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Best Campgrounds near Douglas, AK

48 Reviews

The landscape surrounding Douglas, Alaska features diverse camping environments from established campgrounds to forest service cabins. Mendenhall Lake Campground serves as the primary developed camping area, located near Juneau with views of Mendenhall Glacier. The region includes several reservable public cabins like Peterson Lake Cabin, John Muir Cabin, and Dan Moller Cabin scattered throughout the Tongass National Forest. Most established campgrounds accommodate both tent and RV camping, while the forest service cabins provide more remote accommodations accessible by hiking trails or boat.

Camping in the Douglas area operates seasonally, with most sites available from May through September. Reservations are essential, particularly for the popular Mendenhall Lake Campground and forest service cabins, which can be booked through recreation.gov. Weather conditions vary dramatically throughout the camping season, with temperatures ranging from cool to mild even in summer. Bear activity is prevalent throughout the area, requiring proper food storage in provided bear boxes at established campgrounds. Campgrounds near water bodies feature bear activity warnings, and visitors should maintain appropriate wilderness precautions. "We had a great site, bear box, campfire pit, and a fabulous view when you walk to the edge right behind your site! We didn't put any hammocks in the trees or do any cooking on site, as it is black bear country and you don't want any uninvited guests."

Many camping areas provide direct access to Mendenhall Glacier views, hiking trails, and water recreation opportunities. Auk Village Campground offers a more secluded experience with only 11 sites in a forested setting near Auke Bay. Campers consistently rate the glacier views from Mendenhall Lake Campground as exceptional, noting the campground's cleanliness and reasonable prices starting at $10 per night. Forest service cabins receive high ratings for their remote wilderness experience but require more planning and physical effort to reach. Several visitors mentioned the advantage of camping at Mendenhall to avoid the cruise ship crowds that frequent the visitor center during daytime hours. "The campground is walking distance to multiple trails including the west glacier trail that approaches the glacier or splits off and climbs to summit Mt McGinnis as well as the visitor center."

Best Camping Sites Near Douglas, Alaska (46)

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Recent Reviews near Douglas, AK

48 Reviews of 46 Douglas Campgrounds

  • James B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Eagle Beach State Recreation Area

    Eagle Beach Campground

    We were in Juneau with our pickup camper for a couple of weeks. We stayed three nights in the campground. $20 per night. Absolutely no cell service. There are some sites not completely in the trees. We were able to get good solar and Starlink service. There are pit toilets on site. There is water, with a boil direction to use. There is no trash service.
    No dump site. Great access to river area. There is a large amount of bear activity in area. We had a black bear next to our campground eating grass one evening.

  • Angie G.
    May. 27, 2024

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Glacier View in the Tongass

    After being unable to find good reviews of campsites here, I took what I could find and gambled on a site. We were in tent site 021. It was a gorgeous site, had a large picnic table, bear box, water spigot between us and the site next to us, fire pit, clean pit toilets and a clean bath house. This campground has backpacker sites, RV sites, and car sites as well. We had a short walk through the moss on a trail that led down to Mendenhall Lake. It had a gorgeous view of the glacier. We enjoyed listening to all the birds and it was a pretty quiet campground.

    There are a few sites close to boggy areas and they can be mushy and muddy, especially after a rain. There is a map on the reservation website where you can kind of see it. Our site was fabulous.

    The trails are not far from the campground, so they are walkable.

  • Angie G.
    May. 26, 2024

    Auk Village

    Wilderness Bliss

    This campground has 11 sites and we were lucky to get #5, right across from the pit toilets so we didn’t have to walk far. We had a great site, bear box, campfire pit, and a fabulous view when you walk to the edge right behind your site! We didn’t put any hammocks in the trees or do any cooking on site, as it is black bear country and you don’t want any uninvited guests. We went to the picnic shelter at Lena Cove for our morning breakfast and hung our hammocks in the shelter for the morning. We had great views of Auke Bay and Lena Cove.

    I could not find any reviews to pick a site but I reserved this one and it was gold! We had a water spigot close to us in the campground, but there are no electric or water supplies at the sites. You need to bring your own firewood because some sites say it was supplied, however, due to low crew numbers they can’t keep up with demand.

  • Melissa W.
    Oct. 29, 2023

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Great location, nice sites

    Tent camping review. This was a great camp ground. Very clean and quiet. You can't beat the proximity to the park and hiking. Some of the sites even have great views. Each site has plenty of privacy, so even with intermixed RV's it stays pretty quiet. The showers were okay, not the cleanest and not the hottest but got the job done. My only complaint was coming after dark the first night to someone clearly squatting with their RV in our site. The camp hosts do not mark each site with the booked reservations (even though the posts clearly say that the section we were in were "reservation only". So people just drop in and take sites, assuming they aren't reserved. We attempted to solicit the camphosts help but in the 4 nights we stayed there, we never saw the hosts available once. We asked the people to move the next morning in daylight- not wanting to start anything or end up shot by knocking on their door and asking them to move that first night. However, that meant that we set up in someone else's potentially reserved site and started a huge domino effect. So I recommend getting there early to make sure your reserved spot isn't taken.

  • Shari G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2022

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Big Surprise!

    We’ve been full-time camping in our vintage camper for over10 years, and in that time we’ve taken some “camping trips” without our rig, Hamlet. This time we hopped on the ferry from Haines down to Juneau and pulled out the tent for a few days in this amazing campground. We were just looking for the least expensive place that was close to the ferry terminal in Auke Bay, but struck gold in the hills just above. This might be one of the best traditional campgrounds we've ever stayed in with some of the most stunning views in our "backyard."

    The campground is laid out along the southern bank of Mendenhall Lake, and offers drinking water, flush, and vault toilets and hot showers -- at no extra charge. Did I mention that camping here will only set you back $10 per night? We cannot remember such an inexpensive camping experience that offered showers. These $10 sites don’t offer electrical hookups, so bring your solar panels and solar generator or power bank and you’ll be all set. 

    The western trailhead is a short walk from the campground, but the Mendenhall Visitor's Center on the east side of the lake is just a few miles away. There are many trails, photographic viewpoints and opportunities to paddle on this side of the lake, but parking is competitive because it is such a popular area- including with the busses from the cruise ships docked in town. So, get there early. We enjoyed paddling on the lake where we got great views of the glacier and Nugget Falls, but keep your distance from icebergs. We watched one crack and roll not too far from where we were paddling, had we been closer I might not be writing this review. 

    The Mendenhall Valley has all the amenities you could expect from the Juneau suburbs, grocery stores, malls and restaurants. Downtown has a few more options as well as Douglas Island, just across the bridge.

  • Bradee A.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 20, 2022

    Peterson lake campground

    Beautiful views

    4 spots with picnic tables and fire pits. Clean bathrooms and big trash cans that got emptied while we were there for 4 nights. Low GCI service. Water spout that didn’t work for us. Beautiful central location for the Kenai peninsula. Highly recommend.

  • Nikki S.
    Aug. 7, 2021

    Auk Village

    Love Alaska

    This is a favorite spot where our family has camped for years. Most recently we took 2 of the grandkids. No cabins, but beautiful beach to walk. Quiet paradise. Fire pits and we’ll maintained pit restrooms.

  • J
    Jul. 8, 2021

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Fantastic

    Stayed here two nights - reservations must be made in advance on recreation.gov. Hot showers available, as well as a stocked bathroom. 12/10 recommend.

  • Aubrey G.
    Jun. 19, 2021

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    In the woods camping, in the "city"

    So lucky to have found this campground. The price cannot be beat starting at $10. Although you are aware of others around you, there is enough forest between most campsites so you get the real roughing it kind of feel without actually hiking out. We got a great site, walk down to the water's edge and see the glacier smack right in your face. Amazing! There is a river further in, so choose your site wisely if camping with kids, pets or partiers! We didn't see a bear, but we did see the beaver! They have a bear cache at every site, so amazing for the price. Highly recommended. It's a 1 way loop so don't make the same mistake I did and go the wrong way! The hosts are very nice and chatty. The troopers do drive through from time to time but never bothered us.

Guide to Douglas

Camping spots near Douglas, Alaska offer unique wilderness access in the heart of Tongass National Forest. Most campsites in this area operate from May through September when temperatures range from 45°F to 65°F, requiring warm layers even in summer months. The region receives approximately 62 inches of rainfall annually, creating lush forests but challenging camping conditions.

What to do

Kayaking to glaciers: At Mendenhall Lake Campground, visitors can explore the lake via kayak for close-up glacier views. "You can explore the lake via kayak, hike the short park trails, explore the far side of the lake - this is a great spot just minutes from the Juneau Airport," notes Josiah P.

Whale watching excursions: Auk Village Campground provides excellent access to whale watching opportunities. "Great place to go whale watching. Seriously! I went for two hours and saw 30 ish breaches. It was incredible," reports Carly S.

Fishing opportunities: Peterson Lake offers fishing access in a secluded setting. "This campground has one site with a picnic table and a fire ring. However you can camp anywhere that there is parking. This is on a well-maintained road and would be great to bring a kayak," explains Tanya B.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: At John Muir Cabin, campers appreciate the solitude after a challenging hike. "The cabin at the end is cozy and the views of the mountains are spectacular. The boardwalks over the muskegs and the flora and fauna are unreal and so, so Alaska," shares Katie K.

Wildlife viewing: Admiralty Island National Monument provides exceptional wildlife encounters. "Inspiring wildlife 🌊⛺️🎣🐟🦅 🦌 🐋 🐻," says Josiah P., highlighting the diversity of species visible from camping areas.

Glacier proximity: Many campers value staying near Mendenhall Glacier. "This area is exceptional, everywhere you look is a postcard-worthy scene. This campground is very well designed, almost all of the sites are along the water," notes Justin S.

What you should know

Bear safety requirements: Black and brown bears are active throughout Douglas area campgrounds. "We didn't put any hammocks in the trees or do any cooking on site, as it is black bear country and you don't want any uninvited guests," advises Angie G. about Auk Village.

Advance reservations essential: Peterson Lake Campground and other Forest Service cabins fill quickly. "Before you go: you must reserve a spot online in advance & spots tend to fill up quickly in July & August," cautions Josiah P.

Weather preparedness: Despite summer camping season, conditions remain variable. "Most recently we took 2 of the grandkids. No cabins, but beautiful beach to walk. Quiet paradise. Fire pits and we'll maintained pit restrooms," shares Nikki S. about camping at Auk Village.

Tips for camping with families

Choose accessible trails: Mendenhall Lake Campground offers family-friendly hiking options. "Great place for the family, bears do frequent the area so keep site clean," advises James L.

Morning activities to avoid crowds: Plan family activities early to avoid cruise ship tourists. "Best way to avoid the cruise ship crowds is to go early or late. Photo point trail and Nugget Falls trail are a must and have the heaviest foot traffic from 10am to 2pm," recommends Fain H.

Beach exploration opportunities: Several campgrounds offer beach access for kids. "If you are into exercise the University has a gym up the road that you can use for a couple of bucks. Also the bar nearby has a great dart room for those into those kind of things," notes Eric M. about the amenities near Auk Village.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Peterson Lake Cabin and surrounding areas offer few RV amenities. "Working for the USFS- We spent a week at Peterson, redoing the floor, repairing cabinets, countertops, and the table. Peterson is a great cabin and the perfect place to getaway!" explains Mackenzie S.

Site selection for larger vehicles: Most Douglas area campgrounds have limited large RV capacity. "It is very RV-oriented," notes Lindsay B. about Auk Village, though most sites accommodate smaller RVs only.

Water access points: RVers should note water availability at each site. "4 spots with picnic tables and fire pits. Clean bathrooms and big trash cans that got emptied while we were there for 4 nights. Low GCI service. Water spout that didn't work for us," reports Bradee A. about Peterson Lake Campground.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Douglas, AK?

According to TheDyrt.com, Douglas, AK offers a wide range of camping options, with 46 campgrounds and RV parks near Douglas, AK and 1 free dispersed camping spot.

Which is the most popular campground near Douglas, AK?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Douglas, AK is Mendenhall Lake Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 24 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Douglas, AK?

According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Douglas, AK.

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