Escape into nature and disconnect from daily life with glamping near Anchorage. The Dyrt lets you enjoy a unique, rustic Anchorage experience while glamping. These scenic and easy to access Alaska glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
Eagle River campground is located along the beautiful Eagle River. The campground has 57 sites with picnic tables, fire pits, water, latrines, flush toilets and dump station. Overflow camping area of 10 sites, and a Campground Host. Downtown Eagle River is a short 5 minutes from the campground and has all the amenities of a small town. ★ ADA Facility - Yes ★ 57 Campsites (see fee page) ★ No RV size limit ★ Camping Limit - 4 nights ★ Daily Parking Fee - (see fee page) ★ Toilets - ♿ ★ Water - ♿ ★ Picnic Sites ★ Picnic Shelter (1) ★ Sanitary Dump Station
$5 - $100 / night
$85 / night
$25 / night
$10 - $30 / night
Big Bear is now a KOA Journey!
Conveniently located close to all the amenities you need while offering pristine Alaska wilderness views, Palmer/Anchorage North KOA is open year round and is your ultimate gateway to a world of camping adventures. Discover the awe-inspiring Matanuska Glacier, embark on scenic hikes in Hatcher Pass, and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the region at the Palmer Museum of History and Art. With our year round campground as your base camp, nature enthusiasts can experience the true essence of Alaska. Situated conveniently on the route to and from Denali and just a mere 1-mile detour from the Canadian highway, Tok is often the first welcoming point in Alaska after crossing the border. Our charming town makes for the perfect next-day stop on your journey, offering a wealth of amenities and services to ensure a smooth travel experience. Easily positioned for outdoor excursions, including hiking and wildlife viewing, endless opportunities for exploration abound. Your camping adventure begins here amidst the serene Alaskan vistas, and Palmer/Anchorage North KOA is your perfect launchpad for a multitude of exciting activities. Explore the rugged beauty of the Matanuska Glacier, delve into the region's cultural and historical treasures, and make the most of your outdoor adventures. Your unforgettable Alaskan camping experience starts with us.
98 sites. The recreation area combination of lakes, wetlands, and forests create an ideal habitat for many mammals and birds. Perhaps most noticeable to the summer visitor are water dwellers, especially beaver and waterfowl. Beavers are active in lakes and ponds throughout the park and visitors can see evidence of their work. These animals are vital to maintaining crucial water levels in the ecosystem; their dams and lodges must not be disturbed.
Trail River Campground, set between the Trail River and Kenai Lake, provides lake, river and snow-capped mountain scenery among the hemlock and spruce forests of the Chugach National Forest. It lies within driving distance of two main tourism destinations; 24 miles north of Seward and 40 miles east of Cooper Landing, AK. Miles of hiking and biking trails weave throughout the area. Moose, brown and black bear, sheep and goats can be found across a large parts of the forest. Kenai Lake marks the headwaters of the Kenai River. The campground is situated on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula at elevation 450 feet.
The Day Use Site at Trail River Campground provides beach access to Kenai Lake. Many people enjoy fishing, collecting driftwood, skipping rocks and walking along the beach. The view of the mountains surrounding Kenai Lake is gorgeous. Snow is present in the high peaks and avalanche chutes until the end of August. Trout fishing can be very productive from the beach at Trail River Campground as well as at many nearby streams. The lake is home to Dolly Varden, rainbow trout and lake trout. Although trout fishing is open year-round in Kenai Lake, special restrictions apply within 1/4 mile of inlet streams. Kenai Lake is not open to salmon fishing. Anglers are required to have a State of Alaska Fishing license and obey all regulations. Within a one-mile radius of the campground entrance, are five trails: Falls Creek Trail, Crown Point Mine Road, Ptarmigan Creek Trail and Vagt Lake Trail. All of these trails run roughly east-west and provide access to the Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT) which runs north-south. The INHT is an ongoing project to build a '"southern trek" connecting Seward (Mile 0 of the Iditarod Trail) to Eagle River (north of Anchorage). Currently, sections of this trail are still under construction, and several bridges are missing. However, links between Falls Creek Trail and Ptarmigan Lake Trail as well as between Vagt Lake Trail and Crown Point Mine Road make loop hikes possible. The Falls Creek OHV Trail is a half mile north of the entrance road. This steep trail provides good views of Kenai and Lower Trail Lakes and is deal for hikers and experienced OHV enthusiasts. A second option for motorized recreation is the Crown Point Mine Road. This trail is located one mile north of the campground entrance road at the end of Mine Road. This historic mining road leads above tree-line and provides great views. South of the entrance road is the Ptarmigan Creek Campground. This campground is also the location of Ptarmigan Creek Trail as well as a day use area with a fish-viewing platform where you can view spawning salmon in the late summer and fall. Ptarmigan Creek trail steadily gains elevation as it follows Ptarmigan Creek to Ptarmigan Lake. A round trip to the lake and back is seven miles. In the winter, the campground is closed and the campground's entrance road and loops are groomed for freestyle and Nordic skiing.
The Chugach National Forest covers the eastern half of the Kenai Peninsula and extends around Prince William Sound. It covers over 5 million acres and is characterized by jagged mountains, deep fjords, glacier-fed rivers, and dense forests. This rich natural area supports many miles of productive fishing streams as well as wildlife populations.
Trail River Campground is located close to many tourist destinations. Within the Seward Ranger District, many world-class trailheads and day use areas await discovery. The newly-remodeled Seward Ranger District Information Office, is one mile south on Ranger Station Spur. There, friendly forest service employees can help you gather information, interpret the local ecology, purchase area maps, and offer advice about the Chugach National Forest. From this campground, possible day trips include wildlife viewing in Kenai Fjords National Park, rafting down the Kenai River, and a visit to Portage Glacier. Portage Glacier, is located in Portage Valley, a 14-mile isthmus that connects the Kenai Peninsula to mainland Alaska. Glacial remnants that can be seen today are Explorer, Middle, Byron, Burns and Shakespeare glaciers. Portage Valley is also home to the Begich Boggs Visitor Center, a world-class visitor center with a full-time interpretive staff and exhibits ready to inspire and explain the natural area.
For local information, please call (907) 522-8368 or call (907) 288-3178 for general information.
$23 - $200 / night
Ranger
About 45 minutes from Anchorage and no cell phone service. Sites are surrounded by trees and not too close together. RVs with generators make it loud at times, but there are a few walk in sites available. Lake and trails are nice, very pretty location.
GuideGreat campground that conveniently located from Anchorage, tho the road up to the campground takes a while. Usually very crowded on the weekend with biking, hiking camping. Kayaks available for rent, but careful the water is dangerously cold. Ice cream stand nearby in the summer. Awesome scenery and great trails. Careful-potential for lots of bears.
GuideCamping here is wonderful. Far enough from Anchorage to feel as if you're in the bush but close enough to run home if needed. Beautiful views of the mountains and lake. Black bears roam the woods and show themselves in early spring and early fall. Sheep walk the cliffs just north of the campground. Wonderful location to bring a canoe or kayak.
GuideEklutna is a true gem that I cannot believe more people from Anchorage have even been to before. My wife, a couple friends and I spent the day kayaking and hiking off the lake on an amazing day a couple weeks ago. Camping was easy and very available as well. The wildlife was very scarce this day but was probably due to high amount of visitors.
RangerA short drive from Anchorage, Eagle River and even Wasilla brings you to a pristine piece of nature. The campground right on the water is easily accessible for all ages and the beach allows for all sorts of activities. Feel like getting further away from people? Hike or bike or kayak the shoreline trail to the end of the lake or anywhere along the way. We love camping here and go at least once a year!
GuideCamping at Eklutna Lake is convenient for people wanting to get away but don't want to deal with hours of driving. This campground is a short jaunt from Anchorage and features nice paved pads for parking, fire pits, picnic tables, etc. No reservations required but that also means spots fill up as the weekend approaches. The campground road is paved and it's nice for walking/biking. Bears have been known to wander through this area. One summer a bear clawed its way into a tent trying to get at toothpaste in a backpack!
The lake is the source of Anchorage's drinking water so it's a cool visual representation of the importance of keeping our waterways clean. Makes sense that no motorized crafts are allowed here. We've kayaked on the lake and the vistas are amazing. Always wear a life jacket! Watch out for the wind - it can whip up the surface of the water and make for a treacherous and difficult paddle.
Legend
This is a huge campground. 91 spots, a group site and a loop just for RVs and can be booked online. The road out to this campground is bumpy so take it slow. There are many potholes in the dirt road to this campsite. I almost missed the turn headed here so watch for the Trail River Road sign. There are a number of pull throughs. I did like 2, 11, and 14 but there are lots of options. There are also some site like 4 and 5 that are together if there is more than one vehicle in your group. Cell Service: no Internet: no 2020 Cost: $18 Distance from Anchorage: 97 miles Best sites: 2, 11, 14 or any pull though Bug Factor (1 minimal to 10 too many to enjoy): 6
Guide
This is one of my favorite campgrounds to visit. Living in Eagle River, this campground allows me to get out of town without going far. Be careful if you aren't used to camping, there are a ton of bears. Don't keep your food out of a secured box or by your tent, or rent one of their yurts. Make sure you take bear spray and/or a gun with you. Also bring bug spray as the mosquitoes can be quite viscous. I bring a bug net for my head too, this way when they are extremely bad, I can still enjoy being outside
the hiking trails are absolutely beautiful!! Watch for Moose. Look up every so often because there are also bald eagles around.
if you want to venture out for a different hike with amazing views, check out Baldy. You can see Anchorage to the Valley.
GuideA great destination for the novice hiker who wants to feel like they're in the middle of nowhere. The yurt was fully stocked with wood and camping chairs. Great location right in the middle of the nature center.
GuideThe hike of 2.7 miles was very easy with amazing views to the yurt at the end with lots of pre-cut firewood for the campers use. Eagle River was just steps away from our site and there was lots of wildlife as well.
Legend
Ashley here with The Dyrt. We're so happy to have David on our platform. He offers a cozy yurt for a party of 4. No running water but there is heat! Book a guided fishing trip and leave your review here!
Legend
Well maintained trails but a walk to the cabin or yurts. Accessible by foot year around. No horses or bikes allowed on trails. Tent camping along the Crow Creek Pass Trail.
Many choices for length of hikes depending on which loop you choose. This is bear county so bring your bear bells. Loved the hikes so much we decided to rent the cabin for my birthday.
GuideMy favorite place near Anchorage. Perfect for biking, hiking, kayaking, or camping. Amazing views everywhere.
GuideLarge campground north of Anchorage, Lake Eklutna is the Anchorage water supply. Glacier-fed, the water is COLD, but my dogs jumped right in anyway (it was the first weekend of the season and the ice had only broken up completely that morning!)
The sites are large and well-spaced, but not all quite as secluded as I'd like (we had little kids running through our campsite late one night, the dogs were not amused). Unlike some other campgrounds in the area, you are able to gather/chop dead fall wood for your campfire.
The hiking around the Lake is great. There are several trails of varying lengths depending on your preference. Kayaking on the Lake is great fun to
Guide
Very noisey, not too relaxing but just what we needed for a place in Anchorage town.
Bathrooms, showers and a nice big lawn to set up your tent. Surrounded by fence, reminds me of campgrounds in the lower 48
TravelerWe stayed here twice in our travels on Alaska. First appearance, the grasses are overgrown at the “entrance” and i was concerned. The fee both looks abandoned. But we actually saw there were some beautiful camp sites. Nice size for rvs if all lengths. Our table needed some help and it is obvious the camp is not being maintained. The bathroom was clean. Some sites you can hear the river and some road noise. The river is beautiful. There is a dumpster but it is on an upper level next to the dump station which is closed. The first time we did not realize this and took our garbage with us. All in all, it is not a bad campground. The trees are beautiful. We also had a moose and calf hanging around. We came back for a second visit. We used it as a jumping off point for Anchorage. Also the Eagle Nature Center and its trails are amazing! Saw a bull moose there. Would use again if not super picky. We are camping folks! For $20 I would not complain.
ScoutNice, well equipped campground. Sits right on the Eagle River. River is very fast, so advise watching pets and children carefully. Close to Anchorage, but far enough out of town to get away from the hustle. Still a slightly busy campground in summer months.
GuideThis campground seems to be a very popular one just North if the city of Anchorage. It’s a nice setting but busy! Bathrooms are a hike and we had to essentially share a spot with another group of campers. Ultimately that was okay, but I prefer sites that aren’t so jam packed.
LegendGreat spot close to our home of Anchorage for when we don't want to go too far. Large pavillion great for get-togethers right along the river and includes it's own bathroom. Semi-seclude sites give privacy with large open areas at your fire pits, great for groups. Some double sites perfect for camping with friends. Pet friendly just please keep the leashed and clean up after them. Watch for bear activity and make sure to keep all food and enticing items locked up.
Legend
If you live in Anchorage or the valley this is a nice campground. The camp host is very attentive but on sunny weekends the campground and day area fills up quickly. Camping spots are close but there are green spaces in between. Bathrooms are well maintained by the park service. Close to stores if you forgot anything.
Great place to bring kids especially on a first camping trip. Dog friendly. Tent friendly. Can accommodate large RVs. No spot is bad.
Close to Hatcher’s Pass and Independence Mine.
LegendThis place is a secret wonder, just off the Glenn highway north of Anchorage. The autumn color was spectacular here! It was raining and cold in early September, but simply gorgeous.
The first-come, first served sites are on the smaller side and very wooded; with lots of space in between sites, but not a lot of open canopy. This was a bit of challenge for our rooftop solar, but we used portable solar suitcase on an extension cord to capture some sunlight.
The bathrooms are simple, but clean, vault toilets. Water is available at spigots located throughout the campground loop. The lake offers lots of stunning recreation opportunities for flat water paddling and fishing -- careful, the lake can kick up some pretty mean chop during windy afternoons.
Hiking on the Twin Peak trailhead is just around the corner, and cycling along the main road could be a great way to get some hill climbing exercise, as it’s a steep road up to the lake from the Glenn. If you are visiting the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, this is a great close by campground (about 30 miles away).
We loved that this campground had the feeling of a remote, wilderness campground but all within an hour’s drive of Anchorage. There is one local tourist ice cream shop just a few miles back down the road, which offers food, showers, and laundry. It is only open during the summer months. Further afield the suburban area around the interchange between the Glenn and Parks Highways has all of the services campers need about 30 minutes to the north of the campground.
Legend
Location and price is right and that is what you pay for. $35 for hookups for the night whereas the other campground in town was $80. Huge difference. We just needed a quick stop near Anchorage on our way to Seward.
We got a level spot with electric, a dump and water station. One picnic table near us in good condition the other in poor. Grass is not mowed well. Bathrooms live up to the reputation, absolutely terrible. You can only stay here 14 days a year which is just fine. Lots of reviews about the homeless which left me concerned but I didn't see that has a huge issue. Maybe they cleaned it up? Not sure. I didn't not feel totally safe walking trails just because the place was a little sketch but it was fine for a nice. Right near highway for convenience but also a lot of highway noise but with windows closed it wasn't bad. Slept just fine!
GuideThis campground really has everything when it comes to a state campground. You want water access on a glacial lake? How about numerous hiking, biking skiing and horse trails? Are you looking for updated amenities including a table and fire pit, onsite bathrooms, bear proof dumpster, bear proof food storage, and a well for fresh water (no showers though) and even kayak rentals on site? Do you need large campsites with a reasonable amount of privacy instead of setting up your tent on top of someone else's? Eklutna is the spot. It is technically located within the Municipality of Anchorage about 30 minutes from down town. There is no cell service out there, so you can say goodbye to the rest of the world on your way up the mountain road. In addition, there are forest service cabins for rent that are located down one of the major trails, for even more privacy, and a different kind of adventure. Just a mile from the campground is a cute little ice cream shop for a sweet treat on hot summer days.
Legend
I needed a place to stay between Anchorage and Glen Allen. I was shocked this campground wasn't in Dyrt (found it on google). We actually ended up staying here two separate times- on our way North east and coming back South West. This State Rec Area is extremely clean. It's nice that there are tent sites separated from their RV sites (nothing worse than being in a tent and stuck hearing an RV's generator or TV all night). The RV lot is basically a parking lot but without many other options it would probably do the trick for an RV. The tent sites in the back are great. They are huge and have privacy between them. There's a vault toilet which is kept clean. No services or amenities but it's not far to the town of palmer. Despite being right off the state route, it stays pretty quiet from the road traffic because of all the trees. There's a pay station to pay when you arrive and pick your site. This was perfect in the shoulder season and in-between cities. I apologize I didn't get any campground pictures to post!
TravelerOur long bike ride took several hours to reach to the Serenity Falls. We started in Anchorage, AK and rested a day at Beach Lake campground in Chugiak. The following day biked up 1800’ ascent to Eklutna towards Serenity Falls.
please note: bicycles and cars share the road to the Eklutna Trailhead parking lot. Narrow shoulder all the way, please be mindful of riders and wildlife. We saw a moose in the ditch eating.
From the Eklutna parking lot to Serenity Falls it is 12 miles. Shared trail with pedestrians, dog mushers/bikers, and on various days 4-wheelers.
on the way the sights are so beautiful. The glacier fed lake gives a blueish green appearance, beautiful mountains, wildlife (moose and Mountain goats), and the spooky looking trees that look like sticks out of the ground. There were several waterfalls along the way.
I have not yet mastered the dry brushing teeth, but there are little creeks and small rivers one can brush their teeth. Bring bug dope, and bear spray or gun in case of bears—I forgot my bug dope and was karate chopping mosquitoes in my sleeping bag (no tent) throughout the night. It Was a beautiful campsite.
Guide
We live in the Fairbanks area and stayed here 2 nights. We used this park as sort of our anchor point as we spent time in Anchorage for a birthday trip and shopping. We arrived late and called ahead to let them know. We were told a map with our name on it would be taped to the door with bathroom codes but they must have forgotten because it wasn't there when we arrived. Not a huge deal but a little disappointing. We found this park to be quite charming with the beautiful office area and tree covered path to the door and all of the adorable bunnies hopping around. Wish we could have spent more time at the actual park but we had other plans. The park was for the most part pretty empty but we had neighbors directly next to us and diagonally to us. Unfortunately, both sets of neighbors were up late into the night (1 a.m.) being loud and had loud barking dogs. It was unfortunate for quiet hours not to he observed especially because the sites are pretty close to each other but we weren't going to poopoo on anyone's party. The creek was nice and relaxing. We had full hookups and stayed in a pull thru spot. We would attempt to stay here again.
GuideI have lived in Alaska almost 3 years and still not get over the beauty of this state. Chugach State Park is no different. If you have never been to Alaska and live to hike or camp, you need to plan a trip up here!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Anchorage, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Anchorage, AK is Eagle River Campground - Chugach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 33 reviews.
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