Best Designated Camping in Alaska
Alaska – the most rugged of the 50 United States. Maybe it is just because it was born with such natural splendor that it has retained it for so long or maybe it’s just because it is separated from the bulk by Canada. Regardless, campers eager for crystal clear fresh air and thirsting for adventure will find what they seek in Alaska. Between hiking in forests so large one could lose their way and never find it again to climbing on ancient glaciers, Alaska is the last beacon for explorers.
Brushkana Campground
Denali National Park
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 22 sites | $12/night RVs allowed |
Running water Flush toilets Hot showers |
No Reservations Open year-round |
Park Brochure: Click here
Although campers may feel like a shaken martini when travelling up the Denali Highway to the campground, the breath-taking views and vast landscapes make it worthwhile. While small, Brushkana is one of Alaska’s more modern campgrounds. Visitors have access to all the amenities as well as to a decent hunk of the surrounding Denali National Park. Set up by the Brushkana Creek, some campers have the privilege of being right up on the water where river fish hook like they are a dime a dozen. Those who trace the creek’s waters will be led to berry patches where they have a chance of seeing some of Alaska’s more dangerous wildlife like bears, moose and foxes. For those that don’t want to potentially encounter a bear, they can head downstream where the creek becomes a rugged, rocky boulder field that is perfect for a day of climbing.
Since Alaska generally keeps their campground small, campers will have the same benefits that they will get in Brushkana, the sites are all gorgeously spaced and it’s likely they won’t see anyone until a ranger comes to collect the camping fee each morning.
Exit Glacier Campground
Kenai Fjords National Park
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 12 wilderness sites | Free No RVs allowed |
Running water Vault toilets No showers |
No Reservations Open year-round |
Website: Click here
Kenai Fjords National Park sits on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula where the last ice age lingers still. Nearly 40 glaciers flow through the park from Harding Icefield, the most famous attraction in Kenai Fjords. Wildlife thrives in the icy waters in the park, making it an excellent place to fish, but has also attracted a number of predators. The native Alutiiq people once relied on the fish stores in the area, but they have long since move on. Today, most visitors that don’t come to fish come to bear witness to the ever-shrinking glaciers, a very real testament to the changing climate.
Although Kenai Fjord National Park has some cabins, it only has one campground. Exit Glacier Campground is free to use, but lacks many modern amenities. However, those who manage to snag one of the twelve spots are rewarded with striking views around every corner. The campground is reasonably far from the glaciers, so visitors will be fairly warm in the summer. However, July and August is when the campground fills up early, so show up and claim a spot ahead of time.
Dyea Campground
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 22 sites | $10/night RVs allowed |
No water Pit toilets No showers |
No Reservations Open year-round |
Website: Click here
Originally, the prospect of gold brought people up here, but today something else draws folks up to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Visitors come to learn about the men and women who sold everything they had in the world in order to chase the prospect of striking it rich. Visitors can tour museums that commemorate their sacrifices, trek the very trails that gold fools used to walk and enjoy the remnants of historic boomtowns. While it is not home to some of the most striking wilderness in Alaska, the history of the region does its fair share to keep visitors entertained. The park is especially good for families as the younger set can learn all about the gold mining process in interactive exhibits.
The Dyea Campground is located nearby the park’s biggest hiking attraction, the Chilkoot Trail as well as the historic town of Dyea. While visitors can walk right in and camp almost anytime during the year, they should be aware that they do close in times of extreme snowfall. Set in thick forest, visitors will be protected from the wind, but alas, they will also be set away from all that Alaskan scenery.
Granite Creek Campground
Chugach National Forest
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 19 sites | $14 for campers RVs allowed |
Running water Vault toilets Hot showers |
No Reservations Open June through September |
Website: Click here
Granite Creek is captivating in its beauty. Surrounded by the Kenai Mountains in a valley of wildflowers and spruce, this little campground sits just one hour south of Anchorage and remains one of the few campgrounds that has been maintained for both tent and RV use without sacrificing any of its natural allure. Campers at Granite Creek are treated to campsites that are graciously spaced along its namesake. Granite Creek is less of a gently trickling little creek, though, and more of a roaring glacier-fed river. As the waters are a bit rougher in the creek, fishing in the area is considered so-so. However, many campers come to bike the paved trail along the highway and meander the banks of the creek to pick raspberries or get a chance to spot mountain goats, snowshoe hares and moose.
Brooks Camp
Katmai National Park
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| No designated sites, but rather, capacity for 60 in the designated area. | $6-$12 for campers RVs allowed |
Running water Vault toilets No showers |
Reservations available Open year-round |
Website: Click here
Katmai National Park was originally created to protect the volcanically ravaged region that surrounded Mount Katmai, called the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. However, from the devastation, green has long sprouted anew, but the area is still a hub of volcanic activity. While visitors may find sport hiking around Mount Katmai, the area is also famed for its lengthy 9,000 years of human history. Some preserved spots can still be found, but the bulk of Katmai’s history lies in its interpretive center. Fishermen in the park can enjoy Katmai’s extensive salmon stocks, but they will have to compete for it with a large brown bear population.
Brooks Camp Campground is the only developed camping area in Katmai National Park. Located less than a mile from Naknek Lake, visitors will have quick access to fishing and boating. Those concerned about the brown bears will be able to sleep safe known that from June through September (the peak season) an electric fence around the campground will be turned on to keep them at bay.
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