NPS · Glacier National Park · West Glacier, MT

Fish Creek Campground

Fish Creek Campground is the second largest campground in Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana, is comprised of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles (1,125 km) of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in its natural beauty. The campground is located on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1,066 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall.

More like this: reservable in Montana · pets allowed in Montana · dark sky in Montana

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Fish Creek CampgroundA map showing the location of Fish Creek Campground and the surrounding areaA sandy beach on the lake at Fish Creek CampgroundA Fish Creek Campsite surrounded by pine trees.
Photos courtesy of NPS Photo (Mark Norbey), NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups166
Tent-only4
Host/management19
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

170 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntrySurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
A01Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A02Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A03Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A04Loop AStandardBack-inGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A05Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A06Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A07Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes
A10Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2YesYes
A12Loop AStandardGravelFull8 / 2YesYes
A13Loop AStandardPull-throughGravelFull8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length35 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes
Dark skyInside Glacier National Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park
AccessibilitySites A08, A10, A12, A34 and 4 more are listed accessible

The campground is large with 178 campsites. The sites are relatively spread apart and provide privacy for both RV and tent campers. Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities have flush toilets and sinks with running water.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Fish Creek Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 3.54 inches of precipitation, 32.0 inches of snowFebruary: 2.17 inches of precipitation, 16.0 inches of snowMarch: 2.58 inches of precipitation, 14.0 inches of snowApril: 2.15 inches of precipitation, 3.1 inches of snowMay: 2.62 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowJune: 3.80 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.17 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.96 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.05 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.23 inches of precipitation, 16.2 inches of snowDecember: 3.21 inches of precipitation, 31.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.6°F averageFebruary: 26.5°F averageMarch: 33.8°F averageApril: 42.0°F averageMay: 51.6°F averageJune: 57.8°F averageJuly: 64.9°F averageAugust: 63.6°F averageSeptember: 54.4°F averageOctober: 42.3°F averageNovember: 31.7°F averageDecember: 24.5°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at W Glacier, 3 miles from the campground at 3,148 feet, station USC00248809 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 31 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 115 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Important: Please do not rely on GPS for directions to Fish Creek Campground. Please use these directions: Fish Creek is located four miles (6.4 km) northwest of the west park entrance near West Glacier, Montana. Access is from U.S. Highway 2, approximately 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Kalispell, Montana.

Nearest townWest Glacier, Montana
Coordinates48.5478° N, 113.9853° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗under 0.1 mi
Outdoor gearGlacier Outdoor Center ↗4.1 mi
RV sales & serviceBish's RV ↗30.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Fish Creek DEC Campground Review

Worth a stop

One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Waterton Lakes offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton. Waterton Lakes National Park

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Flathead National Forest begins about 0.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

Fish Creek is heavily forested with plenty of shade. Some sites have views of Lake McDonald. The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as harlequin ducks, dippers and golden eagles.

Recreation

This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. Explorers of all ages can attend nightly ranger programs at an amphitheater within the facility.

Guidebooks for Glacier National Park

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Moon Glacier National Park
    Becky Lomax, 2021
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks
    2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Landscape Photographer's Guide to Glacier National Park
    Anthony Jones, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Glacier National Park Pocket Guide
    Jane Gildart, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana and Wyoming: with Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks
    Carter G. Walker, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Fish Creek Campground?

Sites at Fish Creek Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Fish Creek Campground?

Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Fish Creek Campground have?

189 sites, including 166 standard sites without power and 4 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Fish Creek Campground?

The longest site here provides 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Fish Creek Campground?

Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities have flush toilets and sinks with running water.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Fish Creek Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Fish Creek Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Fish Creek Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Fish Creek Campground?

Sites A08, A10, A12, and A34 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 8 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Fish Creek Campground good for stargazing?

Yes. Fish Creek Campground sits inside Glacier National Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park.

Source: DarkSky International

Is there cell service at Fish Creek Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Fish Creek Campground?

This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Fish Creek Campground?

West Glacier, Montana. One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S.

Source: Getting there