of rock overhangs. Measure bumper to bumper with racks and cargo attached, and mirror tip to mirror tip, before you decide.

Do I need a vehicle reservation for Glacier in 2026?

No. Glacier National Park says vehicle reservations are not required anywhere in the park in 2026. That does not remove the entrance pass, the campground reservation, the Logan Pass parking limit, dated shuttle tickets, or the road-size rules. NPS can still divert vehicles temporarily when an area reaches capacity.

Which Glacier campgrounds can take a 40-foot RV?

NPS lists 25 sites at Apgar and 3 sites at St. Mary that can accommodate an RV or vehicle-and-trailer combination up to 40 feet, plus 18 sites at Fish Creek and 22 more at St. Mary up to 35 feet. Rising Sun is limited to 21 feet. Fitting a campsite is not the same as being allowed on the restricted section of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Do Glacier campgrounds have hookups?

No. NPS says utility hookups are not provided and campers may not connect to campground water, sewer or electrical outlets. Seasonal potable water and dump stations are shared services, not campsite hookups, so plan your tanks for the length of the stay. Two Medicine Campground is closed for all of 2026 because of construction.

Limitations and corrections

This guide uses current National Park Service pages checked August 2, 2026. It does not claim live campsite availability, current queue length, or uninterrupted road access. Campground service dates, construction, weather, fires, incidents, and temporary capacity diversions can change after publication. The dedicated NPS 2026 access page, updated July 28, 2026, controls over older generic pages that may still contain prior-year reservation language. Please report a discrepancy through our corrections policy.

Planning other national parks this year? See our Yosemite RV camping guide and Yellowstone RV camping guide.

Sources

Next step

You have the fit rules. Now lock the site. Search availability, services and length limits with the Ticheka campground finder, check closures and fire restrictions with the park alert tool, and confirm your measured length with the rig measurement guide.

More park guides are in the Ticheka national parks camping hub.