Two Med campground July 17?

[Tara]

another campsite issue...is anyone going to be camping at Two Med on the 17th? We'd like to stay there that night but will be coming from Great Falls after hitting the Russell Museum and Lewis & Clark center so it will probably be evening by the time we'd get there. Is anyone going to be there who would be able to grab a site for us? We'll be heading out early a.m. the next day to head to Dave's house!
Please email me...thanks!
Tara

[Hockey Ref]

New Glacier job description:

Campsite-sitter. Must have proven track record of success in securing best possible sites, plus own transportation and camp chair. Hourly wage of $15, plus beer, or $20 per hour, plus beer, if forced to sit in rain or snow. Bonus payment if forced to share selected campsite with hungry grizzly. Send resume and three recommendations from previous clients to Tara if interested. Serious inquiries only. No phone calls, please.

[Tara]

Sure, I'd agree to that
I've done this for people before and thought it was worth checking out. Getting stranded at 7 pm with hungry and tired kids and no campsite available isn't fun. I could stay in East Glacier with a reservation at one of the motels, but we strongly prefer Two Med campground, and since you can't reserve sites, this is the next best thing!

[Kathy]

That's one of the many things I LOVE 'bout this on-line community....everyone helps each other out! And if you need help.....just post it up! That's actually how I got to meet Heff and Miss G and sj last year...shuttling cars. And now....they're good friends! - Who could ask for more?!?!?!

Seriously, Tara......if no one else is in the Two Med area and can do it, I bet me and my newbie could swing by and get one for ya.

[J.Peter]

Tara,
I also love to stay at Two Medicine because it is so neat - However ?
If I were adventuresome ( and I am ) and If I were traveling from Great Falls and going thru Choteau and I was looking for an always available car campsite I would seriously consider spending that one night at a place called Cave Mountain Campground. That particular campground is nothing special but it is in the center - sort of - of the general area where I think you might consider going. If you have never been over into the Front near the Bob Marshall Wilderness area then you might take this opportunity to do just that. It is not the same as Two Medicine - but it is cool back in there. You will be "ALMOST" driving right past it anyway! Just driving the whole length of Canyon road is very cool - especially up in the mountains.

To get where I am talking about you go north thru Choteau about 3 miles. Then you take a road called Canyon Rd which goes west into the mountains. You keep going about 20 miles and you will get there. It is rustic camping and you do not have to use a designated campsite - you can camp anywhere - this is our preferreed method. . Once you get back in there - you will love that whole place. There are spots where you can sneak off by yourself and spend the night on the river bank - where the folks who go hunting camp.

If you need more info let me know and I will help. My wife and I drive out to Montana and we always spend a few days in Choteau and explore the Bob and the other areas of the Front.

Look at your Montana Gazetteer - but I have better maps if you are interested in exploring other options near Glacier.

Thanks for helping make the chat site so enjoyable.

[Tara]

Hi J.Peter-
Thanks for the input! We love the Choteau area but last year arrived just after the fires so couldn't do any hiking. We've actually driven that road but not quite to the campground... What would the road be like pulling a popup camper, the last stretch? We went just past the Old North Trail sign and turnoff for Pine Butte. One of these years I want to come back and spend some significant time along the east side of the front...I have the hiking guide and want to do some of those trails!

[Ear Mountain]

Tara,
The Teton canyon Road becomes gravel just past the Old Trail sign. It is a little rough for a while but get better once you cross over to Forest Service Land. You can easily pull a popup camper to the Cave Mountain Campground. You would probably want to camp there with the kids since there is a pump for water and a vault toilet. The sites are pleasant and mostly in the woods right next to the river. The river bed is wide open and there is very nice scenery. Here's a shot I happened to have taken yesterday (Friday May 23rd) from the bridge over the North Fork of the Teton on the road to the campground. Hopefully in July the clouds will have lifted and the snow will have melted.

[Ear Mountain]

There is another tiny camp ground area further up the road called Elko but it might be tough to turn the vehicle and trailer around there. It is small. The West Fork campground at the end of the road will probably be closed this summer due to the fires last year. We are not sure of that.

There is another interesting place to camp much closer to Hwy. 89. That is at Eureka Lake. It can be windy there but there are several camp sites on the lake each with a picnic table. No water so fill up a jug in Choteau. Eureka Lake is on the Teton Canyon Road a couple of miles west of US 89. Turn into the FWP site just past the Mountain View Estates sign. That spot offers great views of the mountain front.

The lake drops pretty low in late summer because it is used for irrigation but in mid July there is usually plenty of water.

[Tara]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! I am thinking we really need to camp up there. We were so intrigued by the area last year. We actually did stop at Eureka for the bathrooms and the lake was pretty low...saw some cool birds though, and LOTS of deer on that road. No, I don't want to attempt to have to turn around a trailer in a small area so we will camp at the main campground and maybe just take a drive up to the other one. Thanks again for the inspiration...I was thinking we'd be skipping a stop near Choteau this year but you've convinced me

[Ear Mountain]

...saw some cool birds though, and LOTS of deer on that road.

Nancy and I are not deer hunters but we have killed 4 deer in the last three years with our vehicles. Drive carefully in the Choteau area so the deer don't put a dent in your vacation not to mention your vehicles and wallets.

[mattB]

You can't judge from year to year, so it would be a bit risky, but last year TwoMedicine campground only filled up 6 days in July, so odds are on a Thursday you would have a pretty good chance of some spots being available.
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/c ... 20Medicine

2006 was a little worse, but only ONE Thursday night was filled. 2005 had 8 nights filled, but every Thursday night in July was open. Historically, the Thursday night nearest the 17th has only been filled at Two Medicine twice in the last 7 years.
So, do you feel lucky!

I love the GNP web site's campground status page, I really find it useful! I sure wished other national parks would do something similar.
They even have a five year average display. The 17th of July has NEVER filled at Two Medicine in the last 5 years.

[Ear Mountain]

Last year (2007) the southern part of Glacier was especially smoke filled. US 2 was closed for a number of days as the big Skyland Fire burned to the west and south. I can't remember all the dates in 2007 that East Glacier was impacted by this fire but I suspect that the Two Medicine areas was quieter than usual for that time of year.