Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Moose Pass? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Moose Pass with tent camping. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Exit Glacier has a 12-site, walk-in, tent-campground. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no reservations or camping fees. There is a fourteen-day stay limit. The campground frequently fills by early evening in July and August. A central food storage, cooking and dining shelter is provided. Cooking and/or storing food in campsites is prohibited. There is a pump for drinking water and pit toilets are available. Pets are not permitted in campsites.
Crescent Creek Campground is open. As of May 17, 2019, fees are being charged and services are available. Reservations are made though Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) and recommended for summer camping. Fees are charged during the summer season. Reservations may be made up to180 days prior to your desired arrival date in the summer season (Memorial Day through Labor Day in September). A small campground with 9 sites. $14 (single)/$28 (double)
Coeur D'Alene Campground is open. A small campground with six walk-in tent sites. This site is not recommended for large RV's or trailers. Water is not available at this campground. There are toilets, fire pits, and tables at the site.
Hop off the Train at the Spencer Whistle Stop! Take a tour with a Forest Service interpreter around the foot of Spencer Lake and then float among the icebergs that have calved off of the great glacier while the guide steers an Alaskan Native canoe. Or take a leisurely journey by raft down the Placer River toward Turnagain Arm.
Camp on the deck of a ferry. Covered solariums located on the upper decks of each vessel are popular sleeping areas and for those traveling with small tents, they are allowed on the upper decks.
$5 / night
Guide
In mid August we had very few mosquitoes. We also had our pick of some of the best camping spots I’ve ever seen. We became spoiled boomers and kept passing up sites until we got a close walk to the lake, a close walk to the well pump, and a close walk to the pit toilet(very clean). Also a short drive to Seward for all the tourist amenities.
Scout
We were lucky enough to get a spot here! It was a perfect place to stop on our way from Homer back to Anchorage.
Traveler
Went there for the weekend. It was really nice. Right along the river and there are picnic tables and bear boxes around. You’re a really short walk to the lake and there is soft rocky beach you can enjoy the views on. The sites are pretty well established and it is a first come first serve basis. We got lucky and got the last spot in the lane. There isn’t too many sites. I think 8 total? It’s a smaller one. Two restrooms vaults at each end.
Legend
Although we didn't camp here overnight, we ended up staying in the campground for a couple hours waiting out the rain. The vault toilets and covered group cooking/eating areas were in great shape and stayed dry.
From the campground, we hiked up to explore the abandoned WWII fort, Fort McGilvray. Super interesting and much bigger than I expected! See the full hiking route here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/caines-head-trail
You have two options for getting here:
Legend
We didn't get to stay in the cabin this time, but it looks nice! It was built recently. The cabin can be reservered in advance, see more info about it here: https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspcabins/tonsinacabin.htm
You have two options for getting here:
Rainy weather is common here, but fortunately there are covered areas for cooking/eating.
Scout
The roads were paved okay, the sites are more gravel. It was a (narrow) but 30 second walk to the private lake access we had. The campsite overall was the biggest one we’ve been in. The flys were so awful, the mosquitos seemed invisible. The lake is clean and amazing, there was road noise but didn’t bother us, we’re loud anyway. It was so beautiful. But the bathrooms were useable. If you try to get food at summit lake lodge, don’t, they suck and are overpriced. Maybe French fries and onion rings but nothing else.
Guide
It was 54 Degrees in July…… and Mosquitoes ate us alive Great Lake but forget to be outside your Camper. The Spots were not Level at all
GuideBeautiful lakeside setting, inexpensive well maintained facilities. Lots of camp sites, both rv and tent. Sites are fairly private. Quiet. Lots of families. Good camp host.
Scout
It’s crowded and I’m not even sure what to do because it’s a big mess but I’m gonna go ahead and do the same
Guide
The stunning lake view and access made the campsite worth dealing with the bugs and bears.
We arrived at Upper Skilak Lake Campground on a sunny Friday afternoon and managed to get the last site available. The campground was packed, including all the RV sites. We ended up in one of the walk-in tent sites. There are a total of 10 walk-in tent sites, with six right on the lake and the rest just a short walk away.
Each campsite is equipped with bear-proof storage for food, which is essential considering the active bear presence in the area. There is enough space for two tents, and the fire pits are new with adjustable grill racks, which made cooking easy. Buckets were provided to safely extinguish fires.
The campsites are a short walk from the parking lot, involving a small hill, except for one (maybe two) handicap-accessible site that offers easier access.
During our stay, we saw black bears and grizzly bears every day. Bear scat was common on the trails and beach, adding to the sense of adventure but also requiring constant vigilance regarding food storage and safety.
The park rangers were friendly and stopped by our site each night to check in and talk about bear sightings. However, one morning, a ranger accompanied by a few volunteers walked into our site while we were eating, which felt somewhat invasive.
The main downside was the state of the bathrooms. They were extremely dirty, with one stall that didn’t lock and another that had no toilet paper. The smell was terrible, and overall, the facilities were not well-maintained.
By the time we left on Monday, we were the only campers remaining, which offered a peaceful end to our stay.
Overall, Upper Skilak Lake Campground offers a beautiful location and a genuine wilderness experience, the poor condition of the bathrooms and significant amount of bugs were the only drawback.
Be prepared for bears and lots of bugs. The lake, the trails, and experience were definitely worth the trip.
Ranger
This is what it is. It’s a gravel lot and you’re packed in like sardines. Go in with that knowledge and you’ll find it to be a great spot to stay a night or two. We stayed here two nights because we had booked a fishing trip. It’s close to the marina and easy walking distance to several shops.
Scout
This place is very cold we climb and have some while watching movies
Guide
Hated having to be so close to everyone. Basically a parking lot that they squeeze everyone into.
LegendTent review. This would not be my first pick of campgrounds, however, travelling in shoulder season, options are limited. Since we are tent campers, we stayed in that section in Resurrection Sound. The sites are tight with zero privacy. As long as you have good neighbors, its not a problem. Our first couple nights were fairly enjoyable. The homeless family living in a site 2 down from us weren't too bad except for them splitting wood after dark when we were trying to sleep. It was labor day weekend and our last night was miserable. The campground filled up with locals there to party. They set up pop up tents, brought amplifiers, music, instruments and were up until 2 or 3 in the morning getting drunk. The views were okay. The walking path along the campground is very nice. The public park bathrooms were fairly clean considering their use. We had to drive into the city to use the harbor showers. They are coin operated. They were fairly clean.
Guide
There is a south campground along the river and a north loop along the creek. We stayed in the south camp at the end of September so it was “no services no fees” at that time. There’s a bbq restaurant across the street. There are food storage lockers at each site because of bears. Most other campers were there to fish.
Guide
Basically one big parking lot, but it has nice views of the surrounding mountains and harbor. They provide toilets and dumpster which is nice, also the spots have fire pits.
LegendExtremely convenient place to stay. You can walk the boardwalk along Resurrection Bay and get to where a lot of the shops/restaurants/tourist attractions are and where the cruise ships pull into port. Super convenient. You could go the opposite direction and walk to downtown as well.
The campground is just a huge gravel parking lot with a ton of RVS.....it's $65/night partial hookup if you want to camp right on the bay. $55/night if you camp one row back. We chose $55 a night as we had plenty of good views but a lot of people chose that front spot. This is for electric only. There is a dump station/water down the road. The shower house was under maintenance which was unfortunate due to the price. They have portapottys out, so you can go to the bathroom, but the reviews I have seen said the bathrooms are gross. You would think the city could do better than this. They are rolling in the $$s as the campground is busy. Level spots too.
We were able to see birds and a sea otter steps from our camper. A neat place for sure! I guess it usually rains there as it foggy and rainy the two days we spent there.
LegendIt's salmon fishing season and you can tell people are staying here to fish the Kenai River, which is great. It was a very convenient campsite off the highway on the way to Homer, in the national forest. only $23 a night to camp or $11.50 if your a senior or have an access pass. Great prize for Alaska, but of course no amenities at site such as water, electric etc. It's a dry spot.
Good size sites and level spots with picnic table and fire pit. Enjoyed our night here ...
Legend
Small but lovely campground on a one way road right on the Kenai river. Sites are spread out, a couple tent spots and a couple of camper spots. There appears to be seven spots and if this is full, you can go just up the road to the next campground.
No electric, water etc but there is a dumpster, picnic tables and fire pits. Across the road is a BBQ spot and a store. You can easily walk to it, just be careful going across road as hwy. Is pretty busy!
Scout
It was quiet and from all aspects was exactly what we were looking for. As locals we just needed a quick and easy getaway for the weekend. Couldn't have picked a better place!
Scout
There were several nice spots in amongst the trees for tent camping, but for the RV spots, you would want a spot along the beach or next to the bath house. We stayed in the spot named “Amy” next to the bath house. It was flat, but could be difficult to back in to if adjacent spots were full. We will stay in the North Annex next year, a place ran by the same owners.
Scout
The camp hosts were exceptional, I am handicap and they found us a great handicap space for car camping at the time. This as Fourth of July weekend 2021
GuideVery basic campground with no amenities. Lots of space between sites with fast moving water on the north side.
LegendTo celebrate our 10th nomadiversary and 22nd wedding anniversary, we sea kayaked into this incredible campground about 5 miles from the boat launch point at Lowell Point, and found the most perfect tent platform just off the beach. This may be one of the most spectacular campsites we’ve ever enjoyed that is just a few miles from shore. Making a camp fire on the pebble beach to cook our dinner and watch the sun go down couldn’t have been a better way to end the day!
A short walk up a trail, there’s a picnic shelter with food storage lockers, and a fire rig.
A few more yards toward the ranger cabin you’ll find the two vault toilets (rustic, yet clean), but don’t forget to bring your own toilet paper. This place is a paddlers dream, with easy beach access and a sheltered cove. Paddle around the headland to the south beach and you’ll find sheer rocky cliffs and sea arches -- in good weather this is simply stunning.
If the weather is too harsh for paddling, there’s a great hiking trail leading between the two camping areas with a side trail up to the remains of Fort McGilvray, a World War II era fort. Truly beautiful hike, gorgeous views, and very interesting history.
Resurrection Bay, and Seward AK, is one of the most visited areas of the Kenai Peninsula. Visitors can access this area by boat, cruise ship, plane, train, motor vehicle, bicycle, or on foot. But, getting to Caines Head SRA is a bit of a logistical challenge, but totally worth the effort. The parking area is limited, with only a few spots for RV’s of any length, in the upper lot. But the experience is so worth it. There are a couple of cabins that are reservable through the DNR scattered throughout the Caines Head area. These are accessible via boat or at very low tide.
LegendThis is a glorified parking lot, for sure, but it is set in the middle of an Alaskan wilderness wonderland. In every direction you look lies stunning views: mountains, glaciers, fjords, waterfalls, and rivers. What the campground lacks in charm, the scenery simply overwhelms. The sites lie around the perimeter of the square, where there are some grass areas for tents and ample places for RVs of any length. If you can make it through the tunnel, there's room for your rig. Pay for your site at one of the village parking machines near the marina.
The two vault toilets were clean enough to get the job done. There is water and a dumpster or two for trash– but remember, you’re not there for the campground. The surrounding area is gorgeous, but as the locals say, "The weather is always shittier in Whittier!" We got 1.5 nice days and it rained the rest of the time. Regardless, we fit a lot in!
A note about generator etiquette, while there is no rule stating that you can’t run your generator all night long, that does not invite you to do so. If you must power whatever it is you have to run while you sleep there is a better way to do so without impacting your neighbors. Check us out at https://freedominacan.com/solar-powered-by-renogy for all the solar power information you could possibly want.
If you are lucky enough to visit when the sun shines, consider yourself extra blessed and don’t waste a minute of that time inside! There’s a short biking/ walking path into the town from the campground, take a boat excursion, go for a guided sea kayaking paddle(complete with viewing 1,000 foot waterfall) or explore the area on foot. There’s a great hiking trail which starts right across the main road. It’s stunning.
The town has a few services, including gas, bars and restaurants and a convenience store. There’s not a lot of options in town though so come prepared.
LegendThis is a great little campground between Anchorage and Girdwood, right along the Turnagain Arm inlet and Seward Hwy. While the road noise from the nearby (and busy highway), could be loud at times, things mostly quieted down during the nighttime hours. This first come-first served campground is popular on weekends because of the proximity to Anchorage, where folks usually rent RV’s to explore the Kenai Peninsula – so plan ahead.
The campsites are spacious, but only about half of the sites can accommodate larger RV’s; the rest can only manage a small van or travel trailer. There is plenty of space in each site to set up a tent, if that’s how you’re going to roll. The sites were clean, as were the vault toilets. Water is available in a few spigots distributed throughout the park, but they recommended boiling the water to be safe. Bring your solar panels, as these sites don't have electrical hookups!
There is a beautiful nature trail leading to the Bird to Gird (biking/walking path) for the young and old alike. Biking the path along the old railroad line is a great way to spend the afternoon. Bike all the way to Girdwood and reward yourself with some of their famous Blueberry fritters at Alpine Cafe and Bakery, which is right off the path at the intersection of the Seward and Alyeska Hwy.
Two other awesome natural features of the area are Byron Glacier (easy hike) and the bore tide. During certain times of the month, the incoming tide creates an incoming wave of water that is large enough to surf. Be sure to look for the tidal information online or in park's posted materials. Warning! Do not wade out into the water, the tidal mud is like quicksand and many a casual visitor has become entrapped. Heed the warnings of the locals, don’t wade out into the mud flats!
Girdwood has many services, including gas, the aforementioned fritters, laundry and showers, groceries, bakeries, restaurants, golf course, and a ski mountain. Might we also recommend the Girdwood Brewery with its food trucks!
Scout
Beautiful drive getting there. Food at the restaurants downtown was a bit pricey but good. The KOA was real nice, peaceful and clean. It had everything needed for a weekend getaway. Family friendly!
Tent camping near Moose Pass, Alaska offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying the tranquility of the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Moose Pass, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Moose Pass, AK is Exit Glacier Campground — Kenai Fjords National Park with a 4.8-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Moose Pass, AK?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Moose Pass, AK, with real photos and reviews from campers.
