Apgar Campground Review: Showers, Elevation, RV Fit & Prices (2026)

Apgar is Glacier National Park’s largest campground, with 194 no-hookup sites near Apgar Village and Lake McDonald. Its practical advantages are west-side access, a seasonal dump station, potable water and free seasonal showers for registered campers. Older descriptions calling the showers coin-operated — or unique to Apgar — are outdated; NPS also lists registered-camper showers at Fish Creek and St. Mary.

Verified July 18, 2026: Elevation: nearly 3,500 feet. Hookups: none. Rig fit: the largest 25 parking spaces reach 40 feet; check the individual site for total vehicle/trailer length. Reservations: six-month rolling release plus a subset released up to four days ahead. Official NPS campground details

Quick answer: Yes, Apgar Campground has showers — free, seasonal, for registered campers, in the shower building on Loop A. Apgar Campground’s elevation is nearly 3,500 feet according to NPS, at the south end of Lake McDonald just inside the West Glacier entrance. Sites cost $30 per night with no hookups, there are 194 sites, and the largest 25 parking spaces reach 40 feet. Reservations run through Recreation.gov on a six-month rolling window.

Apgar Campground at a glance#

	Apgar Campground (Glacier NP)
Elevation	Nearly 3,500 ft (NPS)
Sites	194 (Loops A and B plus group sites)
Rate	$30/night standard; $8/person walk-to
Hookups	None; dump station and potable water on-site (seasonal)
Showers	Yes — free, seasonal, registered campers, Loop A
Max RV length	Largest 25 spaces to 40 ft; most sites 28–35 ft
Season	Full service seasonally; primitive Sept 30–Apr 18 (per current NPS listing)
Reservations	Recreation.gov, 6-month rolling + 4-day release
Cell service	Major coverage issues

The campground typically remains open in primitive status outside the full-service season; NPS currently lists the primitive period as September 30–April 18. It also sits within walking distance of Apgar Village and Lake McDonald.

Here is the honest assessment: Apgar is the most practical campground inside Glacier for RVers who want a reasonable balance of comfort and wilderness. It is not the most atmospheric — Fish Creek wins on deep-forest solitude, and Many Glacier wins on hiking access. But Apgar gives you showers, a dump station, flush toilets, potable water, a short walk to Lake McDonald, and proximity to the Going-to-the-Sun Road — all for $30 per night with no hookups. For the RVer who wants to be inside Glacier without suffering for it, Apgar is the answer.

The trade-offs are the same ones that apply to every campground inside the park: no hookups of any kind, strict vehicle size limits on Going-to-the-Sun Road, essentially no cell service, and reservation competition that borders on absurd for peak-season dates. This review covers all of it so you can decide whether Apgar deserves your booking or whether a private RV park near West Glacier makes more sense for your rig and your priorities.

Getting There and Apgar Campground elevation#

Apgar Campground is near the West Glacier entrance at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet, according to NPS. It sits just off the main park road between the West Entrance and Apgar Village, near the southern end of Lake McDonald.

From the west, take US-2 to the West Glacier entrance. The nearest major town is Kalispell, 32 miles to the southwest on US-2. Kalispell has everything an RVer needs — Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, multiple grocery chains, RV service and repair shops, and a hospital. Columbia Falls is 15 miles west and has grocery stores, hardware stores, and basic services. Whitefish is 25 miles northwest and offers excellent restaurants, craft breweries, and a charming downtown worth a half-day visit.

Once through the West Entrance gate, follow the main park road toward Apgar Village. The campground entrance is signed on the right, before you reach the village. The road from the entrance station to the campground is flat, paved, and stress-free for any legal-size rig.

The critical vehicle restriction for Glacier: Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) prohibits vehicles and vehicle-trailer combinations longer than 21 feet or wider than 8 feet between Avalanche Campground and Sun Point. This restriction covers the most scenic section of the road, including Logan Pass. You can drive your rig to Apgar without touching the restricted section of GTSR, but if you want to drive across Logan Pass, you will need to park the RV and take your tow vehicle. Budget a full day for the GTSR drive — it is 50 miles of the most stunning mountain road in America, and stopping at every pullout is not optional, it is mandatory.

The nearest airport is Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, 30 miles from the park entrance, with year-round service from multiple carriers. If you are driving cross-country, the approach on US-2 from either direction is scenic and manageable for large rigs — no mountain passes or tight turns on the final approach.

Supply tip: Stock your fridge and fill your tanks in Kalispell or Columbia Falls. Apgar Village has a small camp store with basic supplies at park-level prices, but the selection is limited. The nearest real grocery store and fuel station outside the park are in West Glacier and Columbia Falls.

The Campground#

Apgar Campground spreads across 194 campsites in a mixed conifer forest of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and spruce near the southwest shore of Lake McDonald. The forest is mature enough to provide genuine shade across most sites — not as dense as the old-growth cedar canopy at Fish Creek, but significantly more shaded than the open desert campgrounds at Zion or Capitol Reef. The understory is lush with ferns and wildflowers in early summer, and the forest floor carries that distinctive Northern Rockies scent of pine resin and damp earth.

The campground is organized into two main loops — A and B — plus group camping sites. The loops are spread across gently rolling terrain with paved internal roads and natural-surface site pads.

Loop A#

Loop A is the loop you want if showers matter to you. The campground’s shower facility is located on Loop A, making it the most convenient loop for families and campers who prioritize that amenity. Loop A also tends to have sites that are slightly more accessible and closer to the campground entrance, which simplifies arrival and departure for larger rigs.

The sites in Loop A are a mix of standard nonelectric sites suitable for tents, smaller RVs, and trailers. Site sizes vary — some accommodate rigs in the 25 to 35-foot range, while others are tent-oriented and unsuitable for anything larger than a van. The recreation.gov listing specifies maximum vehicle length per site, and these limits are enforced.

The showers are seasonal and available to registered campers. Conditions and wait times can vary with occupancy, so bring your own toiletries and verify that seasonal services are operating for shoulder-season dates.

Best sites in Loop A: Outer-perimeter sites provide the most tree screening from neighbors. Sites closest to the shower facility save the longest walks, which matters at 6 AM in 45-degree Montana air. Sites near the amphitheater are convenient for evening ranger programs.

Loop B#

Loop B extends deeper into the forest and generally offers a slightly more secluded atmosphere than Loop A. The loop is farther from the shower facility and campground entrance, which translates to quieter surroundings and fewer passers-by — but also a longer walk to the showers and to the path leading to Apgar Village.

Across Apgar, the largest 25 parking spaces reach 40 feet. Do not assume a loop or site will fit from the campground total alone; Recreation.gov lists the parking-space length for each reservable site, and the full vehicle-plus-trailer combination must fit.

Best sites in Loop B: The farthest sites from the Loop A junction tend to be the quietest and most private. Some sites on the outer edges of the loop offer filtered views through the trees — not lake views, but pleasant forest openings that let light in. If you do not mind the walk to the showers, Loop B delivers a more wilderness-adjacent experience.

Group Sites#

Apgar has designated group camping sites for parties up to 24 people. These are booked separately through Recreation.gov and require a minimum group size. For RV groups, the standard individual sites in Loops A and B are more appropriate unless your party specifically qualifies for and wants group camping.

Sites to Request#

When booking on Recreation.gov, you can select specific sites. Guidelines for Apgar:

• Sites listed for 35-40 foot maximum if your rig exceeds 25 feet — these are limited in number and book fast
• Loop A sites if showers and convenience are your priority
• Loop B perimeter sites if quiet and privacy matter more
• Sites near the amphitheater for easy access to nightly ranger programs (these run throughout the summer season and are excellent)
• Sites with the shortest walk to the Lake McDonald path if sunset watching is high on your list

Sites to Avoid#

• Sites with maximum vehicle lengths shorter than your rig. This sounds obvious, but national park campsite driveways are unforgiving. If the listing says 28 feet, a 29-foot trailer will not fit — trees do not move.
• Sites adjacent to the campground road in Loop A pick up the most traffic noise, particularly on turnover days (Friday and Saturday)
• Interior-loop sites where driveways face each other across a narrow distance can feel like a parking lot when both sites have large rigs

Hookups and Amenities#

Hookups#

There are none. Apgar is a standard nonelectric campground — no electric pedestals, no water connections at sites, no sewer hookups. This is consistent with every campground inside Glacier National Park. None of the park’s campgrounds offer hookups of any kind. If you need hookups, the West Glacier KOA (3 miles from the West Entrance, $133-$167/night, full hookups) is the closest option.

What Apgar does provide:

• Dump station: On-site and accessible to all campground guests. The dump station allows multi-night stays without needing to break camp to empty tanks.
• Potable water: Water spigots located throughout both loops for filling jugs, cooking, and drinking. You can fill your freshwater tank here, though the fill rate is slow — plan to do this during off-peak hours rather than on busy checkout mornings.
• Flush toilets: Restroom buildings with flush toilets and running water in both loops. These are well-maintained by NPS standards.
• Showers: Free and seasonal for registered campers; verify service dates for shoulder-season stays.

Does Apgar Campground have showers? Yes — here is where#

It is worth emphasizing how unusual showers are inside Glacier National Park. Here is the shower situation across all major Glacier campgrounds:

Campground	Showers?	Notes
Apgar	Yes	Free, seasonal, registered campers, Loop A shower building
Fish Creek	Yes (per current NPS listing)	Registered campers, seasonal
St. Mary	Yes (per current NPS listing)	Registered campers, seasonal
Many Glacier	No	Coin-op showers at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn nearby
Two Medicine	No	—

If showers are a non-negotiable part of your camping experience — and after four days of hiking in grizzly country, they become non-negotiable for most people — Apgar has them on-site, on Loop A, at no extra charge. Bring toiletries and a towel; the shower building is basic, and expect lines in July. Combined with the dump station and Apgar Village access, showers remain a strong practical reason to choose Apgar over Fish Creek, which otherwise offers a more atmospheric forest setting and the unique no-generator Loop C.

What Apgar Does Not Have#

• No laundry facilities. The nearest laundry is at the West Glacier KOA or in Columbia Falls.
• No camp store on-site. The Apgar Village camp store is a short walk or drive and carries basics — ice, firewood, snacks, some groceries, and souvenirs. For a full resupply, head to Columbia Falls or Kalispell.
• No cell signal. Recreation.gov flags Apgar with “Major Cell Coverage Issues” based on over 800 reviews. In practice, this means no usable data or voice service on any major carrier for most of your stay. Some campers report intermittent signal near Apgar Village, but do not count on it. If you need connectivity, drive toward West Glacier or Columbia Falls. Remote work from Apgar is not feasible.
• No electric hookups, water hookups, or sewer hookups. Worth repeating — you need to be fully self-contained.

What Each Site Includes#

• A picnic table (standard NPS)
• A campfire ring with grate
• A tent pad area
• Bear country food storage requirements — this is grizzly and black bear habitat. All food, coolers, cooking equipment, garbage, and scented items must be stored in your hard-sided vehicle or in the campground’s bear-resistant containers when not in active use. Rangers enforce food storage with fines. This is not advisory — it is mandatory and checked. See our Montana bear country RV tips for detailed guidance.

What’s Nearby#

Lake McDonald#

Lake McDonald is the park’s largest lake — 10 miles long, 472 feet deep, and framed by the peaks of the Livingston Range. From Apgar Campground, the lake shore at Apgar Village is roughly a 15-minute walk (or a 3-minute drive). This proximity to the lake is one of Apgar’s defining advantages.

The lakeshore at Apgar is the place for sunsets at Glacier. The lake faces west, and on clear evenings, the setting sun paints the surrounding peaks in alpenglow while the water reflects it back. The famous colored rocks of Lake McDonald — smooth, rounded stones in shades of red, green, and blue — are best seen along the rocky beach near Apgar Village and at the McDonald Creek inlet.

Activities at Lake McDonald:

• Kayak and paddleboard rentals at Apgar Village (seasonal)
• Boat rentals and guided boat tours on the lake
• Swimming — the water is cold (rarely above 60 degrees Fahrenheit even in August), but on a hot July afternoon, a quick dip is a Montana tradition
• Fishing — lake trout (mackinaw) and lake whitefish are the primary species. Montana fishing license required.

Inside the Park#

• Going-to-the-Sun Road: The 50-mile engineering marvel crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass (6,646 feet). The road typically opens fully by late June or early July, weather depending. Remember: vehicles over 21 feet cannot drive the restricted section between Avalanche and Sun Point. Park the RV at Apgar, take your tow vehicle, and budget a full day. Stop at every pullout — Weeping Wall, Bird Woman Falls, the Big Bend, and the Logan Pass visitor center are all essential.
• Trail of the Cedars: A 0.7-mile boardwalk loop through ancient cedar and hemlock forest near Avalanche Campground, about 10 miles up GTSR from Apgar. Wheelchair accessible and stunning. The adjacent Avalanche Lake Trail (4.5 miles round trip, 730 feet elevation gain) is one of the most popular day hikes in the park — a turquoise glacial lake surrounded by waterfalls.
• Rocky Point Trail: A 2-mile round trip hike to a rocky peninsula on Lake McDonald, accessible from the Fish Creek Campground area. Excellent sunset views. Drive or bike the 2 miles from Apgar to the trailhead.
• Apgar Lookout Trail: A more strenuous option (7.1 miles round trip, 1,800 feet elevation gain) that climbs to a historic fire lookout with panoramic views of Lake McDonald and the surrounding peaks.
• Ranger Programs: Nightly programs at the Apgar amphitheater throughout the summer. Topics range from grizzly bear ecology to glaciology to Native American history. Free, informative, and an excellent evening activity — especially since you do not have cell service for entertainment.

Outside the Park#

• West Glacier Village: Just outside the West Entrance. Gas station, general store, restaurants, and river rafting outfitters for Middle Fork Flathead River trips. Half-day and full-day whitewater trips are available and highly recommended.
• Columbia Falls: 15 miles west. Grocery stores, hardware, pharmacies, Big Sky Waterpark (a family favorite).
• Kalispell: 32 miles southwest. Full-service city — Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, hospital, RV repair. This is your logistics hub for anything serious.
• Whitefish: 25 miles northwest. Resort town with excellent dining, craft breweries, and Whitefish Lake State Park for a change of scenery.
• Flathead Lake: Montana’s freshwater jewel, 45 minutes south of the West Glacier area. State parks with camping line both shores, and the cherry orchards between Bigfork and Polson are a mid-July destination. See our Flathead Lake camping guide for details.

Day trip idea: Combine a Going-to-the-Sun Road drive with a stop at St. Mary on the east side. The St. Mary Visitor Center has exhibits, shuttle connections, and is the starting point for Red Bus tours — the vintage 1930s touring cars that are an iconic Glacier experience.

The Honest Details#

What Works#

The showers make multi-night stays genuinely comfortable. This cannot be overstated. After three or four days of hiking — scrambling up to Avalanche Lake, sweating on the Apgar Lookout Trail, wading in Lake McDonald — a hot shower transforms your evening. Fish Creek campers drive to the KOA for showers. Many Glacier campers walk to Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and hope the coin-op machines are not all occupied. At Apgar, you walk to Loop A. It is the single biggest practical advantage of choosing Apgar.

The Lake McDonald access is unmatched. No other Glacier campground puts you this close to the park’s largest lake. The walk from camp to the Apgar Village lakeshore takes 15 minutes on a flat, easy path. Sunset at Lake McDonald — with the Livingston Range glowing orange and the colored rocks underfoot — is a nightly ritual that never gets old. Fish Creek is technically closer to the lake, but Apgar’s proximity to the developed Apgar Village area (with boat rentals, a camp store, and the visitor center) gives it a practical edge.

Being inside the park eliminates the morning commute. This advantage applies equally to Apgar and Fish Creek, but it is worth emphasizing. Glacier’s West Entrance can back up for 30 to 60 minutes on peak summer mornings. When you camp at Apgar, you are already past the gate. You are on the road to Avalanche or the trail to Apgar Lookout while visitors from the KOA are still idling in the entrance queue.

Primitive shoulder-season access extends the camping window. NPS currently lists a September 30–April 18 primitive period, but water, showers, dump access and other services are seasonal. Check the live NPS listing before treating an open campground as a full-service stay.

The price is the same as every other Glacier campground: $30/night. All NPS-operated campgrounds inside Glacier charge the same rate. For comparison, the West Glacier KOA charges $133 to $167 per night, and other private parks in the corridor run $80 to $150+. Over a week-long stay, camping at Apgar saves you $700 to $1,000 compared to the KOA.

What Doesn’t Work#

The 21-foot GTSR limit creates the same logistical puzzle as Fish Creek. If your RV or trailer exceeds 21 feet, you cannot drive it on the most iconic stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road. You will need a tow vehicle, the park shuttle system (when running), or a bicycle to access Logan Pass and the east side of the park. This is the single most important planning detail for RVers visiting Glacier.

Cell coverage is functionally nonexistent. Recreation.gov flags Apgar with “Major Cell Coverage Issues,” and that assessment is accurate. Do not plan to work remotely. Do not count on making phone calls. Do not expect to stream anything. If you need to be reachable for emergencies, establish a check-in plan with family using a satellite communicator (Garmin inReach, SPOT, or similar). The nearest reliable cell signal is in the West Glacier and Columbia Falls area.

Reservation competition is brutal. Apgar uses Recreation.gov’s 6-month rolling window, with sites opening at 10 AM Eastern exactly six months before the check-in date. July and August weekend sites can book out within the first hour. The 25 sites that accommodate 35-40 foot rigs are especially competitive — there are only 25 of them among 194 total sites. Book the instant your dates open.

The shower wait times in peak season are real. Having showers is the advantage. Waiting 20 to 30 minutes for a shower stall in July is the trade-off. The shower facility on Loop A serves the entire 194-site campground — that is a lot of campers funneled through a limited number of stalls. Early morning (before 7 AM) and midday (when most people are out hiking) are the best times to avoid lines.

The campground is not as atmospheric as Fish Creek. This is subjective but important. Fish Creek’s old-growth cedar and hemlock canopy creates a cathedral-like forest experience that Apgar’s mixed conifer forest does not quite match. Fish Creek’s no-generator Loop C offers a silence that Apgar cannot replicate. If wilderness atmosphere is your highest priority and you can live without showers, Fish Creek is the more immersive choice. Apgar is the more practical choice.

Who It’s Best For#

• First-time Glacier visitors who want a comfortable base inside the park with showers and lake access
• Families with younger children who appreciate the showers, the Apgar Village amenities, and the ranger programs
• RVers in the 25-to-40-foot range who want to camp inside Glacier (Apgar has the most 35-40 foot sites of any park campground)
• Sunset enthusiasts — the Lake McDonald sunsets from Apgar Village are among the best in the park system
• Shoulder-season campers (early May, late September) who want the longest possible operating window
• Campers who shower — this is not a joke; if showers are important to you, Apgar has them on-site with the largest number of sites of any Glacier campground

Who Should Look Elsewhere#

• Solitude seekers who want deep-forest quiet — Fish Creek with its no-generator Loop C is the better choice
• Hikers focused on the Many Glacier valley — Many Glacier Campground puts you at the trailheads for Grinnell Glacier, Iceberg Lake, and Ptarmigan Tunnel without a long drive
• Big-rig owners (40+ feet) who need guaranteed space and hookups — the West Glacier KOA is 3 miles from the entrance with full hookups and sites to 75 feet
• Remote workers who need reliable internet — no campground inside Glacier supports remote work; St. Mary is the only one with usable cell signal
• Campers who need hookups — Apgar has none, and no Glacier campground does

Apgar Campground prices, specs and booking#

Apgar Campground — Glacier National Park

• Location: Near West Glacier entrance, south end of Lake McDonald
• Elevation: Nearly 3,500 feet (NPS)
• Total sites: 194 (Loops A and B, plus group sites)
• Max RV length: The largest 25 parking spaces are 40 feet; verify total combination length for the individual site
• Hookups: None (standard nonelectric)
• Rate: $30/night (standard), $8/person (walk-to sites)
• Season: Full services are seasonal; primitive period currently listed September 30–April 18
• Maximum stay: 14 nights
• Dump station: Yes, on-site
• Flush toilets: Yes
• Showers: Free, seasonal, for registered campers
• Potable water: Yes (spigots throughout)
• Fire rings: Yes, at each site
• Amphitheater: Yes (ranger programs throughout summer)
• Accessible sites: Yes
• Cell coverage: Major coverage issues across all carriers
• Pets: Allowed on leash (6-foot maximum). Pets prohibited on most trails inside Glacier NP.
• Bear country: Grizzly and black bear habitat. Strict food storage requirements enforced with fines.
• Reservations: Recreation.gov, 6-month rolling window + 4-day short-term release
• Park entrance fee: $35 per vehicle (7-day pass) or $80 annual pass, separate from campsite fee

Booking strategy: Set a calendar alert for exactly six months before your intended arrival. Log into Recreation.gov before 10 AM Eastern on that date with your payment method saved and your preferred sites identified. Filter for sites that match your RV length — the 25 sites that accommodate 35-40 foot rigs sell out fastest. If you miss the initial release, check daily for cancellations and watch for 4-day short-term release windows. Midweek stays are significantly easier to book than weekends. The early-May and late-September shoulder seasons are the least competitive and offer beautiful, uncrowded camping.

For a full comparison of all options, see our Glacier NP RV camping guide, the West Glacier KOA review, and our Montana RV parks guide on the Montana hub.

Facts reviewed August 18, 2026 against the NPS Glacier reservation campgrounds page and the Recreation.gov Apgar listing, which lists showers and a dump station among campground amenities. Seasonal services and dates can change.