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Best Tent Camping near Hoonah, AK

48 Reviews

The temperate rainforests surrounding Hoonah, Alaska offer several primitive tent camping options, with Bartlett Cove Campground in Glacier Bay National Park serving as the primary established tent campground in the region. This walk-in tent campground features 36 individual sites and 3 group sites situated approximately 1/4 mile from the parking area. Additional tent camping opportunities can be found at Admiralty National Monument, known for its remote wilderness experience, and at Bessie Creek Trailhead, which provides access to creekside hiking trails.

Tent campers at Bartlett Cove must obtain a free permit and attend a mandatory bear safety orientation at the visitor center before setting up camp. The park provides wheelbarrows to transport gear from the parking lot to the walk-in tent sites. Campsites consist of simple cleared areas without picnic tables or fire rings, though composting toilets are available within the campground. Food preparation must occur on the rocky beach in the intertidal zone to minimize bear encounters, and all food must be stored in designated food cache shelters along the campground trail. Summer temperatures typically remain in the 60s, with rain common throughout the season, making quality rain gear essential for backcountry tent camping in this region.

Wildlife viewing opportunities abound for tent campers throughout the Hoonah area. According to reviews, campers at Bartlett Cove regularly observe whales, sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and brown bears along the coastline. One visitor noted that "trees were dripping with green mosses and vegetation" at the tent sites, creating an immersive rainforest experience. The primitive tent camping setup contributes to what another camper described as "a backcountry feel without being far from your car." St. James Bay State Marine Park, accessible by boat, offers additional tent camping with protected anchorages and concentrations of wildlife. Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for kayaking, hiking, photography, and wildlife observation in this remote Alaskan wilderness.

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Best Tent Sites Near Hoonah, Alaska (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Hoonah, AK

3 Photos of 8 Hoonah Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Hoonah, AK

48 Reviews of 8 Hoonah Campgrounds

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

    Bartlett Cove Campground — Glacier Bay National Park

    Beautiful Campground to Start an Unbelievable Journey!

    This “semi-developed” campground in the park at Bartlett Cove near the Visitor’s Center is simply stunning. Campsites are free but require a permit and short briefing at the Visitor’s Center on the backcountry bear protocol. The campground has 36 individual walk-in sites (3-group sites) and the closest are around 1/4 miles from the parking lot. The park provides wheelbarrows to help tote your camping gear to the site. I point this out because we waited until arriving at the Visitor’s Center to prep our gear and food for our sea kayak trip and the distance from our campsite and parking lot required a lot of schlepping gear, food and many, many steps. It did, however, contribute to the remote feel of the campground. 

    The campsites themselves, are simply bare spots on which to pitch your tent – no picnic tables or fire rings, but there are composting toilets in the campground.  No sites in the park can accommodate camping from your vehicle or trailer, though there is at least 1 small RV park in Gustavus about 10 miles away. 

    Supplies and food should be brought with you, as the options for purchasing in Gustavus are limited. The park gift shop as well as the town’s general store does sell camping fuel in the small and green canisters – these cannot be brought on any airplane if you fly in.  At the campground, all food needs to be prepared and consumed on the rocky beach, in the intertidal zone, away from the camping area so that all food smells and debris are carried away by the water and do not attract bear curiosity. Regardless of the weather, you must cook here so bringing a small rain fly is a good idea. Food must be stored in the food cache shelters scattered along the trail winding through the campsite. 

    As the weather can be cold and rainy anytime during the summer the park provides warming huts which are 3 sided shelters with wood stoves that a perfect place to hang out, dry off and warm up. Firewood is both copious and free. No food consumption or preparation should be done in these shelters. Back Country camping is available anywhere within the park except areas that are closed. Rangers will provide information on campsite selection as well as a lot of other information in the mandatory backcountry briefing held twice a day(10am& 6pm at the Visitor's Center).

    Check out our video of our backcountry experience in Glacier Bay here:  https://youtu.be/bYmf6GKT5kA

  • Josiah P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 27, 2018

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Conveniently located & Beautiful

    Easy access to epic beauty from the airport. The glacier brings the temperature down significantly from the surrounding area ❄️ All of the campsites are furnished with picnic tables, tent pads & fire rings with grills. Water faucets & accessible vault toilets are provided, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities. A dump station & trash dumpster are located on-site.

  • 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.

  • H
    Sep. 30, 2016

    Bartlett Cove Campground — Glacier Bay National Park

    Glacier Bay primitive campsite

    Great primitive campground a short walk (less than 1/2 mile) from the parking lot. Due to all the bear activity, you need to attend an “orientation” by the rangers to learn how to safely camp in this park, including using a quaint food cache cabin, where you’re allowed to eat, etc. There is no water but there are vault toilets. This is the only place to camp here (most stay in the cabins/lodge) and one of my favorite places I’ve ever been.

  • K
    Sep. 27, 2016

    Bartlett Cove Campground — Glacier Bay National Park

    A Walk in the Rainforest

    This is a walk-in campground and there are wheel barrows provided for use to haul gear from the parking lot (about 1/4 mile). There is filtered water and restrooms available by the backcountry office where you obtain your free permit, but there is no running water in the campground. There are 3 caches to store food and scented items in. There are 2 outhouses and a composting toilet. Firewood is provided for use in the warming shelter or the fire ring on the beach. It is located in a temperate rainforest, so bring your rain gear! Upon arrival you should go to the backcountry office to get a permit and attend an orientation about general regulations and about staying safe in bear country.

  • Lisa S.
    Apr. 26, 2019

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Great place to take scenic photos

    Excellent location on lake offering a spectacular view. Nice campground, cozy and only offers less than 70 sites. Full hookups are available at some. Picnic tables and fire rings are available at sites. There is also a dump station and restrooms available. Hiking trails are close. As is the Mendenhall Glacier accessible from the Visitor Center

  • Tanya B.
    Aug. 15, 2020

    Peterson lake campground

    Never knew this was here

    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. I look forward to spending a lot of time at this campground.

  • J
    Jul. 28, 2017

    Mendenhall Lake Campground

    Staring Into The Past

    After a month of kayaking in Glacier Bay, stumbling off the ferry and taking the bus to the campground Mendenhall campground felt like luxury. Without a doubt the best hot showers I've ever had camping. The proximity to the glacier and the views from around the lake are astounding. Mt McGinnis on the west and Mt Bullard and Thunder Mountain to the East. The shark fin and the towers piercing out of the ice field. It's all jaw dropping regardless of what direction you turn your head.

    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. Also big heads up there were the famed ice caves but those have long collapsed and as of my visit no new caves have formed.

    Bear boxes are at each campsite as well as fire pits. By far my favorite established campground in Juneau. Only downer in my opinion is having to reserve online first.

Guide to Hoonah

Tent camping near Hoonah, Alaska, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities.

Explore the Beauty of Glacier Bay National Park

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hoonah, AK is Bartlett Cove Campground — Glacier Bay National Park with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Hoonah, AK, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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