Park aims for quality wilderness experience

While more than 2 million people typically visit Glacier National Park, just a small fraction of them spend a night in the backcountry.

But a even a small fraction of 2 million amounts to a sizable number. The Park’s backcountry camps see 28,000 to 30,000 campers each year, and half of them stay at just 20 of the Park’s most popular campgrounds. Ten of the most heavily used backcountry camps account for nearly 30 percent of all camper-nights.

Even with that amount of use, the backcountry remains in good condition, wilderness ranger Kyle Johnson said.

“For the most part, it’s in pretty good shape,” he said.

Part of the reason for that is the Park’s permit system. Backcountry visitors can’t just camp anywhere — they must have a permit and stay in designated sites. The campgrounds have tent sites, a pit toilet, poles or wires to hang food away from bears, and a food preparation and camp fire area, if a fire is allowed.

First-time campers seeking a permit must watch an educational video on camping basics, food storage and safety concerns designed to minimize conflicts between visitors and black bears or grizzly bears. They also get plenty of sage advice from the staff at the backcountry office.

The Park has tweaked its food storage policies and procedures over the years. Campers now are told to hang their food, water and fuel bottles before setting up camp. That change is intended to minimize food odors in camp sites, Johnson said.

Each year, Johnson compiles a State of the Backcountry report that tracks the most popular camps and usage trends. If rangers see impacts at a campground, such as social trails or an increase in the campground’s overall footprint, they’ll gather native plant seeds and cuttings from near the campground and revegetate impacted areas the following year.

There have been other improvements. The most popular camp in 2012, at the foot of Elizabeth Lake, with 1,228 camper nights, was surrounded by trees that were home to nocturnal flying squirrels. The squirrels climbed down the food-hanging wires and chewed through food bags.

At first, Park rangers tried buckets hung from ropes. Campers put their food in the buckets and hauled them up. The buckets, however, were considered unsightly. A few years ago, the Park went to bear-resistant food lockers with a latch bears can’t operate. The new system has been well received, and the lockers protect food bags from the weather.

Backcountry camping is by far the least expensive lodging in Glacier Park. Permits cost $5 per night per adult from June 1 through Sept. 30 and $2.50 per night for children ages 9 through 16. Kids under 8 are free. Advanced reservations cost $30 more. Of the 30,081 visitors who camped in the Park last year, 1,892 used advanced reservations.

By the numbers

The top-10 most visited backcountry camp sites in Glacier National Park in 2012 and the number of camper nights per site:

1 Elizabeth Lake foot, 1,228

2 Gunsight Lake, 1,334

3 Bowman Lake, 1,171

4 Cosley Lake, 992

5 Gable Creek, 962

6 Kintla Lake head, 864

7 Elizabeth Lake head, 803

8 Oldman Lake, 787

9 Glenns Lake, foot, 752

10 Atlantic Creek, 743

The top-10 least visited sites in 2012:

1 Lower Nyack, 50

2 Round Prairie 58

3 Camas Lake, 61

4 Coal Creek, 62

5 Akokala Lake, 67

6 Harrison Lake, 71

7 Waterton River, 75

8 Upper Park Creek, 77

9 Adair, 77

10 Beaver Woman Lake, 88