Head of Bowman Lake Campground

This wonderful backcountry campsite is a great place to set up for a night or two in Glacier National Park’s backcountry.  It is a 7.2-mile hike to the site along the shore of Bowman Lake from the parking lot at the west end of the lake. There is relatively no elevation gain or loss along the hike to the campsite from the trailhead. The site has six tent sites with a maximum of four people per site. There is a rail for tying up stock, a food preparation area, a food storage area, a campfire pit, and a sheltered pit toilet.  

The campground is right on Bowman Lake, so there is plenty of access to water, and it is easy to find a place to filter. Numa Creek flows into Bowman Lake and spits two tent sites off from the rest of camp. These two are ideal for the backpacker who doesn't mind the sound of the creek to fall asleep to at night, and they also have a view of the lake from the sites. There are three more sites to the east of the campfire pit that are secluded and have lake access across from the tent site. The final site is in a wooded area with no view of the lake.  

Overall, it is an excellent place to stop for the night, and arriving at a decent time will allow you the ability to pick a site. You must have a permit to camp, and it is not uncommon for all six sites to be reserved. However, individual site selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.