Can You Sleep In Your Car In Glacier National Park?
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If you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable camping experience, then sleeping in your car at Glacier National Park is a perfect choice. With 13 front country campsites available, there are plenty of options to choose from. I can personally vouch for my experiences at St. Mary Campground and Rising Sun Campground – both great places to lay your head!
While 3 of the campsites can be reserved in advance, most are first come first serve – so it’s important to plan ahead if you can. I recommend arriving at most campgrounds between 7 am and 9 am to ensure snagging a spot.
Camping in Glacier National Park also entails many wildlife encounters and bears are common so be adaptable if a campground closes down based on bear activity. You can text GNPCGS to 333111 to receive campground updates.
Whether you’re an experienced camper or new to the scene, Glacier National Park offers great camping for everyone!
Can You Sleep In Your Car In Glacier National Park?
Camping is only permitted in designated campgrounds within Glacier National Park. You are able to sleep in your car at these designated campgrounds. Due to permits, reservations, and wildlife considerations, you are not able to sleep in your car at any pull-offs, parking lots, or trailheads within the park.
Where Can I Sleep In My Car Near Glacier National Park?
Are you looking for the perfect camping spot in Glacier National Park? You can’t go wrong with any of the eight main campsites on either side of the park. Most of these campgrounds are close to great hiking and have basic facilities to make your camping experience as smooth as possible.
On the west side, there are Fish Creek, Apgar, Sprague Creek, and Avalanche Creek campsites; while on the east side, there are Rising Sun, St Mary’s, Cut Bank, and Two Medicine sites. Each one is unique and offers a different experience so read on to find out more about these amazing spots!
My top recommendations for a great location that helps minimize travel time to a multitude of hikes are below:
📍Avalanche Creek Campground
📍Rising Sun Campground
📍Many Glacier Campground
My top recommendations that are closer to civilization and places to eat are below:
📍Apgar Campground
📍St. Mary Campground
📍Fish Creek Campground
Fish Creek, Many Glacier, Apgar, Sprague Creek, and St. Mary campground reservations are made through Recreation.gov. Some campgrounds require reservations in the summer while others are only first come first serve. There are also a handful of campgrounds that are a mix of both.
Take a look at the official page for Glacier National Park campgrounds here. Reservation status changes based on the time of year so it’s best to reference this page to determine what the requirements are for the time of your visit.
Tips For Comfortably Sleeping Your The Car
If you are planning on going bare-bones and choosing not to sleep in a tent at your campsite, there are some things you should do to ensure a comfortable sleeping experience in your car.
Always Back Into Your Site
Whether you’re traveling solo or not, backing into your site is a safe, smart move. This approach allows you to exit the campsite quickly and have a better awareness of your surroundings.
Park on a Flat Surface
There’s nothing worse than sleeping on an uneven surface. This sentiment rings true regardless of if you’re sleeping on the ground or in your car. Take the extra time to level your car and pick the flattest surface at your campsite.
Sleep With Your Head at the Front of the Car
Most cars are wider toward the front so give yourself more upper body room by sleeping with your head at the front. This also allows you to get into the driver’s seat quicker if you feel unsafe or need to make a quick exit.
Keep Your Driver’s Seat Clear
Having a clear driver’s seat allows for a quick getaway. There are a multitude of reasons why you might need to leave quickly so it’s important to make sure you can if the moment arises. I also typically put my keys in an easily accessible spot for this exact reason.
Use a Comfortable Pad
Sleeping directly on your car “floor” is not a good idea if you’re hoping to get good sleep. I typically utilize my camping/backpacking pad for this purpose. My go-to pad and the one I highly recommend is from Nemo Equipment.
Check out my go-to pad HERE!!!
A comfortable sleeping pad is something I recommend investing in. There are many camping items that you can get used or for relatively cheap, but this is one that will impact your experience every night so don’t skimp.
My husband uses THIS ONE from Therm-a-Rest and loves it.
For car camping, you may want something a little heftier. I have heard great things about EXPED sleeping pads like this ONE. These are more luxurious and are definitely for people who intend to car camp many times.
Just make sure any pad you are using fits in your car when all the seats are down and the back is clear. There’s nothing worse than finding out when you’re already there that it’s not going to work.
Keep a Headlamp Nearby
A headlamp is essential for any camper or hiker because we need light to see what we’re doing! I don’t recommend using your car light because it could drain the battery and you don’t want to put yourself in a pickle!
The headlamp I use for all my camping, hiking, and backpacking is from Biolite.
I highly recommend checking out my headlamp HERE!
I have had it for almost 3 years and it has held up great. I chose a slightly more expensive one because I wanted it to be bright and for the charge to last for numerous days.
If you’re just getting started, don’t feel the need to spend a lot of money on a headlamp. Petzl offers great affordable options that can get you started.
Check out their selection HERE!!!
Bring a Portable Charger
Similar to your headlamp, being able to charge WITHOUT utilizing your car is important. For the most part, you don’t want to have your car running constantly, but we all know that in the 21st century electronics are part of our everyday lives.
I bring along a portable charger for my kindle, headlamp, phone, electric handwarmer, GPS phone, and other camping items. Even if there’s no service, I still like to charge my phone to take pictures, download trail maps, and simply just in case of emergency.
The portable charger that has worked incredibly well for me is THIS ONE!
Keep Food in the Car
Food should always be kept in your car due to all the critters you can encounter while camping. This is especially true in Glacier National Park due to bears.
Some of the campsites have bear-proof containers you can use, but if they do not, you ABSOLUTELY need to keep your food locked in your car while you’re sleeping.
Many of the campgrounds in Glacier National Park have frequent bear activity because of the berries that grow near them. Do yourself and your fellow campers a favor by putting any unattended food in your car.
Even if you are in the campground, I always recommend storing your food in the car if you are not actively eating.
Store Food in a Cooler
Glacier National Park does not have a ton of access to food, especially if you are camping further into the park. To avoid making unnecessary trips to the store while you are enjoying the park, pack all of your food ahead of time.
I prefer to bring a cooler along so I can have a variety of different options while I am camping. Let’s face it, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are only good for so many meals.
The ice cooler that we consistently bring on all of our camping trips is 65 quarts. If you are camping for more than 3 days I would get at least 45 quarts because you need to factor in the space that ice/cooling packs take up.
Check out the affordable and durable cooler we use HERE!!!!
If you are only camping for 2-3 days, you can probably get by with a smaller cooler. My parents bought me a cooler from IGLOO last year and I use it for all my weekend trips because it’s smaller and easier to pack. Get yours HERE!!!
Have Good Organization
Sleeping in a car can get very chaotic very quickly. I slept in a car for over 6 days while exploring Arizona by myself and it was very messy. When I got home I bought packing cubes to help with this issue.
Even if you don’t have packing cubes, having a system and putting things in the same place every time will help prevent you from going crazy. I also like to use things that are multi-purpose and minimize the number of clothing items I bring so that I can keep my car relatively clutter-free.
Glacier National Park: FAQs
Glacier National Park can be difficult to navigate if you don’t have the right information. Luckily, I’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions below!
Can you have fires in Glacier National Park?
Campfires are allowed in Glacier National Park in designated fire pits at each campsite. You can purchase firewood at most camp stores in the park. Gathering or cutting firewood is unlawful EXCEPT along Bowman Lake Road and North Fork Road (from Dutch Creek to Kintla Lake).
Always practice fire safety by attending to your fire at all times and fully putting it out when you are done. Forest fires are a real issue so don’t be the person that burns down one of the best parks in the United States.
When are Glacier Campground fill times?
Campground fill times vary based on the specific campground, but it’s best to get there earlier rather than later. For both first come first serve sites, we arrived before 8 am which was a good call. Once a campground fills, the park will send out a text.
My recommendation is to get there between 7am and 8am. Checkout time is between 11am and 12pm, but most people checking out on a particular day will leave well before that.
What are the best first-come, first-serve campgrounds in Glacier National Park?
If you’re looking for solitude and seclusion away from the masses then Bowman Lake Campground is a great choice.
If you want a prime location on the East side of Glacier National Park, but were you unable to secure other campground reservations, Rising Sun Campground is a fabulous choice.
Can you walk into Glacier National Park?
As per most National Parks, you are able to walk into Glacier National Park. It costs $20 per person to walk into the park. Keep in mind this won’t get you super far since Glacier National Park is so big, but it is relatively easy to hitchhike here.
Can you free camp in Glacier National Park?
Free camping is not allowed in Glacier National Park. The car camping sites are between $10 and $23 a night, so very reasonable especially if you are camping with a group.
Conclusion: Can You Sleep In Your Car In Glacier National Park?
Glacier National Park is an incredible place to camp! Whether you chose to stay on the West or East side of Glacier, you will truly enjoy camping here. Don’t forget to reserve any sites in advance or get to your first come first serve campsite early.
There are so many incredible activities to participate in at the park and it has some of the best views I’ve ever seen. Start planning your camping trip to Glacier National Park now!