Best Tent Camping near Seward, AK

Recent Tent Reviews near Seward, AK

221 Reviews of 9 Seward Campgrounds

• 

  Karen D.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2022

  Tenderfoot Creek

  Campground with good Trout fishing

  This campground sits right on a lake. Drop a kayak...very nice, clean, excellent sites. However, the noise from Seward highway echoes off the mountains so it's a bit noisy for a tent camper but very nice otherwise.

• 

  Vicki S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 10, 2018

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Good in a pinch

  If you want to tent camp in Seward there are better choices than the city campground, but for a last-minute throw your gear in the car or on the train trip, this will do. The sites are first-come, first-serve, and on a busy weekend will fill up quickly. The sites are not separate from each other at all, which normally is a huge turn-off for me, but we happened to be camped next to some super-cool new friends.

  The best part about this location is the proximity to the bars in Seward. Stumbling home to your tent after a night at the Yukon is infinitely preferable to driving to a further removed location.

  The washroom has running water and clean toilets, and a slightly longer walk away are hot showers (for a fee). The tent camping is located right next to a great playground, so if you have younger kids this might be a good choice for you.

• 

  Dave G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2018

  Seward Military Resort

  Great end to a wonderful trip

  Seward Military Resort was out last campground of our 8 night trip. We used the resort to set up our tent and venture out into Seward to go ice climbing on the nearby Exit Glacier (pictures and video below). The site is on the small side and really close to one other tent site and the yurts. No mosquitoes, people adhere to quiet hours, and it's close to a wealth of activities in Seward.

• V

  Vanessa R.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 19, 2018

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Tent camping area is great and near the water and the beach

  This review covers the Tent Camping Area near Waterfront park and Resurrection RV campground. Some spots have trees and provide some privacy. Tent spots have sand/gravel pads. Spots have picnic tables and fire pits. Dogs allowed but need to be on a leash. No showers but has a nearby restroom. If you want to take a shower you have to go to city center 10min = $2. $10 a camp spot and max of 2 tents. No reservations. First come first serve. Check out is at 12pm.

  Campground is near waterfront park that has a skate park and great playground for kids. There’s a paved path that goes along the water close to the campground. Walking, biking, and rollerblading is all possible on the waterfront path. Path runs from waterfront campgrounds all the way to the Sea Life Center.

  Check the weather before heading for Seward. It has a reputation for being rainy and tent camping in the cool rain isn’t fun.

• 

  Dan G.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 1, 2016

  Miller's Landing

  Hit and Miss Campground

  Miller's landing Campground in Seward, Alaska is a great spot right on the water for everything the Kenai Peninsula has to offer. However, it lacks in spots for tent Camping. We had gotten to Miller's Landing at the end of a long day of hiking and exploring the Kenai Peninsula and the showers that the had were very refreshing. The views from the campground right on the bay are great and you can ever catch a glimpse of seals and otters from the shore. When we arrived at our site however, we were disappointed when we realized there was a single flat spot to put a tent. This was after we had asked for a tent spot in the campground. We tried a few different tries but were unsuccessful with the uneven ground and tree roots sticking our of the ground. The check in desk was closed since we had waited until after our showers to set-up camp and couldn't find anyone to see if we could get another spot, although the campground looked pretty full. We ended up sleeping in our rental van that night. MIller's Landing has a lot to offer, just not a flat ground to tent camp on.

• 

  Katie S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 26, 2016

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Perfect views and location

  This campground is perfectly located right between downtown Seward and Resurrection Bay. It is not very private or exceptionally quiet, but the price ($10 for tents!) and the views make up for it. We stayed here for 6 nights this month and it was great. The showers weren't the cleanest I've ever seen, but the water was hot and we never had to wait too long. It is first come-first serve and I know that it can be hard to find an RV spot depending on the time of the week, but we had several tent sites to choose from.

• 

  Dan N.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 18, 2016

  Exit Glacier Campground — Kenai Fjords National Park

  Can't get better close to a town

  Short drive from Seward (which has grocery, general store, etc) and you're at this glacier with hiking and a small primitive campground. Walking around the park really hits you how bad climate change is. Our camp site was shady and forested. I bet this fills up quick in the summer. Just a great place to get outdoors without going too far from civilization. Would return.

• 

  Michael V.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 11, 2022

  Crescent Creek

  Great Hiking and Bears!

  This place is secluded, and magical. Tent camping works best here, sites are pretty small for anything bigger than a sprinter van.

  Very beautiful

• 

  Elizabeth G.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 28, 2022

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Great Winter Camping Spot

  Stayed here for 1 night on two separate occasions in March 2022. It’s part of the Seward Municipal Campgrounds but Iditarod is the only part of the campground that is open for winter camping. Tent camping isn’t allowed so its Rv’s/trailers only. There’s no water or electricity but you have a portapotty that is very clean and a dumpster for trash. We stayed in slot 103 both nights because it’s the only spot that has a fire ring and a picnic table. The view in the morning is beautiful as you see the sun rise above the mountains and see the reflection in the water. This camping lot is at mile marker 0 of the Iditarod Trail which I think is really neat!

  Verizon cell service is great and it only cost $15 online to camp in the winter. This is the only campground I noticed that was open for winter camping in Seward.

• c

  christine

  Guide

  

  Jul. 13, 2024

  Trail River

  Great forest service spot $23

  Beautiful 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.

• 

  Shelby W.

  Traveler

  

  May. 13, 2022

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Perfect Spot

  Went the first week of May and was pretty busy. Our spot was right on the water. Bathrooms were kind of far from tent sites. Playground nearby, picnic benches, fire pit, & walking trail.

• J

  Jay D.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 2, 2023

  Miller's Landing

  Decent Campground

  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.

• 

  Tanya B.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 7, 2020

  Granite Creek

  Great views

  Great campground. But you need to reserve a spot if showing up on the weekend. Brought our bikes which worked great for the trip to the outhouses or to throw out the trash. We tent camp and a friend car camped. Spots are tight. Water available to wash dishes or hands with a hand pump. This was site 001. 008 and 013 are pretty good and centrally located to the river, restrooms and pump water.

• 

  Shadara W.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 3, 2019

  Granite Creek

  Beautiful Mountains

  Beautiful mountain views 18 sites good for RV and campers and 19 tent sites. $14 a night, only dry sites. Located along granit Creek which has Dolly Varden. Food lockers, dumpster, hand driven water pump. These are reservable online but I have never seen this campground completely full. Off season there is no trash service or water. Great place to spot mountain goats too.

• 

  Sara S.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 22, 2016

  Granite Creek

  remote feeling...

  One our trip to check out the peninsula we considered stopping here for a night, but opted against it. It looks like an okay campground with large sites, but there is not a ton of privacy between the sites. Also, the whole place just seemed a bit run down and out of date. The views/scenery were nothing spectacular. I think having an RV might make this a more attractive place to stay, but for tent camping it just didn't have what we were looking for.

• 

  Shadara W.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 4, 2019

  Upper Skilak Lake Campground - Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

  Outdoor Heaven

  Fishing, hiking, boating galore. Paved pads with gorgeous sites some right on the water. Tent sites at $5 a night and Standard sites for camper and RV's run $10. This beautiful lake was hit by the Swan Lake fire this year and the campgound has been closed, however we drove through last weekend and the campground survived the fire! Still nicely surrounded with trees for privacy we were very happy to see it undamaged.

• 

  Hannah W.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 2, 2019

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Rainy but beautiful

  The only reason this night turned out bad was because I insisted on sleeping in a tent even though it was raining and I got soaked. If it's raining and your tent is not equipped for it then find an alternative. We stayed in the tent section of the campground and had an incredible view of the sound and the glaciers. You are close to the bathrooms and playground in the tent section. There is a nice sidewalk that will lead you back into town. Public showers are available. Be sure to take quarters to get in. Tent sites are close together but all have a picnic table and fire ring.

• 

  Jessica J.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 4, 2020

  Lower Skilak Lake Campground

  Amazingly beautiful

  Was amazed with the beauty and trails in this area. The campsite for tents have to be hiked in to get to. The RV sites can accommodate tent camping, with smaller tents. So many options to do, you easily forget you don’t have cell service. There are trails, lakes, site seeing and enjoying the peace. We saw black bears,  mamma and cubs. Very curious cubs got very close, momma didn’t seem to mind or get aggressive. Still be prepared for an encounter for your safety. There were lots of smaller critters we saw/heard and signs of moose. We have plans to visit other lakes, trails and camp sites along this route.

• 

  Samantha M.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 24, 2018

  Exit Glacier Campground — Kenai Fjords National Park

  Stay and Play

  This would be a terrific walk in tent site option to try out. Exit glacier is beautiful with nice trails. My 5 and 7 year olds did the walk just fine from parking lot to the glacier (maybe 20 min). There is a one mile wheelchair accessible trail loop with views of the glacier. There are two accessible camp sites. You are not allowed to store food at your campsite but there is a communial storage area for these items. There are vaulted toilets and a cooking area to use.

• 

  Shadara W.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 3, 2019

  Tenderfoot Creek

  Summit Fishing

  This campground located on Summit Lake may not have hookups but the views and the fishing are worth it. $18 a night, with 35 sites to choose from. Our favorites are #1, 6, 8 10-12 due to water access. #24 is a beautiful mountain view pull through. The o ly downside as that most sites have picnic table and firepit behind the site and with a ramp up to them. Vault toilets, boat ramp, and drinking water all available. Tent sites with pads are over a quaint foot bridge to allow some separation from the road.

• 

  Vicki S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 10, 2018

  Bertha Creek Campground — Chugach National Forest

  Great view!

  Small campground on the Kenai Peninsula. We've stayed here and at the nearby Granite Creek (one of my favorites) when we wanted a place to tent camp while we fished the Russian for salmon. You can fish both Bertha and Granite Creeks, but not for Salmon.

  Sites are well-spaced and come with the standard Chugach National National Forest amenities: fire pit, picnic table, garbage, water pump, pit toilets. Unlike Granite Creek, you cannot reserve sites in advance, but this is a smaller and lesser known campground and often I have found a space here when others are full.

  Be bear-safe and be sure to lock up all your food and toothpaste when away from your campsite.

• 

  Tanya B.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 23, 2020

  Williwaw Campground

  Always bring a rain jacket

  Campground: Portage – Williwaw   So many nice things about this campground and the other portage campgrounds.  I always like to give the warnings but hope this does not keep you from coming here.  Be prepared for WIND.  I mean big wind.  Bring extra stakes if you are tent camping.  Be prepared for rain, lots of rain.  Be prepared for wildlife encounters.  I cannot tell you how many times I have seen black bear along this road.   It is centrally located between Anchorage and the Peninsula but has so many things to offer.  Trip through the Whittier tunnel is a definite.  If you are a hiker Byron glacier in good weather is decent hike.  If you have kids and even if you don’t then the Wildlife Conservation Center of Alaska is great way to get close to the biggest animals Alaska has to offer.   Cell Service: No Internet: No 2020 Cost: $18-$28 Max stay: 14 days Distance from Anchorage: 55 Best sites: Premium sites $28 – 20, 21, 30, 34, 41, 50, 57 Also good are spots 24, 25, 26, and 38 Bug Factor (1 minimal to 10 too many to enjoy): 5 if it gets sunny the bugs come out

• 

  Samantha F.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 18, 2024

  Upper Skilak Lake Campground - Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

  Campsite and gorgeous views were worth dealing with the bugs for for

  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.

• 

  Megan W.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2021

  Russian River - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

  Nice Spot for Fishing

  My family loved our weekend away at the Russian River Campground. It was super easy to make a reservation online (reserve early!), our loop was a short walk to the boardwalk to get down to the river. However, we ended up with a pull through spot that was a pain to get our rig into (26' pull behind). Luckily it was the first spot in the loop so we were able to back it in and have the door open to the footprint and the slide towards the road (friends in 69, the next spot over) had the same issue. Also, if you have a second vehicle it's going to be horrible to park at the site as well (unless you have two smaller vehicles and are tent camping). But we had a massive wheelchair friendly picnic table, a fire pit with a decent size grate and a bear box.

• 

  Daniel M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2021

  Seward Military Resort

  Clean and organized

  Resort area is well organized. RV sites are well-priced, though you won’t get the views that the state sites in town have along the shore. Like many hook-up campgrounds, the RV sites are sterile-feeling (standard parking lot style). Okay if you plan to be out & about all day but not ideal for hanging out around the RV. Campfires only allowed off to the side in a picnic area.

  Bathrooms very clean and warm.

  Yurts would be my go-to if I were to come again or recommend to family. Fun experience. Fire pits nearby.

  Tent sites are really just a patch of grass between the row of Yurts and the playground/bathroom. You could find much more scenic spots not too far unless you’re just looking for a place to lay your head.

• 

  Taylor W.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 18, 2018

  Cooper Creek South

  Great spot on the Kenai

  Cooper Creek is a great, smaller campground to choose when the popular nearby spots fill up with anglers. For some reason, this spot is not as in demand as the Russian River campground, despite having many of the same amenities.

  This campground is great for group camping trips, as each site is rated for 8 people and a few can have up to 12. There are many ada-acessible sites to choose from as well, which was a great help when bringing along family in need.

  The gravel roads can sometimes mean backing-in is a bit more strenuous than other paved campgrounds, but if you're camping in Alaska, you probably already know how to reverse park a camper! Picnic tables were always well maintained, and the deep firepits came in handy for our large fires. They even have grills built in!

  Toilets are well maintained, but we always had to supply our own method of handwashing - hand santizer, in our case to leave as little trace as possible.

  Don't forget to bring your fishing poles (get that permit first!) and keep an eye out for bear activity.

• N

  Name

  Scout

  

  Jun. 26, 2021

  Seward City Campgrounds

  Love it here

  This is our favorite place. Coming from California and moving to Alaska was a big change, but we found the ocean again in Seward Alaska.