Camping

Frontcountry camping Backcountry camping Winter camping

Frontcountry camping

Glacier National Park's three campgrounds are all located near the summit of Rogers Pass. All campgrounds are available on a first come first served basis.

Check out time for all campgrounds is at 12 pm.

Glacier National Park campgrounds
Illecillewaet Loop Brook Mount Sir Donald
Location from
the summit of
Rogers Pass		 3 km west 5 km west 6 km west
Open season Late June to late September Early July to late September Closed until further notice
More information
Check if campgrounds are open on the Trail Conditions Report
Sites 60 20 15
Flush toilets Yes Yes No
Kitchen shelters Yes Yes No
Food lockers Yes Yes No
Potable water Yes Yes No
Campfires allowed * Yes Yes No
Staffed welcome station Yes No No

* Campfires are allowed with purchase of a fire permit. Firewood is already split and available for your use within the campground. Firewood is free, but please don’t take more than an armload of firewood for each night of camping. There’s no need to bring your own firewood from home.

Check in & registration
Illecillewaet Campground has a welcome station in the centre of the campground. Please select and occupy a campsite which fits your camping vehicle and check in at the welcome station within 30 minutes of arrival. Loop Brook and Mount Sir Donald campgrounds have self-registration stations. Please select and occupy your site and register within 30 minutes. Credit cards and exact cash amount are accepted at the self-registration stations. See our camping fees. The maximum length of stay is 14 nights.
Generator use
Illecillewaet and Loop Brook campgrounds are located in quiet wilderness settings. Generators can be used for short periods to recharge RV batteries, between the hours of 10:00 am and 8:00 pm
Maximum people allowed
Up to 7 people travelling in the same vehicle are allowed to stay overnight at a campsite. One car, van or truck and one towable camping unit (trailer or tent trailer) are allowed per site. One RV is allowed per site, although only a very small number of campsites in the park accommodate Class A motorhomes. If the RV is towing a vehicle which does not fit on the campsite parking pad, the towed vehicle must be parked at the campground parking lot. One large tent, or two small tents are allowed per site, if they fit on the gravel tent pad.
Bears
Bears are naturally wary of people, but can become a serious hazard if they become used to human-created food sources. Keep a clean campsite and ensure that anything associated with food, cooking, personal hygiene or pets is stored in your vehicle or in the campground food lockers when you’re not using it. Do not take food or anything associated with it into your tent. Not only is it the safe thing to do, it’s also a requirement of camping in any national park. For tips and information on keeping your campsite safe in bear country, check out the Bare Campsite program for helpful information.

Backcountry camping

Backcountry campsites are available on the following trails:

Each campsite has tent pads and food storage poles or lockers to place food out of reach of bears. Open fires are not permitted in the backcountry.

Backcountry campers require a Wilderness Pass and a Park Pass. Both are available at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre and at the Park Headquarters in Revelstoke. Please see our fees page for more information on Park Passes and Wilderness Passes.

Tent at backcountry site on Hermit trail
Backcountry camping in the Hermit area

See also:

Winter camping

Two types of winter camping are allowed in Glacier National Park: Winter Overnight Parking and Winter Backcountry Camping.

Winter overnight parking

Winter overnight parking for up to 15 vehicles, by permit only, is available on a first come, first served basis at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre. Camping vehicles must be self-contained - no power, water or sewer service is available. Tenting is not permitted at the Discovery Centre because of the danger associated with snow removal operations.

Overnight parking at the Illecillewaet Valley Trailhead is only available for visitors staying at huts operated by the Alpine Club of Canada.

Permits for winter overnight parking at the Pass and the trailhead are available from the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre.

Winter camping is not allowed at any other locations along the Trans-Canada Highway in the park.

Please note that no hotel rooms are available in Glacier National Park.

Winter Backcountry Camping

Winter backcountry camping is allowed only in Winter Unrestricted Areas, and beyond five kilometres from the trailhead. Backcountry camping requires both a Wilderness Pass and a National Park Pass, as well as a parking permit. Permits and passes can be obtained from the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre.

Backcountry camping is not allowed in Winter Restricted Areas or Winter Prohibited Areas


Winter backcountry camping in Glacier National Park

See also:

The Winter Permit System and Ski Touring in Rogers Pass