Where to Stay in Glacier National Park: A Complete Guide

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A Glacier National Park Geography Overview

Glacier National Park is in northwestern Montana, situated just south of the Canadian border in the Rocky Mountains. The simplest way to understand Glacier is to consider it as three separate regions:

• West Glacier: As the name suggests, this part of the park spans the western half of the park, roughly from Apgar and the southwest edge of Lake McDonald up to Logan Pass. This is the more crowded and popular part of the park, and includes the most scenic stretches of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
• East Glacier: Covering the area between Logan Pass and St. Mary, this part of the park includes St. Mary Lake and the eastern stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road. Of the three areas listed here, we’d advise staying here the least.
• Many Glacier: This area of the park is north of the others, and visitors must exit the park and reenter near Babb while heading West. Here, explorers will discover numerous amazing alpine lakes like (but not limited to) Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine, Cracker Lake, and many more. This section of the park sees fewer visitors, and offers limited accommodation options. Unlike West Glacier, there is really no place to stay just outside the eastern edge of the park. This implies that people will either have to remain inside the park (there are a couple lodges and campgrounds) or experience it as a day trip from other parts of the park.

Technically, there are actually five areas of the park, but most visitors with just a few days skip Two Medicine (the southeast corner) and the northwest corner. We’ll be focusing on the three main areas that 90+ percent of visitors make it to, which are the ones listed above.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

There is only one roadway running through the park from east to west – Going-to-the-Sun Road – and it’s one of the most scenic drives in all of the United States, featuring countless rest areas with stunning perspectives and brief hikes to waterfalls, lakes, and more.

We grabbed a beverage at Caffè San Pietro directly in the heart of Agrigento, and it was a lovely place to observe people with spritzes in hand, and a generous bounty of appetizer snacks. There are plentiful places to choose from for dinner in the area, though we heard really positive things about Enoteca ‘Nzolia.

There is nowhere to stay along Going-to-the-Sun Road once you pass the Lake McDonald Lodge, which is at mile eight or so, meaning you’ll need to stay at either end (in Apgar or St. Mary), or one of the nearby towns outside the park.

Below are suggestions for accommodations on Glacier`s western side, eastern side, and near Many Glacier suited to a range of budgets and styles.

Where to Stay in Glacier National Park: A Summary

Glacier is extensive. Driving from the western entrance over to Many Glacier takes more than two hours, pushing three with traffic and road work (there’s always road work in the summer – prepare yourself for delays!).

We’d recommend using West Glacier and Many Glacier as your bases for exploring the park, splitting your time between each place (which are about two and a half hours apart from each other).

You have easy access to East Glacier from both West Glacier and Many Glacier, and there aren’t really a lot of places to stay near the St. Mary entrance (aside from Rising Sun Inn and the two campgrounds – Rising Sun and St. Mary).

If you only have a night or two, it’s likely best to select one place, and take a day tour to the other side of the park. With three or more nights, we’d truly, truly recommend dividing your nights between West Glacier (either inside or outside the park) and Many Glacier (or Duck Lake, if accommodation inside the park is unavailable).

Below, we’re going to tour West Glacier and Many Glacier, providing you the best places to lodge inside and outside the park for each to assist you in finding the perfect place to stay near Glacier National Park.

The Best Places to Stay in Glacier National Park: A Complete Guide

Now, let’s delve into exactly where to stay when you’re visiting the park. We’ll go through the three areas of the park that we mentioned above – West Glacier, East Glacier, and Many Glacier – and provide you specific recommendations on where to stay both inside and outside the park, like camping options.

Before going into the full guide, I want to re-emphasize the most important tip to you: plan to spend at least one night in Many Glacier, if possible. It was our favorite part of the park (although Going-to-the-Sun Road is pretty spectacular), and is home to some of the , including Grinnell Glacier, Cracker Lake, and Ptarmigan Lake.

Not convinced? Here are a couple of pictures to persuade you.

Here are some quick ideas on how to make that happen:

• With only one night, other options are limited. Remain on the west side, prioritizing Going-to-the-Sun Road.
• If you have two days designated for visiting Glacier National Park, completing sightseeing within the timeframe is feasible. Devote the initial day to traveling from Apgar Village to Saint Mary Village along Going-to-the-Sun Road, and spend the night in Many Glacier Village. Commit your second morning to a hike in that locale (you can browse our recommendations here), and in the afternoon return to the western region of the park. It’s a lot of driving and logistical planning involved, and you may prefer to remain in one location instead of attempting to stay at separate sites. You decide!
• If you have three days in Glacier National Park, allocate your initially nights on the westernly side of the park, commit your next day at Many Glacier, and your third day back on the western side of the park.

With that tip addressed, let’s delve into exactly where to lodge near Glacier National Park.

Staying in West Glacier

The western half of Glacier National Park is the most visited part of the park, featuring many of the places seen in brochures and travel guides about Glacier like Lake McDonald, Going-to-the-Sun road, the Loop, the Highline Trail, and more.

This is the area of the park that most visitors tend to explore and linger within and around, because it offers the highest concentration of attractions and sights to see, in addition to featuring quality lodging options just outside the park boundaries.

You have several options inside the park – both camping and hotels/lodges – and just outside the park entrance in the towns of West Glacier,Hungry Horse, and Coram, and the bustling mountain town of Whitefish, which is the furthest out that we’d recommend.

Where to Stay Inside the Park

There are three accommodation choices inside the western region of the park. What is important to know about booking a place to remain inside Glacier National Park is that reservations commence 13 months ahead, and that is when you will need to make your reservations if you’re visiting during summer (unless you somehow gain a cancellation).

For most people, planning that far in advance is unrealistic – who knows what our schedules will look like in 13 months?!

Another thing to note about lodging within national parks is the inflated rates never justify the convenience. If the facilities constantly run at capacity, when will renovations occur?

As long as you go in with the expectation of paying a fairly significant cost to stay within the park and rooms will have a somewhat rustic feel, it`s a fun experience. And the convenience can`t be beaten.

The nicest is the Lake McDonald Lodge, located a bit further up Going-to-the-Sun Road from the Apgar Visitor Center. It’s very rustic, modeled after Swiss chalets in the European alps.

The original church was built in the 12th century, during the reign of King Afonso Henriques, after the Christian reconquest of the city. It was dedicated to St. Vincent, the patron saint of Lisbon.

There are two options at Apgar Village, which are both less convenient locations (further from Logan Pass), and are slightly less rustic and charming.

The Village Inn at Apgar is a basic lodging option in a motel style. Some rooms include kitchens, and some accommodate four to six people, which is convenient for families and traveling groups.

Just across the road, Apgar Village Lodge and Cabins is another option, offering a choice between cabins with a kitchen, cabins without a kitchen, and standard motel rooms.

If selecting camping as your lodging, you have numerous campground choices on the park`s western side. The sole one that enables reservations in advance is Fish Creek Campground, and reservations are highly competitive. We remained there for a few nights over the course of our week in the park, and it offered excellent accommodations.

Amenities include complimentary showers and lake access from some sections. Reservations for sites at Lake McDonald Campground can be made up to six months in advance through this website. When the booking window opened for our trip, spots filled very quickly within just thirty minutes.

Other options operate on a first come, first served basis. Apgar Village usually has sites as it`s expansive. Not the most charming campground in the area, but it`ll do. Sprague Creek is much nicer, but it`s tiny and fills up by 7am (sometimes earlier on weekends in the summer). The last choice is Avalanche Campground, which is past the Lake McDonald Lodge up Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Additional info about camping can be found at this link, like season dates and other important details.

Staying Outside the Park

This portion of the park contains the best selection of lodging alternatives just outside the entrance. In Many Glacier and St. Mary on the eastern region of the park, your selections will be limited at best. Not the circumstance here!

There are so many choices, we’re actually going to split this section into three subsections to make it simpler to digest.

Here is an overview of the options outside the park in order of proximity to the park entrance (details will be provided in each section below):

• The town of West Glacier has few lodging options available, but it is situated immediately outside the entrance to Glacier National Park. Due to its close proximity to the park, staying in West Glacier offers the most convenient accommodation for exploring Glacier National Park, though the lodging and transportation costs will likely be higher compared to other nearby towns.
• The small towns of Hungry Horse and Coram, located merely fifteen minutes from the entrance to the park, feature a variety of lodging options such as cozy rustic cabins, historic lodges, and upscale glamping accommodations. While dining and entertainment selections are limited, visitors can find some places to eat and drink within the towns.
• Whitefishis considered the top city of the three, with many bars, restaurants, and shops within its charming small town center. If proximity to those kinds of things is important, that’s your best option (though it’s farthest from the park entrance).

Where to Stay in West Glacier

Distance from the Apgar Visitor Center: 8 minutes / 2.5 miles

West Glacier provides an option that allows visitors to stay quite near to the park without having to pay the fees required to reside inside park boundaries. Some benefits of choosing lodging just outside rather than inside include avoiding the need to reserve accommodation years ahead of time, as is often necessary for the highly coveted Lake McDonald Lodge.

For those unable to secure a spot inside the park boundaries but wanting to remain as close to all the activities as possible, this option provides the best solution. However, amenities here are extremely limited, and expenditures on the few which can be obtained (namely, fuel and groceries) will necessitate premium pricing.

There are only three good options here. All three would make an excellent base for exploring Glacier and the surrounding area. If we were traveling to Glacier tomorrow and couldn’t find accommodations in the park (and weren’t inclined towards camping), we’d choose one of these places.

Great Northern Resort

Situated merely a mile from the western entrance to the park, the Great Northern Resort is about as proximate as you can get to remaining inside Glacier National Park (without paying the premium or necessitating to book a year ahead). They provide a range of room varieties, split between cabins and lodge rooms.

The lodges are our selection, generally because each one has its own culinary offices, which is critical to us when we’re traveling. They offer a scope of cabin sizes between one and three rooms, along these lines they’re a fantastic decision for gatherings from one to two individuals (or a couple) all the way up to more prominent gatherings of six to eight.

It is worth noting that the one bedroom cabins include two queen beds AND a sofa bed, allowing them to accommodate up to six people if sharing the relatively compact living space is acceptable. Perhaps opt for the two bedroom cabins if traveling with in-laws, as their three bedroom layouts have room for a maximum of ten individuals across two separate activity areas.

The lodge draw inspiration from the original Glacier National Park Lodge, possessing 14 rooms that essentially function like hotel rooms. There’s a little mini-refrigerator in the room, but no in-room culinary amenities so you’ll be eating most meals outside. Pick from standard king rooms (with one king bed), a room with two queen beds, or a room with a king and a bunk bed with twin mattress.

Glacier Outdoor Center

Another alternative with selections of cabins or lodge rooms, Glacier Outdoor Center is situated adjacent to the option above. Again, you’ll be choosing between one and two bedroom cabins that sleep anywhere from two to ten people. They also have “deluxe cabins” which are more spacious and nicer than the standard cabins, with kitchen facilities and options for three bedrooms.

The Lodge here includes standard hotel room facilities, such as a small refrigerator. Lodge suites, which cost somewhat more, have a small kitchenette.

Again, we’d choose the cabins all day for the additional space, the full kitchen, and the nice patio to enjoy a post-hike drink. But that’s just our perspective.

Vacation Rental for Groups / Families: The Glacier House

If you`re seeking lodging near Glacier National Park with additional space for a bigger group, this roomy cabin (three bedrooms and three bathrooms, accommodating six) directly across the road from the park entrance may suit you well.

Truly, the location could not be better. It’s less than five minutes to the western entrance to the park and Apgar Visitor Center, and it’s within walking distance of a grocery outlet and some eateries.

You’ll have access to a spacious deck with a barbecue, a fully equipped kitchen, and a ping pong table. Massive windows in the dining room allow lots of natural light inside.

Staying near Hungry Horse and Coram

Distance from the Apgar Visitor Center: 15 minutes / 12 miles

This area presents a nice assortment of lodging choices ranging from a historic lodge to glamping to spacious cabins suitable for families and groups. And the location remains just a 15 minute drive from the Apgar Visitor Center and the shores of Lake McDonald!

This stretch offers the best balance of location and amenities, including some dining options, a supermarket, a Conoco gas station, and numerous bars, saloons, and a distillery as well!

The Ridge at Glacier

Brand new cabins! The Ridge at Glacier is located on an offshoot just outside of Highway 2, which takes you up onto the ridgeline where several cabins can be found with lovely views.

The cabins, available as either two or three bedroom versions, all include a kitchen fully equipped for cooking meals for your group (along with dishes and utensils) and a propane fireplace for those slightly chilly nights (there will likely be at least one during your time in Glacier).

Sky Eco Cabins

Sky Eco Cabins is home to some agreeable cabins along Highway 2 about 15 minutes from the entrance to Glacier National Park, granting easy access to Going-to-the-Sun Road. Cabins are relatively spacious, with a kitchen including a full size refrigerator and a small two burner stovetop and a microwave. Adequate to cook a few simple meals over the course of a couple of days of exploring.

They have four lodging units, and four studios (which essentially have the same amenities, but aren’t standalone).

Under Canvas Glacier

Under Canvas, which has featured in our lists for Zion, Moab, and the Grand Canyon, is going to be an interesting experience. It is, however, going to demand a substantial amount of money.

This offers glamping at its finest and most opulent – you’ll lodge in a canvas tent under a starry sky (with West Elm furniture included) and access the communal fire pit (perfect for S’MORES) and picnic spots and barbecues. Some tents include private bathrooms, some share facilities (single occupancy and lockable).

If you’re a couple, look at the treehouse, which looks fun. It’s a canvas tent elevated off the ground in, you guessed it, a tree.

If you are a family with children, they have options to have a separate, smaller kids tent with two twin beds set up next to the main tent. Which seems like the best way to go glamping with kids.

Keep in mind, because the tents at Glacier are canvas and the park gets very cold, the season is from mid-June through mid-September. If you visit Glacier in the shoulder season or offseason, you will need to stay elsewhere.

Historic Tamarack Lodge and Cabins

Though located a bit further from Glacier’s west entrance, Tamarack Lodge and Cabins is likely one of the best places to stay in this area. You’ll have your choice between lodge rooms, cabins, and motel-style rooms, offering a nice variety of options. Specifically, the cabins caught our attention.

All cabins have at least a microwave, coffee maker, and refrigerator, but the larger cabins have full kitchen amenities.

The lodging facilities are… rustic. Both the hotels and motels could likely benefit from renovations but will meet basic needs during your time exploring Glacier even if lacking in stylish design elements.

Vacation Rentals near West Glacier

If you prefer more space and seclusion, there are several excellent vacation rentals near the western entrance of the park. Here are four that caught our attention.

Near Glacier National Park (2 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms): This is actually in West Glacier, which is a great place. You’re within walking distance of grocery stores and other useful services, but you’d never know it given the cabin’s secluded feel.

The Glacier Guest House (2 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms): This cabin has plenty of indoor and outdoor space for a group of up to eight people once you factor in all the sofa beds. It sits on a full acre of land that will be all yours to enjoy. There is a fire pit and barbecue grill to occupy your evenings after exploring the magnificent park during the day. Click here for more details.

Recently Constructed Lodging Minutes From Glacier National Park(2 bedrooms / 1 bathroom): Recently built, modernized, and spacious, this location would make an excellent base. It’s about 15 minutes from the park entrance. There is no television or WiFi, so visitors will be able to entirely disconnect and immerse themselves in the natural beauty that Glacier has to showcase.

Separated lodging near Glacier Park (2 sleeping rooms, 1 lavatory): Only 10 minutes away from the entrance to the park, this lodging is carefully planned out and has two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and an enjoyable outdoor patio complete with fire pit and chairs to relax in. They offer wireless internet connectivity, but no cable television (so you`ll need to use your own streaming services if you require some entertainment).

Staying in Whitefish

Distance from the Apgar Visitor Center: 35 minutes / 28 miles

We enjoyed our time in Whitefish. It brings to mind places such as Bend, Oregon in how it clearly serves as a gateway to superb wilderness adventures yet establishes its own charm apart from the surrounding landscape. Upon our early arrival, we spent a relaxing day wandering around town. We particularly liked Wild Coffee, Sweet Peaks Ice Cream, and Montana Shirt Company, among other spots.

If you’re not too worried about driving a bit extra AND you care about being in a town with lots of spots to eat, drink, and shop after your day exploring, Whitefish is the place for you.

It`s worth acknowledging that most hotels in Whitefish are situated south of the community along the road connecting Whitefish to Kalispell. While not the ideal position, it remains only a brief ten minute walk or three minute drive from the town center. For lodging within a few blocks of the town`s core, the Firebrand Hotel presents the best choice. Elsewhere north of town on Whitefish Lake also provides inviting options to witness sunsets over the water from the shores, despite necessitating extra travel time to the park.”

Hotels in Whitefish

There are just a couple good hotel options in Ocean Beach – here are the three we find most suitable.

• Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge (Value Option): Best Westerns (and similarly Holiday Inns) near national parks usually offer decent value. This property is along the hotel strip, 10 minutes south of downtown. Note – prices multiply during summer season, so consider an off-peak visit?
• North Forty Resort(Cabins): This lodging isn’t exactly in Whitefish, it’s farther east towards the park, which could potentially be either beneficial or problematic. I’m really fond of their cabins though, which explains why they’re on the list. They have spacious rustic cabins of varying dimensions, ranging from one to three bedrooms, all with full kitchens and wood fired heaters.

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• Firebrand Hotel(Boutique & Stylish): The Firebrand Hotel is located in downtown Whitefish, and is considered by many to be the premier lodging in the area. As a boutique property, it offers a refined, modern aesthetic and level of quality befitting its location. Rates match the upscale design and convenience of being situated centrally. Guests can walk anywhere in the bustling downtown core. Onsite amenities include a restaurant, bar, and cafe, though the surrounding neighborhood boasts many dining and drinking establishments as well. Other perks are a rooftop terrace and pet-friendly policies.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of removing one`s ski boots at the end of the day and slipping into warm, cozy UGG boots. While fashion trends come and go, there is good reason these boots have maintained their popularity for so long. Nothing truly replaces them. UGG boots are offered in an assortment of male designs too.

Vacation Rentals in Whitefish

Whitefish also has quite a few temporary residences to rent, which are ideal for individuals who desire more space and access to a kitchen (which is essential when we’re traveling).

Here are three options that we liked:

• The Railway Loft (1 bedroom / 1 bathroom): Highly rated accommodation. The space includes a spacious one bedroom apartment with full kitchen, dining area, and living room. It is near the heart of downtown at only two blocks away.
• Stylish Downtown Condo with Prime Location (1 bedroom / 1 bathroom): Stylish and comfortable, this ground floor condo features a beautiful living space with an electric fireplace and a completely new full kitchen. It’s in the northwest corner of downtown Whitefish – close enough to walk to amenities but farther removed for some quiet.
• Port testing! We went to Graham’s, but there are a nearly unrestricted number of port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. Taylor’s and Espaço Porto Cruz are two other options that were recommended to us by locals.

Staying near Many Glacier

If wanting to stay near Many Glacier – which would absolutely be recommended – there are essentially two options. One can stay inside the park at one of the three lodging options run by the park, or stay outside the park near Duck Lake, which is around a 45 minute drive from the Many Glacier entrance.

Staying Inside the Park

The options within the park are excellent because you will be able to walk to every starting point or activity, which means you don’t have to worry as much about parking (which can be crazy in Glacier, particularly in Many Glacier).

However, analogous caveats regarding staying inside the park apply here – it`s not a great value regarding the quality of the rooms, and reservations well in advance will need to be made to possibly stay there.

There are three options inside the park: 

• Many Glacier Hotel: The most luxurious option of the three, this is one of the finest hotels inside a national park in my experience. It sits on the shore of Swiftcurrent Lake, and its views are stunning. Even if you don’t stay here, it’s certainly worth stopping by to grab a drink on the lake after a day of hiking. Plus, multiple trails – including the amazing Grinnell Glacier Trail – begin right from the hotel. They offer a range of rooms, such as “budget” rooms (still quite expensive) and some with lake views. It’s a luxury, but it may be worth it to you.
• Swiftcurrent Motor Vehicle Inn: Whereas the Many Glacier Hotel was built to attract wealthy clientele, I was entertained by the story behind the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn that I read on an indication outer the store there. Basically, it sums down to “should we offer somewhere for the not-dirty-rich population to lodge?” The spaces here aren’t precisely lavish… or roomy… but they’re in an outstanding place. They’re also reasonably affordable, which is usually difficult to uncover inside a national recreation area. Cabins don’t contain kitchens, so you will need to deliver a camping stove or something else to cook with outside, or design on eating at the Many Glacier Hotel.
• Many Glacier Campground: This camping area within Glacier National Park proved to be our favorite. Guests are advised to make reservations six months in advance for preferable sites along the river on the south side. On occasion, tent camping may be entirely prohibited at this location due to bear activity. While bears were not an issue during our stay, aggressive bears compelled my mother to depart early from her visit there three weeks later. CAMPERS ARE STRONGLY WARNED NOT TO LEAVE FOOD UNATTENDED, AS ONE BEAR LED TO ITS OWN DEMISE AFTER BECOMING ACCUSTOMED TO HUMAN FOOD.

Staying Outside the Park

Not much activity is found by exiting the park through its eastern entrance, but undoubtedly the best place to rest is near Duck Lake, located 45 minutes away. It features attractive cabins for rent, a pleasant campground or two, and truthfully does not offer many other suitable alternatives.

Duck Lake is the best location for lodging outside the east entrance (in fact, there are two entrances) of Glacier National Park, conveniently situated between the St. Mary entrance (providing access to Going-to-the-Sun Road) and the Many Glacier entrance.

Your best options are likely camping, or finding a nice lakeside cabin to rent.

A selection of lodging near Duck Lake deemed worthwhile are featured here.

• Duck Lake Campground: If you can’t get camping reservations inside Glacier National Park, this might be the best option outside of the eastern side of the park. It’s 23 miles away from the Many Glacier entrance, and 13 miles from the St. Mary Entrance.
• A-Frame Hiker’s Retreat(Studio): This cozy A-Frame is ideal for parties of one to two (or couples) traveling to Glacier because it offers everything you’ll need – including a kitchen – in a cozy cabin along the lake.
• The StoneHouse at Duck Lake(3 BR / 2 BA) : This rustically constructed cabin fitted for six is situated along the northwestern shore of Duck Lake. It has an elevated placement on a ridge overseeing the lake, permitting scenic perspectives of the encompassing mountains and plains. The cabin includes a fully equipped kitchen BUT INTERNET ACCESS IS NOT AVAILABLE if that factor is meaningful to you.
• Glacier Quarry(1 BR / 1 BA): While not stationed directly on Duck Lake, this lodging is merely a few brief moments away from the junction roads leading to Many Glacier, offering a wonderful location with limited alternatives nearby. Renovated recently with modern amenities, spectacular perspectives afforded by the deck, and state-of-the-art appliances within the complete kitchen.

Planning a trip to Glacier National Park? We’ve got some other travel guides to help you plan an incredible trip.

• A guide discussing how to spend three days exploring Glacier National Park through a detailed itinerary
• 10 amazing hiking trails in Glacier National Park worth adding to your list
• How to hike the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park
• Hiking the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park: A Detailed Trail Guide