Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Kenai, AK

Great base location in the central Kenai Peninsula. Easy commute to Seward, Kenai, Sterling, (1 hour) or Homer (2 hours). Many excellent trails all around the mountain and Kenai and Russian River area where Gwins Lodge and Roadhouse is located. Primitive only. Porta-John. Bring water. Fire wood for sale as well as liquor, beer and wine on-site. MJ 420 store 1 mile east. Fun place with restaurant, bar, store, liquor, to-go foods.

A lot of people spend alot of money just to GET to this part of Alaska to go halibut and salmon fishing, only to be hit with high campground, charter, and access fees. This is a great free campground within reach of Soldotna Ak. The Kenai peninsula as a whole is commonly referred to as "the playground of Alaska. My wife and I and our 3 kids used to come here often to get away from the crowds during the summer tourist season. There is also boat access to a number of first come forest service cabins on the lake. The road in can be very washboard at times because there is a popular boat launch here for fishing sockeye salmon on the Kasilof river, and silver salmon fishing in a creek that flows into the lake. The campsites will accommodate anything from tents to large rv's. There is a pump handle on a well onsite for potable water and pit toilets.

If you asked me where my favorite spot in Alaska is, I might just choose the Russian River. Whether you're into the RV life or are looking for a more rugged experience, this campground can satisfy your desires.

A quick 2 hour drive from Anchorage takes you to the campground, a well-paved and serviced series of loops that you'll always feel safe in. We personally preferred the outer edge of the Silver Salmon Loop, though we enjoyed them all. If you're a big fisher, the Red Salmon Loop is your go-to spot for easy access to the river. It isn't hard to find yourself standing with dozens of anglers in the peak season, but if you're not too competitive, theres usually a secluded spot to be found - just watch out for bears trying to swipe your catch of the day!

The grounds have easy access to a number of trails in the Chugach Forest. Try the Russian Lakes Trail if you are interested in a short hike to see salmon jump into the Russian Falls. The Angler's Trail will take you right to the Kenai-Russian River Confluence - one of the most unique sights in the world! And there's both a boat launch and Kenai River ferry nearby if you're willing to go big.

Overall, the Russian River Campground's extra amenities (parking lots, covered bathrooms, provided drinking stations) are a real perk, but you don't have to worry about losing the natural, wild beauty of the Chugach Forest and all of the wildlife that comes with.

Quick visit while exploring the Kenai peninsula. Clean sites. Lots of bear scat! Have bear spray and keep you food in designated bear proof containers at campground. Close to plenty of lakes and hiking trails.

This is a beautiful place to camp without having to drive all the way to Kenai or Homer. Trees, water, wildlife... What else do you need! This is a great place to get out of town for a bit.

Along the Kenai River a great place for RVer's that are needing a fishing fix. The main lodge is just a short walk away too. Grocery store, shower, laundry ADA accessible, Ice and Propane make this a wonderful stop. All sites are a bit close together but there are trees on the outside.

This RV Park offers full hook ups with laundry, shower, and full service market on site. The showers were very clean with excellent water pressure ($2.00 for 10 min). Laundry facilities was large and clean. Market staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about area. They were kind enough to lend us bear spray for our Russian River hike. Lending library also available in market place to exchange for a new book.

The Princess Lodge itself is large with 2 restaurants and a large deck that looks out onto the Kenai. They offer shuttle service to and from the lodge and RV Park as needed. The lodge also has a beautiful trail with decks looking into the Kenai the shuttle can take you to and from as needed.

The market staff were really amazing and we enjoyed our stay here very much. We tried one of the restaurants in the Lodge and unfortunately weren’t too impressed. We will definitely stay at this RV site again in the future. Can’t beat the location and hospitality!

Centennial Campground in Soldotna Alaska will be bursting at the seams in June and July. Fishing season will be in full swing and getting a spot may be tricky- as they take no reservations- but WORTH IT! Especially if you like to fish.

Prices vary from on season to off-- referring to fishing

Kenai river runs swift and strong alongside this Campground.. along with a beautiful boardwalk along that. Feels like your walking on water!

There are parts of the boardwalk that lead straight to the water with metal stairs for access and easy fishing. They have fish cleaning stations and HANDICAP FISHING SPOTS!! And discounts for military- love this!

There is day stay rates and overnight. For day stay it's mainly for fishing- there is also a parking area and open place to fish- we call this time of year "combat" fishing-- shoulder to shoulder--

but the beauty of the river and some treed spaces make this a great place to "fish camp"

state bathrooms, no running water.

We have camped both in high fishing season and early September when an occasional silver will run. This is a quieter time and much more relaxing. There will be fewer people in September as well.

We loved this campground! Perfect for two adults in Campervan that like privacy. We stayed in the first site and while it was sort of close to the road the noise wasn’t bad because you have the river so close. Perhaps not the best site for small children. But with limited access to the kenai, we were happy to have our own spot and no one walking though our site at all.

If you looking to find the treasure at the end of the road.. THIS IS IT!!

Just when you thought you have seen all the simple road system of Alaska.. turn right on Kenai Spur Road and go to the end.. literally. There you find a hidden treasure, few find! We found this on one of our " Let's just drive" adventures.

Be sure to bring all the supplies you need as the nearest store is 20 minutes back the way you came.. that includes wood.. unless you scavenge the beach for some.

We arrived in the mist of torrential rain.. common for August in Alaska.. and quickly wished for that extra tarp I didn't want to pack. Each camp spot is small but clean with a fire pit and table. You will be surrounded by trees and foliage which provide privacy and the cook inlet is one full side of your site! A complete plus!

There is a lake near by called Stormy Lake where you can launch a boat, kayak or canoe. You will need bring your own as there are no rentals here. You can fish here or in the river that runs near by, Swanson River. Remember you need a fishing license (16+) as game wardens pop up like leprechauns in Alaska :)

Where there are fish there are bears.. so be bear aware. Carry bear spray, keep food in your car or do the triangle food hang ( not sure you can google that) and keep a clean camp site. You may also see Eagles and moose!

There are fresh water pumps and state bathrooms.. which provide a dry spot in torrential rain.. no judging here..

For those of you who love to RV there are Rv sites and sites for handicap and day sites.

There is plenty of trails to just wander and take in the beauty around you. We took full advantage of being the only people out beach combing in the rain. We read this is a good agate beach.. we didn't find any but the rain make everything bright and shiny so we used this time for wonderful photos.

overall a wonderful end of the road experience, with few people and wonderful nature!!

Tucked away off the main Kenai Peninsula roads, Captain Cook SP sees fewer visitors and offers campers a nice quiet way to spend a few days. While fishing might be the main outdoor activity here, walking along the rocky beach of Cook inlet can’t be beat. 

The campsites are rustic and small, with just a few able to serve larger rigs. The road through the campground is winding and hilly so we’d recommend not bringing a long 5th wheel or bus in here. The vault toilets were clean and water was available through spigots located around the loop. Like all Alaskan State Park wells, they recommend that you treat, filter, or boil all water before consuming. The forest canopy made it a bit of a challenge for our solar system, but our portable solar suitcase was able to make up the difference by periodically moving it around to the sunny spot. 

Hiking trails lead throughout the campground and down to the beach where you could walk for miles if you wanted. The views of Cook Inlet and the mountains of the western shore are stunning on clear days and the sunsets were incredible.  Denali is probably visible occasionally. There was an “Alaskan boat launch," aka a 4-wheel drive road down to the beach where you could launch a small craft, canoe or kayak, and cycling along the roads is possible. There are ample fishing opportunities throughout the area, as well as companies which will take you further inland by seaplane to find your own isolated spot. 

The closest town with full services is Kenai, and the larger village of Soldatna for mechanics, gas, groceries and restaurants.

Grew up coming to this campground for the last 20 years. Many upgrades and nice trail system around the campground. Great place to camp with your dogs. However the dogs hate the grated boardwalks.

I can't say enough about my stay at Kelly Lake Cabin of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Cabin. It was late Feb./ early March, and we were tired from our previous two days of camping and hiking, so when we arrived at the lake, we decided to drive the short distance on the lake instead of hiking out to the cabin with all our stuff. We parked on the lake in front of the cabin and were pleasantly surprised to see someone had left an igloo! The cabin was neat, the newest we'd ever stayed in, and had a wonderful view of the trees and lake. Even the outhouse had great views! The woodstove in the cabin was extremely effective at warming the space (we woke up sweating!), and the fact that the cabin came with an outdoor fire ring and boat made us want to come back with friends in the summer even more! Absolutely loved the space and our time there.

These park does not allow dogs.

We spend many days at the Russian during the peak of salmon season. When the reds (sockeye) are in, whether it be the first run or the second, the Russian River Campground is the place to be. Sites are nestled in the woods and feature a paved driveway, metal fire pits with top grate, picnic table, and large bear/animal proof lockers for food and gear. Trees and shrubs abound - no scorched earth campsites here. Some sites are singles, others doubles and a few pull-throughs for larger campers and those towing boats & toys. No water or electric hookups. Toilets and non-potable water located in each loop. FYI, this is bear country - we've had bears walk through camp and past us on the river. Read up on bear safety prior to staying at the Russian!

Sign up through Recreation.gov as soon as the registration window opens (6 months prior) since spaces fill up incredibly fast. If you're planning on fishing, try to book one of the loops closest to the Russian River or its confluence with the Kenai River. Otherwise it's quite a hike down to the water.

Great family weekend campground and is right on the river providing amazing fishing opportunities. This campground is huge! So lots of trails and boardwalks to ride bikes, walk dogs, get out and explore. Check out the City of Soldotna website for all the details and list of all the fees and discounts for trip planning.

Camping spots are large and offer fire pits and picnic tables. Extra vehicles are charged the same fee as the RV. So if you drive down and have an RV to get the spot and have a friend in a car joining you later they charge the car same price as the RV. Wish they’d have a price break for extra vehicles.