Camping options near Palmer, Alaska range from wooded spots to mountainside retreats at elevations between 200-1,000 feet. Located 42 miles northeast of Anchorage, the Palmer area's camping season typically runs May through September with temperatures ranging from 45-75°F. Campgrounds experience high traffic on summer weekends when temperatures reach their peak.
What to do
Kayaking at Eklutna Lake: Spend time on the 7-mile long, glacier-fed lake at Eklutna Lake Campground. "Eklunta lake is just beautiful. Its several miles up the mountain but the view there is just gorgeous. The camp sites r nicely placed apart to not be right on top of ur neighbor," notes Barbara W.
Hiking nearby trails: The area offers numerous hiking opportunities with varying difficulties. "Twin peaks is a fun hike but pretty steep for kids. The view is worth the hike but be prepared," advises Samantha M. about trails near Eklutna Lake Campground.
Wildlife spotting: Keep your camera ready for local wildlife. "This is a great place to see bears! Moose.... Foxes. The waters are clear and the landscape is so lush," reports Carly S. about her experience at Eklutna Lake.
What campers like
Mountain backdrops: Mountain View RV Park lives up to its name with scenic views. "With amazing views, Showers, laundry, and picnic tables at each site there's nothing missing from this RV park," writes Tanya B. The park sits between Butte and Palmer, offering panoramic mountain scenery.
Lakeside activities: Water features are popular at many campsites near Palmer, Alaska. "Tons of trails, lake access, dog park, playground, electric hookups, forested descent separation between sites, group site, restrooms, swimming, kayaking, canoe, and fish," says Shadara W. about Lake Lucile Campground.
Winter camping opportunities: For off-season adventurers, backcountry sites offer winter recreation. "This is a great place to build a snow cave or do some winter camping. It gets cold so dress warm in the -20--40 range. There are lots of great places to drive up to and snowboard to the roadway," explains Brad B. about Hatcher Pass Backcountry Sites.
What you should know
Site spacing varies significantly: Some campgrounds offer more privacy than others. At The Springer RV Park & Campground, "The sites were very close together, with only a slender strip of grass and a picnic table between them," according to MickandKarla W.
Insect considerations: Summer brings mosquitoes, especially near water. "There are a ton of flies though in the summer. Especially next to all this water. Mosquitos are aggressive at night," warns Carly S. about Eklutna Lake.
Airport noise: Some campsites experience noise from nearby small aircraft. "This is a nice little spot but there's two drawbacks; The campground lies just at the end of a small plane airport so there's almost constant noise. Secondly the restrooms close at 10pm," reports Scott T. about Matanuska River Park Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and open spaces: Fox Run Lodge & RV Campground provides family-friendly amenities. "We visited here for two nights with our children in our tow-behind trailer. There wasn't a lot to do for the kids, but we were able to enjoy the grassy area, make s'mores in the community fire pit, take a nice walk next to the golf course nearby," shares Khursten C.
Dog-friendly options: Many campgrounds welcome pets. "Lake luciel campground... Great all around, Great Lake. Good trees," says Chris W. Lake Lucile also features "a fenced dog park for dog lovers and playground for kiddos," according to Abigail.
Swimming areas: Kepler Bradley Lake offers swimming opportunities. "The kids also went swimming on a super hot day with life vests available to borrow," notes Samantha M., adding that it's "super family friendly."
Tips from RVers
Accessibility considerations: Roads to campgrounds vary in quality. "The turn into the CG was a little tight but manageable with our 40' toy hauler and F450," reports MickandKarla W. about The Springer RV Park.
Utility placements: Check utility locations when selecting sites. At Big Bear Campground and RV Park, "Utilities were placed in the middle of the pad with good water pressure," notes MickandKarla W. Also, "The hookups are on the opposite side if you back in. It is not an issue if you bring an extra extension cord," advises daniel W. about Fox Run Lodge.
Internet connectivity: Connection quality varies by location. "We got 2 bars on Verizon and 1 workable bar on T-Mobile. Because of the close spacing and perimeter trees, we placed Starlink on the roof and had a good connection," shares MickandKarla W. about their stay at The Springer RV Park.
