Looking for the best campgrounds near Seward, AK? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Seward, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Discover great camping spots near Seward, reviewed by campers like you.
The City of Seward has seven separate campground locations, six locations within Seward RV Waterfront Park:
Iditarod, Resurrection (utility area), Marathon, Harborside, Alice, William's Park (for smaller RVs and Tent camping)
Our community invites you to stay and play and experience the abundant winter recreational opportunities available in the area. Stay at the Waterfront Park in a small section of Resurrection Campground where the scenery is breathtaking. The cost to camp is $5 a night for Dry camping, or if you need electric hook-ups, camping is $20 per nighg for Seward Alaska RV Parks. Self-contained RV units only, as our water is off and the dump station is closed for the cold season. Garbage service is also not available and must be hauled home or off-site.
Campers are required to self-register prior to camping. Use the pay station located at the north entrance of the winter camping area of Resurrection Campground.
We work to provide snow and ice removal. Be warned, however, that conditions change rapidly and often in Seward. Campers must use common sense and caution in the winter camping area. Watch for snow, ice, and uneven surfaces.
$10 - $20 / night
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.
Miller's Landing is a secluded Campground, Fishing Camp, and Adventure Tourism focal point located right on Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska.
$19 - $250 / night
$13 - $17 / night
Trail River Campground, set between the Trail River and Kenai Lake, provides lake, river and snow-capped mountain scenery among the hemlock and spruce forests of the Chugach National Forest. It lies within driving distance of two main tourism destinations; 24 miles north of Seward and 40 miles east of Cooper Landing, AK. Miles of hiking and biking trails weave throughout the area. Moose, brown and black bear, sheep and goats can be found across a large parts of the forest. Kenai Lake marks the headwaters of the Kenai River. The campground is situated on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula at elevation 450 feet.
The Day Use Site at Trail River Campground provides beach access to Kenai Lake. Many people enjoy fishing, collecting driftwood, skipping rocks and walking along the beach. The view of the mountains surrounding Kenai Lake is gorgeous. Snow is present in the high peaks and avalanche chutes until the end of August. Trout fishing can be very productive from the beach at Trail River Campground as well as at many nearby streams. The lake is home to Dolly Varden, rainbow trout and lake trout. Although trout fishing is open year-round in Kenai Lake, special restrictions apply within 1/4 mile of inlet streams. Kenai Lake is not open to salmon fishing. Anglers are required to have a State of Alaska Fishing license and obey all regulations. Within a one-mile radius of the campground entrance, are five trails: Falls Creek Trail, Crown Point Mine Road, Ptarmigan Creek Trail and Vagt Lake Trail. All of these trails run roughly east-west and provide access to the Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT) which runs north-south. The INHT is an ongoing project to build a '"southern trek" connecting Seward (Mile 0 of the Iditarod Trail) to Eagle River (north of Anchorage). Currently, sections of this trail are still under construction, and several bridges are missing. However, links between Falls Creek Trail and Ptarmigan Lake Trail as well as between Vagt Lake Trail and Crown Point Mine Road make loop hikes possible. The Falls Creek OHV Trail is a half mile north of the entrance road. This steep trail provides good views of Kenai and Lower Trail Lakes and is deal for hikers and experienced OHV enthusiasts. A second option for motorized recreation is the Crown Point Mine Road. This trail is located one mile north of the campground entrance road at the end of Mine Road. This historic mining road leads above tree-line and provides great views. South of the entrance road is the Ptarmigan Creek Campground. This campground is also the location of Ptarmigan Creek Trail as well as a day use area with a fish-viewing platform where you can view spawning salmon in the late summer and fall. Ptarmigan Creek trail steadily gains elevation as it follows Ptarmigan Creek to Ptarmigan Lake. A round trip to the lake and back is seven miles. In the winter, the campground is closed and the campground's entrance road and loops are groomed for freestyle and Nordic skiing.
The Chugach National Forest covers the eastern half of the Kenai Peninsula and extends around Prince William Sound. It covers over 5 million acres and is characterized by jagged mountains, deep fjords, glacier-fed rivers, and dense forests. This rich natural area supports many miles of productive fishing streams as well as wildlife populations.
For local information, please call (907) 522-8368 or call (907) 288-3178 for general information.
Trail River Campground is located close to many tourist destinations. Within the Seward Ranger District, many world-class trailheads and day use areas await discovery. The newly-remodeled Seward Ranger District Information Office, is one mile south on Ranger Station Spur. There, friendly forest service employees can help you gather information, interpret the local ecology, purchase area maps, and offer advice about the Chugach National Forest. From this campground, possible day trips include wildlife viewing in Kenai Fjords National Park, rafting down the Kenai River, and a visit to Portage Glacier. Portage Glacier, is located in Portage Valley, a 14-mile isthmus that connects the Kenai Peninsula to mainland Alaska. Glacial remnants that can be seen today are Explorer, Middle, Byron, Burns and Shakespeare glaciers. Portage Valley is also home to the Begich Boggs Visitor Center, a world-class visitor center with a full-time interpretive staff and exhibits ready to inspire and explain the natural area.
$200 / night
Full service RV Park, cabins, and tent sites. We can accommodate any size rig. We have sites with full hookups or Water/Electric. We are 5 minutes from down town Seward, and also 5 Minutes from Exit Glacier. Book your stay at www.koa.com
$45 - $92 / night
Primitive camping alongside Exit Glacier road. The road is closed during the winter months. 4x4 recommended.
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.
The City of Seward has seven separate campground locations, six locations within Seward RV Waterfront Park:
Iditarod, Resurrection (utility area), Marathon, Harborside, Alice, William's Park (for smaller RVs and Tent camping)
Our community invites you to stay and play and experience the abundant winter recreational opportunities available in the area. Stay at the Waterfront Park in a small section of Resurrection Campground where the scenery is breathtaking. The cost to camp is $5 a night for Dry camping, or if you need electric hook-ups, camping is $20 per nighg for Seward Alaska RV Parks. Self-contained RV units only, as our water is off and the dump station is closed for the cold season. Garbage service is also not available and must be hauled home or off-site.
Campers are required to self-register prior to camping. Use the pay station located at the north entrance of the winter camping area of Resurrection Campground.
We work to provide snow and ice removal. Be warned, however, that conditions change rapidly and often in Seward. Campers must use common sense and caution in the winter camping area. Watch for snow, ice, and uneven surfaces.
$10 - $20 / night
Miller's Landing is a secluded Campground, Fishing Camp, and Adventure Tourism focal point located right on Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska.
$19 - $250 / night
$13 - $17 / night
Full service RV Park, cabins, and tent sites. We can accommodate any size rig. We have sites with full hookups or Water/Electric. We are 5 minutes from down town Seward, and also 5 Minutes from Exit Glacier. Book your stay at www.koa.com
$45 - $92 / night
Primitive camping alongside Exit Glacier road. The road is closed during the winter months. 4x4 recommended.
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
Saw two seaplanes take off from the lake (take the Southern spot for this).
Hwy is loud but manageable, train as well.
Recommendable overnight position on the way to SEWARD.
Scout
Spend two great nights at this site. It’s free to use and huge! Expect lots of gravel and bumpiness but it’s doable without 4x4 (we had no issues with our „Four Winds“ RV.)
There is a local who rents out his mobile sauna to people at this plays. He literally drops off a sauna and helps out heating it up and it’s all yours 😅 If you a sauna person, I can recommend: Feel free to check out: sewardsaunas.com
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.
LegendI stayed here with a group of my friends in our sprinter vans for two nights. Campground was quiet both nights. There was plenty of space between each party, so it felt relatively private.
The little road can be hard to spot, we drove right passed it the first time. Driving from the road is BUMPY, you'll need a vehicle with high clearance.
We rented mobile saunas, and I highly recommend doing it, it was awesome!! Here is the info: https://sewardsaunas.com/
Because this is not a formal campground, but rather a special use area, keep the following in mind:
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.
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.
LegendMoose Pass Trailhead
As with most BLM trailheads, zut services. Big area, some shaded mostly unshaded but big enough to have your own space
Seaplanes take off from lake during the day - pretty awesome
No onsite services. Seward offers free dump and potable water - near their RV parks
Starlink, Visible/Verizon and Cricket/Att all good
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
Very comfortable here tent camping the owners are very kind and informative and check in on you to make sure your experience is going well. I can’t recommend them enough even with me being a life long Alabama fan and they being life long Tennessee Volunteer fans - :) Roll-Tide lol.
Scout
This place is very cold we climb and have some while watching movies
Scout
I made a reservation for the glamour tent. I showed up at 2:45pm and then waited until 3:30pm for someone to come and do the‘check in’. There was a girl that showed me where the showers were. Then she took me to an angry man who said he was willing to put me up in a hotel, they did not have any glamour tents, and then he offered me a cabin room but said there would be no curtains. And then he got mad at me for making reservations the day before and not allowing him to be prepared.. They then said they would give me a refund but charged me a cancellation fee of$183.34. I had to find a new place to stay and howling wolf resort have been dodging my phone calls and my emails. Worst customer service I have ever had. Super shady and unprofessional.
Guide
Hated having to be so close to everyone. Basically a parking lot that they squeeze everyone into.
ScoutStayed 4 nights 6/4/23. Very close to Seward activities and Exit Glacier - Harding ice field hikes. Area can handle most size rigs. We have small pull behind trailer but had an Airstream and variety of other campers in the area. Entrance is next to a couple of large boulders but is wide enough to get through. Scenery was outstanding with snow covered peaks in all directions. We did see bear tracks and evidence of moose but didn’t see any when we were there. We highly recommend this camping location.
Scout
Great fishing guides
Scout
"Situated along the waterfront, this property boasts unparalleled views of the sparkling ocean, creating a tranquil and luxurious atmosphere that enhances the overall living experience.
""Nestled in the heart of nature, this secluded property features expansive windows and balconies showcasing stunning mountain vistas, ensuring residents enjoy a picturesque and immersive connection with the scenic beauty that surrounds them."
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.
ScoutSpencer Bench Cabin offers a stunning location at 1,900 feet elevation, providing breathtaking views of the Placer River Valley, Spencer Lake, and Spencer Glacier. The mcdvoice surrounding alpine meadows boast beautiful vegetation, including low shrubs, grasses, and summer wildflowers. This cabin is available for rent throughout the year, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of the area in any season.
LegendBoondocking galore!!! It gets five stars for what it is. Beautiful spots right by the river and five minutes from Seward and shopping one way and five minutes from Kenai Fjords NP the other.
The entrance comes up quick and has huge rocks blocking part of the road. We blew by it the first time and said no way, but then we pulled over and I ran to see who was camping and surprisingly a bunch of bigger campers etc got back there so we gave it a go and we got thru better than we thought. You just need to take your time!
Big gravel like space but isn't level so you need to drive slow, but you can find a level spot to camp for the night. No amenities as you are boondocking, but well worth it for the night!!! Highly recommend!!!
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!
Camping near Seward, Alaska, offers a unique blend of stunning views, outdoor activities, and a chance to connect with nature. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Seward, Alaska, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With beautiful landscapes and a variety of activities, it’s a great spot for families and adventurers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Seward, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, Seward, AK offers a wide range of camping options, with 75 campgrounds and RV parks near Seward, AK and 5 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Seward, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Seward, AK is Seward City Campgrounds with a 4.4-star rating from 31 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Seward, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Seward, AK.
What parks are near Seward, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 parks near Seward, AK that allow camping, notably Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest.
