Apgar Group Sites

Apgar Campground is situated on the southern tip of Lake McDonald in beautiful Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes are found throughout the park. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for hikers seeking wilderness and solitude, and it provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in the natural beauty of the park. Lake McDonald provides great opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing and fishing in its cold mountain waters, and a variety of fish are found in the lake, including cutthroat, rainbow, bull and lake trout, whitefish and Kokanee salmon. The campground is conveniently close to many trailheads for day hikes, including Apgar Lookout Trail, a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail leading up to a fire lookout with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald. The Apgar Bike Path, a paved 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail popular for walking and biking, leads to the nearby Apgar Visitor Center and Village, where horseback rides, boat rentals, shuttle service and Red Bus Tours can be arranged. One of the most amazing highlights of the park is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which travels past the campground; this engineering marvel spans 50 miles (80 km) through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana. Apgar is the largest campground in Glacier National Park and offers 5 group sites that accommodate 9-24 people each. Amenities within the campground include flush toilets and drinking water; picnic tables and fire rings are provided, and a campground host is on-site. Ranger programs are held nightly at the amphitheater, and Lake McDonald is just a short stroll away. Apgar Village is minutes away, offering a visitor center, gift shops, a general store and a casual restaurant. Apgar sits in a dense forest on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1067 m), an area that generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 degrees, although it is frequently 10 to 15 degrees cooler at higher elevations, and weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer — visitors should come prepared for anything. 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, and over 270 species of birds visit or reside here, including such varied species as Harlequin ducks, Dippers and Golden eagles. 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, it offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton.