Best Cabin Camping near Ester, AK

Camping cabins near Ester are the charming alternative to a tent or a yurt. Find the best information on cabin camping near Ester, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Find your own little secluded paradise in nature. The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect camping cabin rental.

Best Cabin Sites Near Ester, AK (2)

    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area

    1. Harding Lake State Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    30 Photos
    22 Saves
    Salcha, Alaska

    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.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins
    Camper-submitted photo from White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins

    2. White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins

    Be the first to review!
    19 Photos
    2 Saves
    Fort Wainwright, Alaska

    Overview

    Located just an hour's drive from Fairbanks, Alaska, the one-million-acre White Mountains National Recreation Area offers stunning scenery, peaceful solitude and outstanding opportunities for year-round recreation including hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, wildlife and scenic viewing. There are 13 beautiful log cabins throughout the White Mountains offering many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Be sure to carry your cabin permit at all times while in the White Mountains National Recreation Area. Also located in the White Mountains National Recreation Area are two trail shelters that are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

    Recreation

    Winter visitors travel by ski, snowshoe, dog team, fat bike and snowmobile to enjoy the 12 public-use cabins and 250 miles of maintained trails that make the White Mountains one of Interior Alaska's premier winter destinations. The cabins must be reserved up to 30 days in advance. There are two trail shelters that are on a first come-first served basis, are free of charge and not reservable. In Summer, visitors to the White Mountains pan for gold, fish, hike and camp under Alaska's midnight sun. The Nome Creek Road provides access to two campgrounds, trails, a gold-panning area and a departure point for float trips on Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River. Learn more about current trail conditions or call the Fairbanks District Office at (907) 474-2200. For a winter trails condition report, go to the Trail Update__

    Facilities

    Winter visitors travel by ski, snowshoe, dog team, fat bike and snowmobile to enjoy the 12 public-use cabins and 250 miles of maintained trails that make the White Mountains one of Interior Alaska's premier winter destinations. The cabins must be reserved up to 30 days in advance. There are two trail shelters that are on a first come-first served basis, are free of charge and not reservable. In Summer, visitors to the White Mountains pan for gold, fish, hike and camp under Alaska's midnight sun. The Nome Creek Road provides access to two campgrounds, trails, a gold-panning area and a departure point for float trips on Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River. Learn more about current trail conditions or call the Fairbanks District Office at (907) 474-2200. For a winter trails condition report, go to the Trail Update__

    Nearby Attractions

    The cabins are surrounded by vast amounts of land you can venture on to and view the scenery around the area.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Reservable
    • Cabins

    $42 / night


Recent Cabin Reviews in Ester

5 Reviews of 2 Ester Campgrounds


  • Andrew V.
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    May. 23, 2023

    Harding Lake State Recreation Area

    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.

  • Samantha M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Jun. 15, 2020

    Harding Lake State Recreation Area

    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.

  • Samantha M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Harding Lake State Recreation Area
    Jul. 22, 2018

    Harding Lake State Recreation Area

    Swim area

    This was a campground with a fun water area for the children. There was a boat launch and water that we could walk very far out in with the children. There were about 70-80 site options, nice walking/bike trails, picnic areas, fire rings, water play area. It felt like there were plenty of camping options with privacy. There were plenty of opportunities to view wildlife as moose came running through our campsite. There was a field through the woods that people were playing softball in late which was fun to watch. I feel like this was a pretty basic campground but the children loved getting into the water.



Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Ester, AK?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Ester, AK is Harding Lake State Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.