Established Camping
Harding Lake State Recreation Area
About
State Park
The main campground, consisting of 78 vehicle and five walk-in sites, is located in a spruce/birch forest. Many vehicle sites are large enough to accommodate large motor homes or trailers. There is a limit of six people and two vehicles per campsite. Some sites are adjacent to others, allowing groups to park together. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Firewood can also be purchased at the campground. Please use existing fire rings and picnic tables. Sanitary dump station, free if camping at Harding, $5 fee if dumping without camping.
Additional camping space is now also available for self-contained units week days at the Lakefront day use area and additional camping for up to 10 camp units is available in the Camp Lot camping area, which is located close to the lake.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Group
- Cabins
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
Fantastic and Clean Campground, Great for Kids
Harding Lake State Recreation Area is a shady and scenic site about twenty minutes from North Pole. The lesser-known and elder cousin of the many water-themed state recreation areas that trace the Richardson Highway from Fairbanks to Delta Junction.
This large and accommodating campground boasts a boat launch into Harding Lake, a baseball field, a large group recreation area near the water, a self-guided nature trail, a trailer dump site, and unpotable bulk water--along with various bathrooms with trash receptacles.
Our family of 5 tent camped in May and had a fantastic weekend. The sandlot-reminiscent baseball field was a rare and magical find that suited our family's wiffleball addiction perfectly. It's like wandering through a moss grove and emerging into a boreal. baseball field. A subarctic Field of Dreams. I also hit two first-pitch homeruns off my 9 and 5 year old--which may or not be related to the magic of this field--but I choose to believe.
The spacious and thoughtfully-designed campground certainly feels beyond its prime--old, unserviceable water pumps (perhaps not yet operable for the season); aspen saplings dotting the baseball infield; and many downed spruces over the nature trail. The posted maps are a little outdated. However, the campground boasted some of the cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen, anywhere-with a very friendly on-site host who came by to chat and kept the facilities in pristine condition. The camping spots are well-placed along the loop to allow for varying degrees of privacy between sites.
Mosquitoes are everywhere in springtime Alaska--please let me know when you find a campground in a birch forest without them. That said, bring all the bug repellant and preventative measures you can muster. I was swarmed by a biblical cloud of man-eating Culicidae when we first pulled in--but they soon dispersed and only became annoying for intermittent periods.
Overall this was a magnificent campground, quiet and clean, with plenty for the kids to do. Fantastic and memorable experience.
- (9) View All
Incredible!
I go there every year for a couple months, pretty nice
Mosquitoville
This was a nice campground with a friendly couple hosting. The spaces were spaced out with privacy trees. I think we scored one of the best spots number 11. The mosquitoes were unbearable outside and in 73 degree weather you needed to be completely covered. The water was so high that the only water play area was the boat launch area. The kids still had a great time but I would check the water level before coming back. There is a dump station, water, and plenty of bathrooms throughout the campground. It is a party campground for water activities so expect noise well after 2am. There are no electric hookups. The closest store is about 10 minutes down the road and has your basic essentials. There are other lakes to visit within an hour radius which makes this a fun location. There is a baseball/soccer field on site which was a lot of fun for the children to run off so energy and it wasn’t very buggy. The water pump was turned off due to Covid19. There’s a water toys rental by the boat launch that offers paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards $25/2 hours or $35 for all day. They are only open Friday-Sunday or by appointment.
- (20) View All
Location
Harding Lake State Recreation Area is located in Alaska
Directions
From Fairbanks, take the Richardson Hwy South. Turn left onto Salcha Drive, turn left again onto Salcha Drive, this will take you right into the park. Campground located at Mile 321.4 Richardson Highway
Coordinates
64.43800033 N
146.882 W