Best Campgrounds near Ketchikan, AK

Great wild camping spot close to town. Beautiful views of Nichols Passage. You can often hear the blows of whales as you sleep at night. There is a fire ring and a pit toilet.

With small to medium vessel anchorage just 8 miles South of Ketchikan, this is a conveniently located & beautiful getaway. Enjoy hiking Black Mountain Trail from shore.

Beautiful forest & not far from Ward Lake. Conveniently near Ketchikan, 7 miles north of downtown, & just 4 miles north of the State ferry terminal. The campground is on Signal Creek & Ward Lake. Ward Lake used to have amazing fishing before a now defunct dam was placed on the creek. Hopefully it will be removed & the amazing runs of salmon will return!

Stayed there numerous times, usually in fall for hunting. If this were private property it would be worth several million. Ranch style building was converted from a surveyor camp to a rental cabin 2 years ago. Drive right up to it on your own gated road. Call to get code, number below. The view of Polk Inlet is stunning. Fantastic crabbing and fishing at certain times. Easy to bring a boat or ATV's to cruise hundreds of miles of logging roads in the area. Cabin has running hot and cold water (as of last year...check before you go at 907-826-3271 Forest Service). A shower and sinks, but no toilet due to septic regulations. Sleeps as many as you want: 3 bedrooms with one bunk rack each. Wood stove.

One of our favorite sites in Alaska!

The cabin is big, cozy, and affordable. There are big rocky outcroppings that you can explore, hang hammocks, and watch the waves come in. It's really a magical place, the mossy growth on the ground makes for good tent camping if you have more people than can fit in the cabin. Lots of wildlife too, and you feel SO secluded. Worth every second.

Also, make sure you look UP because the night sky is amazing.

I loved Harris River, it probably helped that it was a nice sunny day! There were quite a few downed trees that distracted from the natural beauty, but overall we had a wonderful stay. Amenities are brand new which is a plus, and the river is gorgeous. Come here, catch some fish, and go relax :)

Managed to visit for an overnight on a sunny weekend-a miracle! Beautiful views and great secluded camping areas. Great little hikes with beautiful water features (not quite what I would consider waterfalls). Great views of the ocean too and beach combing if your up for exploring. Old growth trees I couldn't stretch my arms around! Not sure I'd wanna be caught our camping here in the rain but in the sun it was amazing!!!

The hike to get up to the Deer Mountain shelter is relatively difficult. It's only around 3 miles hiking, but the hike is continuously uphill. Views are stunning once reaching the top. The shelter is cozy, enough space for 2 people with a tiny sitting area and built in table on the lower level and a small loft for sleeping as well. A few yards away from the shelter, there's a pretty basic outdoor toilet, but it was nice to have that as an option! Not every day that you get to answer nature's call on a mountaintop loo nestled between several small ponds.

The only downfall is that the small stove inside of the shelter was busted when I stayed there (in July), and I'm not sure when it will be fixed up again. The shelter is also first come first serve, so it could be an issue if someone's already claimed it for the day. Though there are plenty of open, flat areas nearby that could easily be camped on as well.