Best Tent Camping near Ester, AK

Recent Tent Reviews near Ester, AK

80 Reviews of 7 Ester Campgrounds

• 

  Dacia M.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 7, 2023

  Nenana RV Park & Campground

  Great experience

  Campsite was clean and easily accessible. My kids enjoyed the park across the road and had mini golf and a Rhoades car available for use. Showers and bathroom and laundry nice and close. We were camping in a tent and although it was sunny the trees in the yard gave the perfect amount of shade.

• 

  Andrew V.

  Traveler

  

  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 The posted maps are a little outdated.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.

• 

  Staci J.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 1, 2016

  Fairbanks / Chena River KOA

  It may be an RV Park, but they have a nice grassy place for tents

  There aren't any numbered tent spots here, but they have a nice grassy area with a few picnic tables to pitch. The bathrooms are a bit of a walk from the tents, but the wonderful and free showers are nice. The laundry, showers, and bathrooms are well-kept and a nice luxury. They do charge a key deposit for your shower key when you check-in, but it is refunded when returned.

• M

  Michael H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 26, 2021

  Pioneer Park

  Awesome park

  The camping is just a parking lot. It’s 12 bucks a night, which in Alaska in the summer in a city is cheap. The park is like an old time amusement park without rides. It is really cool though. There is a Salmon Bake restaurant that seems very popular. We stopped in for an adult refreshment and they are very dog friendly.

• 

  Kela W.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 19, 2021

  Chena Lake Recreation Area

  Beautiful campground

  This is the 1st campground my family and I stayed at Alaska. The Chena Lake is great! The beach area is great fun for all with grassy and sandy areas. There is a bunch of trails to hike around, paved biking trails, a basketball court, volleyball courts and of course a playground. There are some really cool camping spots along the river as well. Highly recommend to families!

• 

  Ashley F.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 12, 2023

  Why Knot Sleep Here

  Flat spaces, peace and quiet, close to Chena Hot Springs!

  Ashley here with The Dyrt. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to your host, Ray. Camping is offered on a flat area, perfect for your tent or RV. There are no hook-ups, so be prepared to have all that you need. Enjoy the peace and calm of this little slice of heaven. We're so excited to have them on The Dyrt!

• a

  anna C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 13, 2018

  Ophir Creek Campground — White Mountains National Recreation Area

  Labor Day tradition

  We camp here every fall. The drive from FAIRBANKS is absolutely gorgeous, especially when you turn off at Davidson Ditch to drive into Ophir Creek Campground. There are great hikes on the way to the campground and when you drive in almost all of the spots have water in their “backyard” since the sites are usually situated on a bend near the creek. There is usually a good mix of RV’s, trailers, and tents. The grounds are kept up nicely and it’s usually pretty quiet.

• M

  Melinda S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2018

  Upper Chatanika River State Rec Area

  State-managed campground on the Chatanika River

  This is a fairly standard state-run campground on the upper Chatanika River. It's somewhat popular with Fairbanks locals but because of its proximity to town is not a place you're likely to stay if you're heading up the Steese.

  The camping spots are small and there's relatively little privacy, and the facilities are, in general, not as well-maintained and clean as we've gotten used to with BLM campgrounds in Alaska. Several camping spots are right on the river. Fishing on the Chatanika is inconsistent but can be very good at mid-summer. If you continue west of the campground there is primitive camping on gravel bars on the river, but you'll probably want 4WD to get there. Also, note that there can be very good berry picking on hillsides near the campground in August and early September.

• M

  Melinda S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 12, 2023

  Ophir Creek Campground — White Mountains National Recreation Area

  Beautiful little campground, lightly used

  I stayed there for a couple of weekdays in mid-July, and was had the place largely to myself except for a fairly substantial porcupine that wandered through one morning.  The spots are well-spaced but most of them are pretty shallow, and not suitable for larger rigs or trailers.  I did see one large class C using the group camping area, which is basically a large parking lot with an outhouse and trash bin.  But, because many of the spots aren't great they look like they're not getting a lot of use (overgrown).  Still, the good spots are great and the campground is as tidy and well-kept as we've come to expect from BLM Alaska campgrounds.  Easy creek access!

• 

  Samantha M.

  Ranger

  

  May. 30, 2020

  Lower Chatanika State Recreation Area

  Well maintained, great ATV trails

  My first thought when we drove into the campground was wow, this is nicely maintained. We had just stayed at Whitefish Campground about 2 miles away and driving into Olnes Pond Campground was beautiful. The electronic option to pay here is the first time I’ve seen that in Alaska. The pond is stocked with rainbow trout but we were a little too early in the season on this visit May 29, 2020. There a nicely sized pond in the middle of the campground and the camping sites are situated around the entire pond. There were day visitors who brought paddle boards and kayaks to enjoy the weather on the pond. People say you can swim in this pond put be weary of duck/swimmers itch. There are picnic tables, bathrooms, trash cans, and lots of grassy area to just enjoy a day visit. This seemed more as a party spot sort of camping oppose to enjoy the view and relax so be ready to hear ATVs and friendly conversations late at night. I would definitely come back with a kayak and fishing pole once the pond is stocked for the children to enjoy a relaxing day on the pond.

• 

  Stacey C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 28, 2018

  River Park Campground

  Great wooded campground!

  We've been here twice. Once in late August in 2014 and again in July 2016. We were delighted how this campground (in a city) feels like wilderness. In late Aug it was getting cooler and sparsely populated. In July, it was pretty crowded but the camp sites aren't right on top of each other and there is foliage around. The flush toilets, drinking water and picnic tables was great. It's close to supermarkets too.

  While we only have good things to say about our stay in August, There were some shady people hanging around in July just kind of...lingering. There were 3 of us and all felt that our cars/tents were being scoped out occasionally. Perhaps that was the case, or perhaps we were just paranoid but throwing it out there so you all know that opportunists seem to be lurking about here.

• K

  Kerry B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 19, 2024

  Pioneer Park

  convenient and low cost stay in Fairbanks

  We stayed here in a 40' 5th wheel. We parked in the west row along the trees. This was a good spot, but the sun goes behing the trees about 5 in summer, if you are looking for solar charging. We noted that the parking rules are pretty loose as to where you stay. If the RV spots are full, we saw several just pick a spot in the regular lot.  If you keep a clean area you may be able to stay more than 5 days, we did.  The water spigot is on the south side of lot near the turn in. The trash cans can get full quick.  The pay stand is on the north side of lot near the first entrance to Pioneer Park, by the small shack. No out of state checks. You can also pay in the office inside the park during business hours. 

    It can be noisy at times because of the close intersection. Some generators are LOUD and one guy ran his about 12 hours a day. I would think an extra battery would be cheaper than all that fuel. 

    It is a very busy place with the park and Alaska Bake activity. Lots of cars and the lot gets pretty full with that sometimes.

    Free dump and water fill at the Sourdough gas station located at Van Horn and Lathrop streets just a few miles south, with easy rig access. 

    We would stay again if we ever go back to Fairbanks.

• 

  Dave G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2018

  River Park Campground

  Only Issue was the mosquitoes; nothing but solace

  Campground Review:

  This was the first two nights of our 8 night Alaska trip. The campground is called Rosehip, but it's apart of the Chena River State Recreation Area. We arrived late (midnight) and were surprised that even a week before July 4th, that there were only 3 other campers at the campground (all RV's). The wooded areas are composed of mostly white birch which we took its bark when we saw downed trees. Birch bark is great for starting fires. The pit toilets are maintained and do not smell. For water, there are several pumps that you have operate yourself, but our only issue with it was the color of the water, which comes out a little yellow/orange. For two days, we used this site as a base camp to venture out to hiking (Angels Rock) and to Chena Hot Springs, which is about an hour away. Both are worth it. No encounters with wildlife except for the mosquitoes. This site is your typical state run facility and was clean, equipped, and cheap.

  Product Review:

  As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At Chena River State Recreation Area, I tested gear from Snapbuds.

  The Snapbuds are magnetized clips that, when attached to your headphones, aim to make it easier to coil the headphones up and make them tangle-free. I give the Snapbuds a 2/5 for a couple of reasons:

  1. The instructions were a little difficult to follow; it took me awhile to realize that there are two versions of the Snapbuds, but the instructions include both, and I only had the one kind.
  2. When I attached the snapbuds to the headphones in the locations that were specified, I tried to clip the snapbuds together, but several of the clips wouldn't close; the tiny plastic wings that help close it permanently, would easily bend the other way, making it impossible to secure the clip. Out of the ten clips that come in one package, I could only attach 6. (see picture below)
  3. After attaching as many of the clips that didn't break, I tested out the tangle-freeness of the product. I found that after attaching the buds together via their magnets, that the headphones still weren't effectively secured with the buds attached (see last picture).

  I understand how this product works and in some cases, why it's needed, but the Snapbuds were shipped to me with the white Apple headphones. I've been using these headphones for several years now and really haven't had them tangle, even if I bunch them up in my hand and stuff them in my pocket. Perhaps the Snapbuds would be more effective on non-Apple headphones?

• 

  Riley N.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2022

  Pioneer Park

  Just a parking lot

  It’s nice of you need a place to stay. Just a parking lot nothing fancy. We got to play with some puppies people were selling which was nice.

• 

  Elizabeth G.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 28, 2022

  Pioneer Park

  Nice spot to crash for the night

  Visited in March 2022.

  Pioneer park is really just a parking lot. No bathrooms, electricity, or reservations.

  They keep it plowed in the winter so we stopped here for a night. There’s a McDonald’s literally a block away you can use for restrooms and morning coffee/breakfast:)

• 

  Joe C.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 23, 2020

  Pioneer Park

  Pioneer park

  Awesome little location

• 

  Joe C.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 23, 2020

  Ice ALASKA

  Ice Alaska

  Totally a place to remember

• 

  Bradee A.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 14, 2022

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Cheap and nice

  Electric at site, water and dump stations. Bathrooms & laundry and for 1/2 the price of everywhere around. But bring bug dope!

• A

  Aaron B.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 2, 2023

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Eclectic campground.

  Parked a 37 foot trailer in a 30 spot next to the office. Not a quiet campground but it isn’t bad. This was 50 amp spot for $45/night. Restroom/showers not modern but adequate.

• 

  Tanya B.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 21, 2020

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Been here before will come again

  When in Fairbanks this is my families go to spot. There is often stuff going on here so be prepared for music. When we were here in July the Rodeo was going on so there was loud music the whole day. Saved us having to run our radio. But if you just want quiet you may want to look at a different place. The cost is not back and you have all the things you need within driving distance. You can reserve sites which is nice especially if you are traveling some distance and just want to pull in and sleep.

  Cell Service: Yes Internet: Yes 2020 Cost: $30 electric hook up Distance from Anchorage: 365 miles Bug Factor (1 minimal to 10 too many to enjoy): 8

• 

  Amber W.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 21, 2020

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Great place and Great Service

  Laundry works quickly and effectively. Clean, warm showers and bath. Location close to town, but you feel like your in the forest. I got great Service!

• E

  Erica C.

  Guide

  

  May. 29, 2024

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Camp in Fairbanks

  This is a great location, right in Fairbanks by the fairgrounds. Don’t book site 28 or 27 as you will end up camping in a parking lot. Also, the bathrooms are closed for the season so to take a shower, we had to walk through a dog show in the fairgrounds to get ourselves clean. Laundry is good!

• 

  Corinna C.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 5, 2024

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Camping in tanana

  Nice and quite , close to shoping.

• 

  Kristi D.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 2, 2023

  Tanana Valley Campground

  Convenient campground

  I was concerned when I first looked at reviews when I booked this campground. It seemed to be split 50/50. Some would stay here again and some wouldnt. The KOA resort people probably wouldn't. I feel like you get what you pay for here. It was super convenient to stores/restaurants in Fairbanks.

  The fairgrounds is right next door so I can see that when events take place it could be loud and bring in all sorts of people (could lead to people drinking and stealing). I saw some people mention airport noise with planes flying over, but I didn't notice the noise at all.

  It's a small campground so close to your neighbors but it's in a big town. You are still in the woods. They had firewood available to purchase, a dump station, electric hookups, laundry (cheap - $2 each machine) and showers/bathrooms aren't beautiful but the showers clean and I got a nice lot shower and I hadn't had a good shower in a while! Quick RV wash offs aren't the same as a nice long hot shower. I would stay here again, oh and spot was level :).

• 

  Joe C.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 23, 2020

  Trails End

  Trails end

  Had a great time with my dog out here

• 

  Bradee A.

  Ranger

  

  May. 24, 2022

  Fairbanks / Chena River KOA

  Awesome

  Beautiful RV park, clean bathrooms, right on the river and super helpful staff. Most sites are pull through

• M

  Megan B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2019

  Fairbanks / Chena River KOA

  Great RV Park

  This is a great place to stay near North Pole/Fairbanks. They were really helpful with booking. The sites have enough space between for slide outs, but still a little tight. Really nice view of the Chena River. You give a $5 deposit for a key for showers and laundry, will be refunded when you return the key.