Best Campgrounds near Salcha, AK

While staying in North Pole, AK, we decided to check out Eielson AFB Bear Lake FamCamp as we’d heard from other military RVers and on different forums that the campground was not worth staying at. On the major RV review sites the most recent review was from 2023. We normally don’t post reviews on a campground (CG) we didn’t stay at, but made an exception to help other military RVers out. As we entered the campground, we noticed that there were not many campers (there was what looked like a camp host, but no sign), and could immediately see why. The sites had non-potable per signs attached to the water spigot. We also noticed that many of the sites were grown over. There are pull-through sites on one row that could handle big rigs and then back-in sites of various lengths on another row. These sites are water and electric 50 and 30 AMP). However, on most sites you would need to cut brush and low-hanging limbs. There were signs on the bathhouse and laundry facility that the water was bad due to too much chlorine. They do have a dump station. There’s a lake at the end of the CG area, but the grass again was so high it was up through the picnic tables along the shoreline. Based on the CG’s condition and distance from the sights to see in the Fairbanks area, this in our opinion is not a good CG choice, especially with taller 5th wheels or Class A rigs. Fort Wainwright, which is closer to Fairbanks, has Glass Park RV Campground on post and they have sites that should fit bigger rigs according to the site sizes on their webpage.

For once in a long time on our journey through Alaska, the campground (CG) was not right off the highway. We followed our RV GPS to the Badger Road exit and found the CG tucked back from the main road. Check-in was busy but quick. We were assigned pull-through site 133D with full hookups and 50 AMP. This site has special routing instructions—staff had us drive a few hundred yards down Old Badger Road, which runs adjacent to the CG, to enter through the back KOA gate. From there, it was an easy approach into our site. Site 133D is a KOA Patio site with a deluxe Trex deck, outdoor furniture, propane fire pit, and a Weber propane grill with tools. The gravel pad was long enough for our 40’ toy hauler and F450, with room to put down our rear patio. On arrival, the CG WiFi was unusable, but we got an email update that they were working on it. A later speed test showed 4.97 Mbps download—good enough for email and light browsing. Starlink worked but was slower than usual in this area despite a clear sky view. We got one bar on both Verizon and T-Mobile. This is a well-run KOA, with staff constantly mowing, cleaning, and maintaining the grounds. During our stay, several RV caravans came through—they had their own designated area and even buses for tours. The CG has spaces for all types of campers, from tents to big rigs. There’s a laundry facility, two fenced dog parks, swing benches by the river, and plenty of space to walk your dog. All in all, this is one of the best private CGs we’ve stayed at. If you need a great vet while in the area, we highly recommend Dr. Dawn Brown at North Pole Veterinary Hospital. They are an AAHA accredited clinic and we’ sure all the vets are great, but we definitely had a wonderful experience with Dr. Brown during our appointment with our two Braque's. The CG made an excellent base for exploring the Fairbanks area.

We originally planned to stay at Delta State Recreation Area on a first-come, first-served basis after reading several online reviews suggesting that a 40’ RV could fit into some of the sites. After scouting the campground in person, we decided not to chance it and instead stayed at Big Delta State Historical Park nearby. That said, we wanted to share our impressions to help fellow campers make an informed decision. In our opinion, Delta State Recreation Area is not suitable for 40' fifth wheels—primarily for two reasons: 1: Narrow roads with tight turns where overhanging tree branches could easily scrape your rig. 2: Short, narrow sites that don’t provide enough swing room for a 62’ truck and trailer combo. There may be a couple of sites that could fit a rig up to 35’, but even those had branch clearance concerns. Some of the longer-looking sites are actually“buddy” sites labeled A and B, which are meant to be shared and aren’t ideal for big rigs. This campground is best suited for smaller setups—Class B and C motorhomes, small travel trailers, and tent campers. Tent sites looked inviting, and the area has a quiet, wooded charm. There are vault toilets and a camp host cabin onsite, though it appeared unoccupied during our late June visit.

Junction on the Richardson Highway heading toward Fairbanks. The turnoff is well signed, and the campground operates on a self-pay system with a kiosk located in the outer parking area. Our travel partners arrived about an hour before us and talked to the historical park's caretakers/camp host to get the scoop on how the campground works. They gave us a call with the details and when we arrived we pulled in next to them in the area marked"Pull Through Sites" by a sign. The camping area is essentially a large gravel parking lot with minimal site definition. Other than the Pull Through Site sign there's no map or marked boundaries. The official website says 23 any size rig can fit and you can pull through or back-in where convenient. For review purposes, we're calling our travel companion's site#1 and ours#2. We were the only rigs in the campground area overnight. A Class C parked in the outer lot near a picnic table that was clearly marked"No Overnight RV Parking, " but a park ranger drove through and didn't ask them to move so enforcement seems relaxed. There's a second parking lot down by the river that is technically private property (as reported by the camp hosts) that is owned by a local commune living on an island in the river. There were no"No Parking" signs, and it was actively used by both park visitors and the commune residents, who used it to catch their small boats to and from the island. The historical site is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Around 56 PM, traffic picked up along with dust as the island residents came back from work and passed through the camping area on their way to the river. It quieted down by evening. We didn't get much of a phone signal, but Starlink worked great as there are no trees in the camping area. There's a dump station available down the road leading to the back of the park, along with a potable water spigot. The adjacent historic park and Rika’s Roadhouse exhibits are worth exploring and close by on foot. In addition, a portion of the Alaska pipeline runs behind the campground area. You can get a great photo of the pipeline going across the Tanana River by going down to the boat ramp.This camping area was good for an overnighter.