Photo Credit: Sandy Wilson

Chugach National Forest RV Parks & Campgrounds

Camping is a great way to experience the Chugach National Forest, and you’ll find several RV parks and campgrounds to choose from. These well-maintained locations will provide you with an “in the woods” experience and privacy from other campers.

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Chugach National Forest

With 60 sites on paved loops, Willi­waw is suit­able for large motorhomes and offers great access to the Trail of Blue Ice — a non-motor­ized mul­ti-use trail that tra­vers­es the val­ley floor. Also near­by bik­ing, salmon view­ing, hikes, and glac­i­er viewing.

Quartz Creek camp­ground is sit­u­at­ed on the banks of sparkling Kenai Lake. This is a great spot to cool off on a hot day. Kenai Lake has a good sandy swim­ming beach and a trail that fol­lows along near­by Quartz Creek. Cast your line for some awe­some fly-fish­ing at the creek or look for the near­by horse sta­ble for a scenic ride. 

Set in a hand­some birch for­est over­look­ing Tur­na­gain Arm, this camp­ground in Chugach Nation­al For­est close to the his­toric vil­lage of Hope is a fam­i­ly clas­sic. The 34 sites offer all the usu­al ameni­ties (pic­nic table, camp­fire ring, out­hous­es, water pump) and are laid out with an eye toward pri­va­cy. Just 81 miles from Anchorage.

Bik­ing, fish view­ing, a nat­ur­al his­to­ry cen­ter and a flat hike to a glac­i­er are with­in easy reach of this qui­et, inti­mate camp­ground in Portage Val­ley at the head of Tur­na­gain Arm in the Chugach Nation­al For­est. The 12 sites in the grav­eled, wood­ed Black Bear are yards from the Trail of Blue Ice — a non-motor­ized mul­ti-use trail that tra­vers­es the val­ley floor.

Cas­cade Bay Camp­site, in Eaglek Bay, Prince William Sound, is a remote, tent-only site man­aged by the U.S. For­est Ser­vice. Acces­si­ble only by boat, it offers 3 prim­i­tive camp­sites amid spruce and hem­lock with a water­fall back­drop. Ide­al for soli­tude, it’s per­fect for kayak­ing, fish­ing, and spot­ting marine wildlife like seals and whales in untouched wilderness.

If you want to camp beside sub­alpine Upper Sum­mit Lake close to trum­peter swans and fish­ing for rain­bows, take the fam­i­ly to this camp­ground deep in the Kenai Moun­tains off Mile 46 of the Seward High­way. The 35 sites are spread along a loop in the alder, wil­low and spruce woods on the hill­side above the lake, with clear-run­ning Ten­der­foot Creek pass­ing through 

Bertha Creek Camp­ground is a great choice for a low-key cam­pout in a recre­ation­al gold-pan­ning area on a qui­et loop where the kids won’t get lost. Locat­ed just south of Tur­na­gain Pass in the Kenai Moun­tains about 65 miles south of Anchor­age, the camp­ground is tucked into an open for­est beside the con­flu­ence of Bertha and Gran­ite creeks at the base of steep mountains.

16 sites in a wood­ed set­ting. There’s a fam­i­ly friend­ly trail that leads to Ptarmi­gan Lake. It’s a sev­en mile round trip and you’ll see sheep and goats along the way. There’s also good trout and Dol­ly Var­den fish­ing, so bring your gear.

Childs Glac­i­er Camp­site in Chugach Nation­al For­est offers 11 remote tent sites near the Cop­per Riv­er and Childs Glac­i­er, acces­si­ble only by boat or air from Cor­do­va. Sur­round­ed by alder and cot­ton­woods, it fea­tures a view­ing plat­form and pavil­ion. This wilder­ness retreat is per­fect for fish­ing salmon, hik­ing to the glac­i­er, and spot­ting wildlife like moose and bears along Alaska’s rugged Gulf coast.

2 camp­sites. bear resis­tant lock­er and fire rings. Sit­u­at­ed on the north shore of Upper Russ­ian Lake with views of lake and moun­tain skyline.

Few ameni­ties. Near sev­er­al small lakes.

Mile 5.86 Russ­ian Lakes Trail. In the for­est with few amenities.

Bear-resis­tant lock­er and camp­fire ring. Less than a mile from Aspen Flats Cabin.

Close to Bar­ber Cab­in, with bear-resis­tant lock­er, camp­fire ring and out­house access.

Bear-resis­tant lock­er and fire ring. Less than two miles from the east trail­head near Coop­er Lake.

Ptarmi­gan Lake Camp­site sits near Mile 23.1 of the Seward High­way along Ptarmi­gan Creek, offer­ing 16 tent-only sites in Alaska’s Chugach Nation­al For­est, a 2‑mile hike from the trail­head. Man­aged by the U.S. For­est Ser­vice, it’s sur­round­ed by spruce and moun­tains with access to Ptarmi­gan Lake, fea­tur­ing a vault toi­let and fire rings for a wilder­ness stay.

Locat­ed near Russ­ian Riv­er Falls. Bear resis­tant lock­er and camp­fire ring.

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