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Best Tent Camping near Ester, AK

83 Reviews

Tent campsites near Ester, Alaska include established options at Summit Trail and Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter. These primitive sites offer basic tent camping in the boreal forest north of Fairbanks. Additional tent camping can be found at Upper Chatanika River State Recreation Area, located along the Chatanika River approximately 20 miles northeast of Ester, providing more developed facilities for tent campers.

Most tent sites in this region lack amenities, with the exception of Upper Chatanika River State Recreation Area which offers drinking water, toilets, trash service, and fire pits with picnic tables. The three trail shelters—Summit Trail, Summit Trail Shelter, and Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter—are all hike-in accessible and provide free primitive camping. Tent campers should pack out all waste, as most sites have no facilities. Mosquitoes are prevalent during summer months, so appropriate repellent is essential. A review mentioned, "It was the most crowded site we have been to up here yet but the spots offer privacy so it didn't bother us." The camping season generally runs from May through September, with potential closures during early spring due to snowmelt conditions.

Walk-in tent locations like Summit Trail and Table Top Mountain Loop Trail provide more secluded camping experiences compared to drive-in options. These tent-only sites require hikers to pack in their own supplies, including water and food. The primitive nature of these areas offers a genuine wilderness experience with minimal development. A visitor commented that Summit Trail Shelter is a "cool place to relax for a bit" along the trail. Tent campers seeking more comfort may prefer Upper Chatanika River State Recreation Area, where campsites positioned along the riverbank offer convenient water access and fishing opportunities. August and early September provide optimal conditions with fewer insects and potential for berry picking on nearby hillsides, though overnight temperatures can drop significantly even in late summer.

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Best Tent Sites Near Ester, Alaska (7)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Ester, AK

83 Reviews of 7 Ester Campgrounds

  • Stacey C.
    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.

  • Samantha M.
    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.

  • Andrew V.
    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.
    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.

  • Tanya B.
    Oct. 26, 2020

    Ski Loop Trail

    Gravel pit north of this trailhead

    There are a number of trail heads in the area. Any large gravel area is available for camping. Please rent that large rigs use these areas so please park in a space that allows them to pull around.

    Lots of hiking near by but there are no picnic tables or restrooms.

  • K
    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.

  • Samantha M.
    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.

  • a
    Jun. 21, 2018

    River Park Campground

    Beautiful, quiet campground!

    We camped here just this past week and it was wonderful. There are a variety of campsites, some large enough to accommodate an RV, as well as well-maintained restrooms, well-water, a dumpster, and every site had a picnic table and fire pit with grate. Some of the campsites are on the river and some are across the street from it, but there is access to the Clearwater river from the day use area for all visitors. The campsite is still close to town if you need supplies, about a 20 minute drive. This is now one of my favorite sites in the state. A quiet, beautiful spot to camp, engage in water sports, and fish.

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2025

    Fairbanks / Chena River KOA

    One of the Best KOAs We've Stayed

    For once in a long time on our journey through Alaska, the campground (CG) was not right off the highway. We followed our RV GPS to the Badger Road exit and found the CG tucked back from the main road. Check-in was busy but quick. We were assigned pull-through site 133D with full hookups and 50 AMP. This site has special routing instructions—staff had us drive a few hundred yards down Old Badger Road, which runs adjacent to the CG, to enter through the back KOA gate. From there, it was an easy approach into our site. Site 133D is a KOA Patio site with a deluxe Trex deck, outdoor furniture, propane fire pit, and a Weber propane grill with tools. The gravel pad was long enough for our 40’ toy hauler and F450, with room to put down our rear patio. On arrival, the CG WiFi was unusable, but we got an email update that they were working on it. A later speed test showed 4.97 Mbps download—good enough for email and light browsing. Starlink worked but was slower than usual in this area despite a clear sky view. We got one bar on both Verizon and T-Mobile. This is a well-run KOA, with staff constantly mowing, cleaning, and maintaining the grounds. During our stay, several RV caravans came through—they had their own designated area and even buses for tours. The CG has spaces for all types of campers, from tents to big rigs. There’s a laundry facility, two fenced dog parks, swing benches by the river, and plenty of space to walk your dog. All in all, this is one of the best private CGs we’ve stayed at. If you need a great vet while in the area, we highly recommend Dr. Dawn Brown at North Pole Veterinary Hospital. They are an AAHA accredited clinic and we’ sure all the vets are great, but we definitely had a wonderful experience with Dr. Brown during our appointment with our two Braque's. The CG made an excellent base for exploring the Fairbanks area.

Guide to Ester

Tent camping near Ester, Alaska offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the region. With a variety of well-reviewed sites, campers can enjoy the great outdoors while experiencing the tranquility of Alaska.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • At the Summit Trail, you'll find a peaceful environment perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle, though amenities are minimal.
  • The Upper Chatanika River State Rec Area features drinking water and picnic tables, making it a convenient spot for families and groups.
  • For a more rustic experience, the Salcha River State Rec Area offers a chance to fish and enjoy nature without the distractions of modern amenities.

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $20

  • Camping at the Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter is budget-friendly, providing a great spot for those looking to save while enjoying the outdoors.
  • The Table Top Mountain Loop Trail offers affordable tent camping options, perfect for hikers wanting to explore the scenic trails nearby.
  • At the Summit Trail Shelter, you can enjoy a low-cost camping experience while taking in the breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

Tips for tent camping near Ester

  • Be prepared for limited amenities at places like the Summit Trail, where there are no electric hookups or showers, so pack accordingly.
  • Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, especially at the Upper Chatanika River State Rec Area, so bring repellent to ensure a comfortable stay.
  • If you're looking for a quiet retreat, consider the Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter, which offers a serene atmosphere ideal for relaxation and reflection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ester, AK?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ester, AK is Summit Trail with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Ester, AK?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Ester, AK, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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