11 Best Campsites in Alaska

There is little to compare to the memories of camping with your family as a kid, roasting s’mores as someone told a story, biking or hiking around the campgrounds, or fishing and swimming at the lake, streams, and rivers while camping. As an adult, you owe it to your kids and yourself to continue the tradition and what better place to make memories at, better than Alaska!

Alaska is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth. Left mostly in its natural state with huge protected areas, Alaska is one of the best places for a camping trip. Come here and enjoy some of the most dramatic views you have ever seen, beautiful lakes, rivers and interact with a variety of wild animals.

If you are considering a camping trip, and Alaska happens to be the place you have decided on, then here are some of the best campsites you can visit.

Let’s check them out!

1. Brushkana Creek and Campground

The Brushkana Campsite comes with at least 22 camping spots throughout the campground. They are well spaced out to provide some much-needed peace and quiet. The Brushkana Campgrounds also come with great access to the gavel bars, which are well laid out on the clear running creek plus the grayling.

The campsite comes with a couple of trails suitable for hiking or biking. However, during summer, the trail may be a bit buggy and a turn-off.

The best part about the Brushkana Creek Campground is the crystal-clear waters that run through the campsite. The water comes in a sort of noisy riffles and pools due to the cobble and gravel bed. It narrows after some of the steep banks down the stream and provides one of the best places to go fishing while in Arizona.

You can fish for some grayling with dry flies, with further fly-fishing opportunities in the Seattle and Canyon Creeks.

Some of the amenities you can expect to find at the campsites will be a couple of wheelchairs, fires, electricity, and toilets. It is also affordable, as prices start from $12.

Come over, have a fun weekend by the river, and remember what it means to live with nature.

2. Quartz Creek Campground

The Quarts Creek Compound is located on the stunning Kenai Lake banks, a great place for a cool-off on one of the hotter days. The lake is beautiful with sandy shores resembling beaches and beautiful trails all through the campsite.

Apart from Kenai Lake, the landscape provides a stunning view worth a stopover and a snapshot from your camera.

There are many fun activities to do while at the campsite, including boating, hiking, and fishing. The area is placed at around 500 feet, flat with a couple of trees on the area. Access to the campsite is all year round, plus you do not need any reservations, meaning you can pay at the campsite’s reception.

The campsite comes with at least 45 camping spots, all well-spaced enough to provide you with the privacy you need. However, there are no pull-thru sites at the campground. You will find plenty of water, electricity and decent toilets at the campsite.

The Creek is famous for its salmon and provides at least 20% of the Sockeye Salmon. Fishing enthusiasts can come camping here and enjoy some fly fishing.

3. Chena Rivers Lakes Campgrounds

Chena River Lakes Campground is one of those all-season campgrounds that can be accessed all year round. The campground is at least 397 miles long and comes with alpines, forests, and rivers, making the campgrounds all the more stunning.

The Chena River Lake Campground has something for everyone. You can get anything from rock climbing on the Granite Tors to riding a 4-wheeler on the forest trail. This may explain why more than 100,000 people visit the camp annually.

There are three well-developed campgrounds at Chena Rivers Park, including Rosehip Campground, Tors Trail, and the Red Squirrel Campground.

For the Chena River, several activities happen there including kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and swimming.

Wildlife is in abundance at the park, with moose casually grazing, sloughs and beavers. It is worth noting that grizzly bears also call this place home, and although they are barely seen, you will need to keep safe and be careful to avoid any meeting with a grizzly.

4. Eagle River Campground

Have you ever thought of watching a bald eagle, the American symbol? Take a trip to the Eagle River Campground. Apart from bald eagles, the campsite also has a river perfect for fishing, with some rapids would make a great kayaking place.

The park has around 50 campsites which can all be found along three lanes on the campground located off the Hiland Road exit on the Glen Highway. The campgrounds are run and operated by the Concessionaire Lifetime Adventures, and is open to both RV’s and campers, and is one of the few State Campgrounds that comes with a dump station.

Another great thing about the Eagle River Campground is that it is located within an urban area, meaning you don’t have to leave the town to experience the wilderness.

Apart from fishing and looking out for a bald eagle or two, you can also do a couple of other things while at the campground, including hiking, biking, or even rent a campsite at a secluded place in the woods.  For hikers and bikers, you get to enjoy a trail along the river connected to another trail that is meant for skiing during winter.

5. Bird Creek Campground

Bird Creek Campground is located on the Seaward Highway around Mile 101. The campsite comes with at least 20 camping spots, with the capability for accommodating both RV’s and campers. The camp has seen a remodel in recent years, making it even airier and opening it even more to the stunning views.

There are so many activities you can indulge in while at the campsite. For one, bird lovers take the bike trail, which offers a view of the Turn again Arm Winds, and connects it to the Indian Bird Point Wayside and Girdwood. 

Campers can also explore the forest, which comes with several trails.  You can also visit the Fish Bird Creek, a popular area for fishing, try your luck at getting a salmon, or go for a swim while you are at it.

You will also get all the necessary amenities at the campsite to ensure you feel at home. This will include electricity, water, and bathroom facilities. 

6. Eklutna Lake Campground

Take your family out for a camping trip on one of the best campsites in the State of Alaska, with some of the most beautiful views you have ever laid your eyes on. You will also get access to Pristine Lake and the cool rustic spillway belonging to an old dam and explore the mountain wilderness.

Bike through the lakeside trail, which is well laid out and safe for riders of all skill levels. It is a great place to introduce the kids to mountain biking, with the perfect destination at a beach located in Yuditna Creek. 

You can go boating on the lake, rent a canoe or a kayak and enjoy floating on some of the clearest waters you have ever seen.

The campground also has at least 50 sites, eight overflow sites, and all the basic amenities, including water, bathrooms, and electricity.

Campers looking to avoid a tent and do not have an RV can rent out a cabin either on the lake or the campgrounds. If you are looking to be secluded, you can rent out a backcountry hut and settle in the wilderness as you test out your survivor skills.

7. Black Bear Campground

The Black Bear Campground comes with several impressive features, including hanging glaciers and snowy massif connecting Mainland Alaska to the Kenai Peninsula. On top of the amazing features you get to interact with; there are several activities available for the whole family, including hiking, biking, and a center for natural history.

For the more adventurous camper, you can try hiking the Byron Glacier Trail, where ice worms may surface at night. This is also a significant historical area dating back to when natives and gold rush chasers used it.

Some of the activities you can participate in while at the Black Bear include viewing wildlife. You can do this at the Williwaw Fish Viewing Platform, where you can watch spawning salmon between mid and late summer. You can also come across some moose, Dall sheep, and bears as you hike the mountainside.

You will also get all the necessary amenities, including electricity, water, and bathroom facilities. There are bigger sites that can take more people per campsite and are available for $14 a night without reservations.

8. Bertha Creek Campground

The Bertha Creek Campground is located in an open forest at the steep mountains’ base just beside the Bertha and Granite confluences. It is a great place for some under-the-radar camping trip, in an intimate area where the kids will be safe, without the need for too much monitoring.

The Black Bear Campground has a past as a gold mining area, and past mining ditches are still available. Campers are still allowed to try their hand at looking for gold, with recreational miners a common sight at the campsite. 

The campsite also comes with berries which are available for picking by visitors to the campgrounds. You can go hiking on the Turn again Pass, which is popular for blueberries, which you can eat as you hike along the trail.

There are also bike trails at the park, perfectly safe for the whole family. Take a ride on the paved trail, which stretches from the Johnson Pass through the Granite Creeks to the Wayside at the Hop Cutoff.

You will also get picnic tables, fire rings for the night bonfires, toilets, water pumps, dumpsters, and electricity.

9. South Rolly Lake Campground

The Rolly Lake Campground has that feeling of the end of civilization and the beginning of the wild. On your back, as you face the lake, is the endpoint of the road, while to your front is the never-ending landscape of forests and the Alaskan wilderness.

The campsite comes with around 90 camping spots, all located in a densely treed area that offers the perfect amount of shade and privacy perfect for a camping trip. Water, electricity, and bathrooms will be available, plus picnic tables and fire rings.

The whole campground is around 100 acres in size, meaning there is plenty of space to explore. There are hiking and biking trails that will see you enjoy the scenery and get a chance at viewing wild animals along the trail. There are several beavers, water birds, and moose.

The Rolly Lake Campground comes with a nice beach where the kids can build some sandcastles and dock for fishing. The lake allows for swimming, boating, and more.

To get to the campsite, get to mile 67.5 of the Parks Highway, and follow the Nancy Lake Parkway to the end.

10. Tenderfoot Creek Campground

The Tenderfoot Creek Campground comes with around 30 camping spots; all spread out in a loop in the Alder. The campsite is deep in the Kenai Mountains with spruce woods and willow on the mountainside, creating a beautiful landscape.

The campsite sits on a 258-acre piece of land and provides a habitat for various animals. There is also a clear lake, biking, and hiking trails a mile away at the Lower Summit Lake, which provides access to Mills Creek Mine Road.

Some of the best things to do while at the Tenderfoot Creek Campground include fishing, swimming, biking, boating, and hiking. The lake was stocked with trout back in the sixties and currently has many Trout Salmon and Dolly Varden. 

All the basic amenities, including electricity, toilets, and water, will be available for campers. 

Some of the animals you can expect to come across as you camp or hike in the trails include swans, loons, beavers, and a bald eagle.

11. Porcupine Campground

The Porcupine Playground is a special place. Apart from the scenic sites and beautiful landscape, it is near the historic Hope village, giving it an educative aspect over the scenery and myriad of activities. There are around 30 camping spots, with plenty of water, electricity, and toilets.

The village of hope is rich in history and one of the best fishing spots in the campground.  The village of hope was built during the gold rush and had one of the oldest structures. The area also has log cabins in case the campground is full.

The campground is capable of accommodating both RV’s and tents 

Conclusion

No matter where you end up, ensure your pick is the best choice for you and has something for everyone, depending on who you take the trip with. There are more campsites available in Alaska, with most Cities and areas with scenic features offering a chance for avid campers to pitch a tent and explore.

Always check out the website for the particular campsite you want to visit, as they may have some specific rules for visitors, including reservations versus paying on site. 

If all is good, take a trip to Alaska and enjoy the landscape and stunning beauty, sure to be a part of memory for a long time to come.

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