Apgar CG, Glacier NP, West Glacier, MT

APGAR CAMPGROUND

RUN BY: Nat'l Park Service

LOCATION: Glacier Nat'l Park, West Glacier, MT

UTILITIES: none

COST: $20

OUR RATING (1-5): I-4.5

NOTES: We've known Apgar for several years and worked there from mid-July until it closed at the end of September in 2016. It is a large campground - 193 sites with 10 group sites*. The campground is heavily wooded, mostly lodgepole pines. It has lots of extremely large berry patches which attract bears. There are large areas of huckleberry, winterberry, snowberry, and bunchberry, just to name a few. You must remember that you are in a national park which is rightfully and thankfully guided by the "Organic Act"** which means that you don't cut trees or pick up wood for fires. In fact, you are expected to stay off surrounding vegetation. This is nothing like a KOA campground. Even if you're in a big Class-A, this is as close to really camping in nature as you're going to get.

Environment: Heavily wooded. Mostly lodgepole pine.

Amenities: There are bathrooms but they are not heated and there is no hot water. Showers are available for $5-6 at outfitters and campgrounds just outside the park. There are communal drinking water spigots.

Phone Service: We had adequate Verizon. Very, very few people are able to use their satellite. There are two reasons - (i) heavy tree canopy and high mountains, (ii) you are so far north that satellites are barely above the southern horizon.

Other Services: Propane is available at commercial campgrounds within 5 miles of the park. There is a dump station in the campground that has potable water you can put in an RV freshwater tank.

Location: Enter the west gate off US-2 at West Glacier, MT. The campground is about 2 miles from the gate.

Proximity to shopping: Souvenirs, a basic camp store, restaurants, etc., are available at Apgar Village within walking distance (about 1/4 mile). More of the same is available at West Glacier about 2 miles away. For anything more you need to go 20-40 miles.

Camping Population: You will meet people from all over the US and Canada. There is a stay limit.

Sites: Lots of different types. There are a lot of pull-through sites. Leveling can be a challenge. Because the park preserves the natural, the sites are not 'constructed' nor consistent in size, etc.

* If you are camping with eight or more people a group site is your best bet. With more than eight people you are going to have to find at least two regular sites at $20 each. Just finding two regular sites together isn't going to be easy. The group sites were $60 and have room for 20 or more campers. They are very nice sites. Half of the group sites can be reserved through Reserve America. If you want a group site use Reserve America or check with the campground host immediately upon arrival. The availability is extremely liquid.

** The Organic Act states "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

The lake access across the road from Apgar Campground

======================================================================

RATING KEY: category - score

Categories: I - established campgrounds where one might spend a vacation or several days

II - boondocking, dry camping where there are no designated sites and no amenities but

one might choose to stay for more than a night.

III - over-night areas

You must remember that we are scoring 1 thru 5 according to things which are important to us: the environment, cost, amenities, location, safety, camping population, site, phone service