Map showing campground location near Badger, Alaska

Camper submitted image from River Park Campground

River Park Campground

Water enthusiasts can launch directly from River Park Campground's boat ramp into the Chena River system, with swimming areas and fishing access steps away from most campsites. This state-operated facility within the Chena River Lakes protected area operates seasonally from June through August, accommodating both RVs and tent campers across sites that vary from riverside locations to wooded spots set back from the water.

The campground maintains flush toilets, hand-pump drinking water, and covered gazebos alongside traditional amenities like picnic tables and fire pits with grates. Multiple reviewers note the facility stays well-maintained despite seasonal mosquito populations that can be substantial during peak summer months. Sites offer varying levels of privacy, with some positioned directly on the water while others sit across the access road. A designated beach area with rope boundaries provides supervised swimming, while volleyball nets and playground equipment serve families with children.

Dave G. reports "no encounters with wildlife except for the mosquitoes" during his July visit. The location serves as a practical base for exploring nearby attractions like Chena Hot Springs, roughly an hour's drive away. Campers seeking additional options can explore campgrounds around Badger or check out Chena Lake Recreation Area for comparison. The facility prohibits pets and offers both drive-in and walk-in site access.

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Location

Public Campground

River Park Campground is located in Alaska

Coordinates

64.79255897 N
147.19526047 W

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Connectivity

T-Mobile
No Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 3/29/26
AT&T5G
Good Coverage

Connectivity

T-Mobile
No Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 3/29/26
AT&T5G
Good Coverage

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

Trash
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Drinking Water
Toilets
Alcohol

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Visit Website

Drive Time

29 min from Fairbanks, AK

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5 Stars

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1 Star

4.5

out of 5

8 Reviews

Many campers appreciated the variety of well-maintained sites with complete amenities and excellent family facilities including beaches and playgrounds. Guests commonly noted the peaceful, wooded atmosphere despite the convenient Fairbanks location.

Reba C.

Scout

Reviewed May. 15, 2021

Peace and serenity

The location that we were at was so peaceful and serene. We enjoyed cooking out. The location is very convenient. We simply enjoyed the seclusion.

Month of VisitAugust

Jared T.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2019

Short proximity to Fairbanks

Wonderful campground if you are looking to get away from town but still in close proximity. Well maintained camping area, with options to camp on an island in the middle of the lake.

They offer boats and paddle boards for day use at a reasonable price! Fun to take the family for a day or a weekend.

Stacey C.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 28, 2018

Great wooded campground!

We've been here twice. Once in late August in 2014 and again in July 2016. We were delighted how this campground (in a city) feels like wilderness. In late Aug it was getting cooler and sparsely populated. In July, it was pretty crowded but the camp sites aren't right on top of each other and there is foliage around. The flush toilets, drinking water and picnic tables was great. It's close to supermarkets too.

While we only have good things to say about our stay in August, There were some shady people hanging around in July just kind of...lingering. There were 3 of us and all felt that our cars/tents were being scoped out occasionally. Perhaps that was the case, or perhaps we were just paranoid but throwing it out there so you all know that opportunists seem to be lurking about here.

Samantha M.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 22, 2018

Wooded area

I’m not sure if we planned the trip around the largest mosquito outbreak ever but this is the first time I wanted a head net! :) the bugs were terrible but the campsite wonderful. The campsites were private, plenty of site options, bathrooms conveniently located and water to play in near by. This campground had a roped off beach area where people played, lounges, kayak/canoe and spent all day. If we came again I would bring more beach appropriate items. The playground and bike/walking trails were great. The kids thought it was fun to watch the many tadpoles!

Month of VisitJune

Dave G.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 7, 2018

Only Issue was the mosquitoes; nothing but solace

Campground Review:

This was the first two nights of our 8 night Alaska trip. The campground is called Rosehip, but it's apart of the Chena River State Recreation Area. We arrived late (midnight) and were surprised that even a week before July 4th, that there were only 3 other campers at the campground (all RV's). The wooded areas are composed of mostly white birch which we took its bark when we saw downed trees. Birch bark is great for starting fires. The pit toilets are maintained and do not smell. For water, there are several pumps that you have operate yourself, but our only issue with it was the color of the water, which comes out a little yellow/orange. For two days, we used this site as a base camp to venture out to hiking (Angels Rock) and to Chena Hot Springs, which is about an hour away. Both are worth it. No encounters with wildlife except for the mosquitoes. This site is your typical state run facility and was clean, equipped, and cheap.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At Chena River State Recreation Area, I tested gear from Snapbuds.

The Snapbuds are magnetized clips that, when attached to your headphones, aim to make it easier to coil the headphones up and make them tangle-free. I give the Snapbuds a 2/5 for a couple of reasons:

The instructions were a little difficult to follow; it took me awhile to realize that there are two versions of the Snapbuds, but the instructions include both, and I only had the one kind.
When I attached the snapbuds to the headphones in the locations that were specified, I tried to clip the snapbuds together, but several of the clips wouldn't close; the tiny plastic wings that help close it permanently, would easily bend the other way, making it impossible to secure the clip. Out of the ten clips that come in one package, I could only attach 6. (see picture below)
After attaching as many of the clips that didn't break, I tested out the tangle-freeness of the product. I found that after attaching the buds together via their magnets, that the headphones still weren't effectively secured with the buds attached (see last picture).

I understand how this product works and in some cases, why it's needed, but the Snapbuds were shipped to me with the white Apple headphones. I've been using these headphones for several years now and really haven't had them tangle, even if I bunch them up in my hand and stuff them in my pocket. Perhaps the Snapbuds would be more effective on non-Apple headphones?

Month of VisitJune

(5) View All

anna C.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 21, 2018

Beautiful, quiet campground!

We camped here just this past week and it was wonderful. There are a variety of campsites, some large enough to accommodate an RV, as well as well-maintained restrooms, well-water, a dumpster, and every site had a picnic table and fire pit with grate. Some of the campsites are on the river and some are across the street from it, but there is access to the Clearwater river from the day use area for all visitors. The campsite is still close to town if you need supplies, about a 20 minute drive. This is now one of my favorite sites in the state. A quiet, beautiful spot to camp, engage in water sports, and fish.

Sara S.

Legend

Reviewed Jun. 30, 2016

busy but good campground

We wanted to experience a couple campsites in the area near Fairbanks and this was the most 'central' that we found to all the attractions in Fairbanks. It was busier than expected and the sites/bathrooms were typical of a state park. Lots of unique things to do in the park. This is a place I would recommend if you just wanted to have a bit of nature while exploring the city and surrounding attractions, not an 'out in the wild experience.'

Kathy P.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 16, 2016

Chena River Wayside

The Chena runs for a very long way through AK and there are several campgrounds near this river. This particular campground is centrally located in Fairbanks and has everything you need. Toilets, water, camp sites, covered gazebos, volleyball nets and even a boat launch. It is a great place for an overnight stay or a quick trip with the kids.