Group
RV Sites
Tent Sites
Fires Allowed
Pets Allowed
Drinking Water
About Williwaw Campground
Williwaw Campground, an idyllic area, sits beside Williwaw Creek near the town of Girdwood, Alaska. The campground boasts prime fishing, hiking and wildlife watching all within the Portage Valley.
Next to the campground is the Williwaw Salmon Viewing Area, a top-notch spot for salmon viewing. In August, visitors can see these fish spawning in impressive numbers through the translucent waters.
The area is a great place to view numerous glaciated valleys and the Portage Glacier. Over the past 80 years, the glacier calved large icebergs into Portage Lake, located just east of the campground.
Recreation
Wildlife viewing includes moose, brown and black bears, mountain goats, lynx, bald eagles and wolves.
The Williwaw Nature Trail can be reached from the campground. It heads to the Williwaw Fish Viewing Platform, passes under the highway bridge and follows Williwaw Creek to a series of ponds.
The trail then connects to the Trail of Blue Ice, which accesses the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. The Trail of Blue Ice is also popular among mountain bikers.
Facilities
Drinking water from hand pumps, vault toilets, picnic tables and a parking area are provided at Williwaw Campground. Campsites are nicely separated, but no electric hookups are available.
Natural Features
The campground sits in the Portage Valley of the eastern Kenai Peninsula in the Chugach National Forest. The Forest, spanning 5,361,803 acres is comprised of arid tundra wilderness, jagged mountains, deep fjords and glacier-fed rivers that surround the Prince William Sound.
Nearby Attractions
Consider visiting the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier, the town of Whittier and Byron Glacier.
ADA Access: N
Sites
52
Price
$18.00 - $28.00
Operator
National Forest
Access
Drive In
Features
ADA Accessible
Alcohol Allowed
Drinking Water
Fires Allowed
Firewood Available
Pets Allowed
Picnic Table
Reservable
Toilets
Trash Available
Contact
Location
Williwaw Campground is located in Alaska
Directions
From Anchorage go 55 miles south on Seward highway to Portage Glacier Road (milepost 78.9). The campground is located at mile 4.1 of the Portage Glacier Road.
8 Reviews of Williwaw Campground
Portage Valley Beauty Surrounds
Always full each weekend of summer so get here early or better yet make a reservation. There are pull through, back in and standard sights close to the river with easy access to the Trail of Blue Ice. Only downside is that where there is lots of privacy with full brush and trees between sights it in turn makes spotting a bear hard and there is a lit of bear activity here. No hookups but beautiful.
Must Stay in Chugach National Forest
Williwaw Campground near Portage Glacier is a must stay for those visiting Chugach National Forest. Located central to several hiking trails, salmon viewing, and 1.5mi from the visitor center. This campground offers large sites for RVs and tents alike. Picnic tables and fantastic fire pits at every site. Vault toilets and potable water available, as well as, electric hook ups for RVs. We are looking forward to staying here again soon!
Amazing
This is a hidden gem!! It has completely paved roads. Each site is paved and very large. There are some pull throughs. It is super quiet and very well maintained. Unbelievable for $18. a night.
Kids biking paradise
We have stayed at Williwaw many times and we really enjoy biking the trail to the visitor center and along the salmon stream. My kids learned to bike without training wheels on the paved loops in the campground. We also di a family ride to the the Byron Glacier trailhead and hiked 1 mile to see the glacier up close and personal.
Portage Area
We camped near this campground but not in the actual marked campground. The area was gorgeous, the creek had fish and we had tons of fun roasting s'mores :)
#1 in Portage
Williwaw is my favorite campground in Portage. You're right at the base of the mountain and the scenery is beautiful. It's huge (59 sites) and a great place to camp with kids. The road and driveways are paved, so it's easy walking and biking throughout the campground. Lots of trees and bushes between sites. We saw quite a few pull-through spots for motorhomes/campers and multiple vehicles.
Camp host is the first site on the right as you enter the campground. There are two one-way loops with sites on each side. The first loop on the right featured walking access to the Williwaw Salmon Viewing Area (salmon are running later in the summer). Toilets, fire rings and picnic tables are available. Take a day trip to Alyeska Resort to hike around or eat goodies at the Bake Shop, or to the Wildlife Conservation Center for big animal viewing. Check out the Begich-Boggs Visitors Center to learn all about glaciers, local wildlife and history of the Portage area. Head through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whittier (fee applies) and take in a day cruise or fishing trip.
Beautiful Campground tucked away from the busy world
In the summer, this campground books up fast so make reservations to guarantee your spot! It is a beautiful campground with a great glacier view from the campground and nice hiking trails. You are close to Portage Glacier and Whittier. The sites are nice and shaded with good separation between them. Great place to camp.
A quick stop at the glaciers
We were only there for a few days, but wow! The things to do near the Williwaw Camground is perfect for a few days! Fishing, hiking, and seeing the glaciers are just a few. We enjoyed our stay very much and also met other happy travelers.
