Best Tent Camping near Kenai Fjords National Park
Tent camping near Kenai Fjords National Park offers spectacular wilderness experiences with glacier views, coastal settings, and alpine forests. Exit Glacier Campground provides tent-only camping with approximately 12 walk-in sites on gravel pads, situated just a short drive from Seward. For more adventurous backcountry tent camping, Caines Head State Recreation Area features two notable campgrounds: Tonsina Point (2.1 miles from the trailhead) and North Beach (5.1 miles from Lowell Point). These primitive tent sites provide stunning coastal views with mountains and glaciers as backdrop. Additional tent camping options include Coeur D'Alene Campground near Hope and Crescent Creek Campground near Cooper Landing, both offering secluded tent sites within the surrounding Chugach National Forest.
Bear safety is a primary concern at all tent campgrounds in the Kenai Fjords area. Most sites feature bear-proof food storage lockers, and campers are required to store all food away from tent sites. Exit Glacier Campground provides a communal cooking and food storage area with non-potable well water and clean vault toilets. Tonsina Point and North Beach campgrounds require tide table monitoring for safe access, as hiking is only possible during low tide. Water taxis ($50 one-way) provide alternative access. Most tent sites are first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted. The camping season generally runs May through September, with mosquitoes abundant in summer months.
The tent camping experience near Kenai Fjords offers unparalleled wilderness immersion. Exit Glacier sites are spaced far apart for privacy, with the furthest sites positioned near a braided river that "lulls you to sleep," according to one camper. At North Beach, tent platforms are available just off the beach, with additional sites in the woods for wind protection. One visitor noted, "Waking up every morning with mountains and ocean in view was so surreal. We also saw a whale from our camp, tons of seals, porpoises, and beautiful birds." Backcountry tent camping requires proper preparation for changing weather conditions, with rain common throughout the region. Hikers should bring their own toilet paper, water filtration systems, and bear-resistant food containers when venturing to remote tent sites.
