Searching for a tent camping spot near Whittier? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Whittier, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Whittier's most popular destinations.
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.
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.
Goose Bay Cabin is a great place for recreation, relaxation and sightseeing within the heart of western Prince William Sound. The Cabin was newly constructed in 2021 to replace the old Goose Bay Cabin which was unfortunately damaged by extreme snow loads. The A-frame cabin makes for an exceptional base camp for backcountry skiers in the spring months. A variety of activities exist in the core summer and Fall months as well, making this one of the more popular public use cabins on the Chugach National Forest. The Cabin is located on Chugach National Forest lands within the Nellie Juan - College Fiord Wilderness Study Area. This remote site can be accessed by a 45-minute float plane trip from Anchorage or about a 25 mile boat ride from Whittier, depending on conditions. Given the fresh water sources feeding Goose Bay, the bay will freeze over in the winter months, making transportation to the cabin a challenge in the heart of the winter. Usually Goose Bay opens up in mid to late March, but this is very much dependant on temperatures. Cabin users are responsible for their own transportation and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities including sleeping pads, sleeping bags, cook stove, toilet paper, pots and utensils as well as some form of water purification.
The area around Goose Bay offers year-round recreational opportunities. Hiking, kayaking and stand up Paddleboarding are popular summertime activities in and around the Cabin.The terrain on Culross Island attracts backcountry and cross-country skiers in the winter and early spring. A ski or snowshoe adventure to the high point on Culross Island offers spectacular views of Prince William Sound and the jagged, glaciated peaks of the Chugach Range to the North. Winter users: Please be aware and cognizant of avalanche hazards when recreating in snow-covered terrain.The cabin makes a good base for fishing and shrimping expeditions in and around Culross Passage. Black bear hunting in the spring and deer/ waterfowl in the Fall can be quite productive as well.
Goose Bay is located on the east side of Culross Passage within the Nellie Juan - College Fiord Wilderness Study Area. The cabin is tucked into a small lagoon within Goose Bay, on the western shore of Culross Island. Fragile muskeg, tall grasses and mature Spruce and Hemlock trees surround the cabin. Views from the front porch reveal a small waterfall and the gentle, evergreen-forested slopes across the bay. Visitors to the area may see bald eagles soaring overhead, catch a glimpse of a Sitka Black tail dear or a resident black bear (learn about bear safety). Lucky guests may spot Humpback whales, Orcas or Dalls porpoise frolicking in the waters of Prince William Sound on the approach to Goose Bay.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (907) 783-3242.
Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.
$75 / night
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.
$85 / night
The Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop Group Campground is located at the head of the beautiful Placer River Valley at the Spencer Whistlestop. The campsites are nestled among the cottonwood and alder that have grown in after Spencer Glaciers retreat. This area known for packrafting, wildlife viewing, glacier viewing, and hiking. One can frequently see icebergs floating on Spencer Glacier Lake and might even be able to watch the glacier calving! The two group campsites at Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop Group Campground are available for reservations in the summer months while the Glacier Discovery Train is running on the Alaska Railroad. During these months, train transportation is required to reach the Spencer Whistlestop. To book train tickets visit the Alaska Railroad website.
Spencer Glacier Lake offers amazing opportunities for packrafting, kayaking, or canoeing. All these options allow you to explore the amazing icebergs floating in the lake. It also allows you to get close to Spencer Glacier and amaze at its vast size. Please note, glacier calving can cause large, unpredictable waves on the lake, so it is recommended that you stay at least 500 yards away. This area also offers other recreational opportunities including easy hiking, rock climbing, and fishing during the summer months. In the winter this area is popular with backcountry skiers, snowmobilers and ice climbers.
The Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop Group Campground is located at the head of Placer River Valley near the Placer River outflow from Spencer Glacier Lake and is surrounded by the beautiful Kenai Mountains. There is a viewing area for Spencer Glacier located mile down trail. Black and brown bears, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and moose inhabit the area. Mountain goats, marmots, arctic ground squirrels and spruce grouse may be spotted higher in the mountains around Spencer Glacier Lake. Crow berries and Salmon Berries are plentiful at higher elevations in the late summer, along with low-bush blueberries.
Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop Campground is located off the road system and accessible by train only. To book train tickets visit the Alaska Railroad website.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (907) 783-3242.
$35 - $65 / night
Ranger
We took the Alaska Marine Highway from Whittier to Petersburg with stops in Yakutat and Juneau. Highly recommend getting a private room for overnight adventures but if you’re on a budget you can bring your tent and camp gear up to the solarium.
Guide
Very basic and full of mosquitos in July especially if you're tucked in close to the foliage. But this is a great place to stay if you're chartering from Whittier. Everything is within walking distance and there are some great hikes and fishing too.
It's just not pretty. Very muddy if it's raining too. It is quiet except for the white noise of the glacier run off just feet from the sites.
Legend
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
Ranger
This place is secluded, and magical. Tent camping works best here, sites are pretty small for anything bigger than a sprinter van.
Very beautiful
Traveler
No amenities. What you pack in you pack out. 6 tent camping spots before the gate, back country camping after the gate. Look for the posts with yellow reflectors for camping sites past the gate. beautiful sunrise and sunsets.
Guide
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.
Legend
Well maintained trails but a walk to the cabin or yurts. Accessible by foot year around. No horses or bikes allowed on trails. Tent camping along the Crow Creek Pass Trail.
Many choices for length of hikes depending on which loop you choose. This is bear county so bring your bear bells. Loved the hikes so much we decided to rent the cabin for my birthday.
Ranger
Perfect place to camp if you're looking for belugas! We rented a kayak nearby and explored the bay. Surreal. The camp sites all had amazing views and the tent sites were forested and pretty private. Lots of locals camp here and offered insider tips about where to see wildlife, eat, etc.
Guide
This campground has nice size sites for RV's. If you are tent camping (I am), there's one pull in to 3 sites so you are close to strangers if your friends don't come. The toilets are clean but smell awful. One can also hear quite a bit of road noise and military aircraft all day because the campground is near both. Nice quick stop. $20 a site per day.
Legend
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.
Legend
Some of the reviews are not for this campground. These are walk in tent sites. There are no spots for RVs or trailers. Firewood is a fun place and not too far from Anchorage.
Make sure if you are coming from Anchorage you stop off at Potters Marsh and check out the boardwalk. So many hiking trails no matter what way you go.
LegendBeautiful 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.
LegendOne 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.
LegendTrails to hike or play on the lake! This campground is situated with access to Eklunta Lake and boy is that perfect. Tons of campsites to choose from both double, single and handicapped. First come, first served. Fire rings, tables, restrooms, firewood for purchase ($15) and camp host. Two sets of walk in tent sites with food lockers also available. Well water available too. Come spend a weekend exploring Eklunta Lake!
Legend
All you can hear is Highway. This Campground may be considered the better of the three main choices for Anchorage however after asking around with my Anchorage friends I've heard that the homeless over takes this campground at night. After driving through the campground I did notice several questionable tent sites and also several questionable run-down RVs that looked as though they had been there for quite a while.
Traveler
I live on base and recently purchased a pop up. Took a maiden voyage here to feel out the beast and work out the kinks. Kids had a great time. All sites were back in other than the tent sites. Walking distance from commissary, bx, and shoppette but still felt like wilderness. Really had a good weekend and would recommend to anyone with base access. Will go again
Legend
We came here in mid-May and everything was beautiful and green. I've read this campground can be busy but it was not at this time. Everything was well taken care of and you could tell the hosts make sure everything is in order. Each site has parking, fire rings, and picnic tables (excluding some tent sites). The picnic tables are large and have spots for someone in a wheelchair. The views of Turnagain Arm are stunning! Sites cost $9.
TravelerOpen year round with 50/30/20amp sites (seasonal water hook up as well) and tent sites, this small campground is a great place while waiting for a house or on your way out. The bathhouse is super clean, there's dumpsters close by, spaces are decently sized with a picnic table and charcoal grill set up, and trees offer some privacy. There's a playground for the kids, a bike path that can be taken to the shopette or one of the neighborhood playgrounds. Close to the hospital, PX/commissary, and the Muldoon gate.
Guide
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.
Legend
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.
LegendThis campground features 50 camping sites some are along the creek side. Make sure you plan ahead since the tunnel runs one way once an hour. Check your departures times. The tunnel is always a fun trip.
The cost is good at $20 an RV and $10-$20 for a car and tent depending on the number of people in the party. With level spots and little other tent camping choices these spots can fill up. There are no reservations and sites are first come first serve. There is plenty to do in Whitter, the drive, the tunnel, and the price make this a great option to stay.
Always plan for rain.
Cell Service: yes Internet: Yes 3G 2020 Cost: $10-$20 Operates: April to October depending on snow clearance Distance from Anchorage: 58 miles Bug Factor (1 minimal to 10 too many to enjoy): 3
Legend
This is Whitter. Land of beauty, glacier, the tunnel, and wet. Maybe not always rain but definitely wet.
This is a very small town with amazing views. Campground is situated right off the water and is very, very damp. I would not suggest tent camping if you have the option. This is a great place to car camp and the cost through the tunnel is $13.00. Views of glaciers great you as soon as you exit the tunnel. The best spots are right along the waters edge, but again bring your Extratufs.
Cell Service: yes Internet: yes 3G 2020 Cost: $20 Distance from Anchorage: 58 miles Best sites: Along the waters edge Bug Factor (1 minimal to 10 too many to enjoy): 1 (but I have only been here when it is raining)
RangerThis campsite fills up fast! We happened to get the last available tent campsite right on the water and it was GORGEOUS! This is the more peaceful campground in Hope (there's another one in town that seems more fun but more noisy too). They have large picnic tables, one spot seemed handicap accessible even. There was a nice fire pit that helped for us novice fire makers. The camp hosts were super helpful and informative. There are two great hikes nearby within driving or walking distance. A perfect weekend getaway from Anchorage! You'll adore this beautiful spot.
Traveler
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.
Legend
This is the best camping in Alaska. Just find a spot big enough for your rig it tent and pull off. There are many regularly used sites that have rock fire rings already made. Always make sure you are not in a drive way and that there are no POSTED signs to keep off property. Bug shelters highly recommended because depending on the year it’s mosquitoes, flies, or bees.
Guide
Campground Review:
Technically, this area is not a managed or maintained camping area, and like most remote beaches in Alaska it's first come, first served but you're not likely to have much competition. This spot is located in beautiful Prince William Sound, approximately an hour boat ride from Whittier, Alaska. We set up camp where the beach meets the wooded area As always, it is up to campers to keep the areas free of garbage and pack in/pack out everything. Don't forget to bring along a little shovel to, ahem, bury your personal business and TP. Remember that the tide differential can be huge, so don't let your boat get stranded while exploring the area.
**************************************************************************
Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally provided with products to test. We recently tested the Midland EX210VP E+Ready Bundle and ML500 LED Lantern with two of the harshest critics around– our 3 and 7 year olds.
EX210VP E+Ready Bundle – The items in this bundle are a pair of X-Talker T31 walkie talkies and the ER210 emergency weather alert crank radio. The walkie talkies were slightly smaller than others we’ve owned in the past, but they ended up being perfect for our kiddos and felt comfortable in the adults’ hands. The compact size means they fit perfectly in backpacks and jacket pockets, and can also attach via plastic clips. Often my husband will take one of the kids for a canoe ride and exploration in a nearby bay or cove and I’ll stay to beachcomb or hike with the other child, so it’s nice to have an option for keeping in touch while we’re separated, especially since we’ve encountered black bears and other wildlife in the past. Cell service is practically nonexistent in many parts of Alaska so we can’t always rely on our phones.
I was most excited about the crank radio and it didn’t disappoint! First of all, it’s not heavy and pretty compact - about the size of a little camcorder. My kids loved the flashlight aspect and fought over whose turn it was to hold it. My husband loved the fact that it’s a NOAA weather band radio and he was able to easily access the sea forecast(does that weird computer voice creep anyone else out?) It took a bit of cranking before we could begin charging up a cell phone through the USB cord, but I’m happy as long as we have that capability. And if the battery or crank fail, you still have the option of running the device via solar power.
ML500 LED Lantern – The light output on this is great, although we really didn’t need it since southcentral Alaska is currently seeing 21 hours of functional daylight. My daughter dropped the device on the some jagged beach rocks at low tide and the lantern still worked perfectly, even if the exterior plastic saw a few scuffs. The metal loop is perfect for hanging from the top of the tent. A wide base means it’s stable in a boat, camper, or on the picnic table. And yay for warranties, this is for one year. We didn’t need to run the lantern for long periods of time, but Midland says it’s good for 65/19 hours of illumination at low/high settings, respectively. Cons: This is very minor, but I do wish the lantern had come stocked with the three D batteries required to power the device. I realize Midland most likely went this route to lower the total cost of the light- a set of just two D batteries at our local store runs about $11.
Overall I’d highly recommend all of these products from Midland. Our items were all color coordinated (red and black) which is kind of nice. We frequently camp with our young children on remote islands and areas only reachable by boat, so it appeals to my mom sensibilities to have gear that is reliable and can be used in a safety/communication capacity as well as for fun.
Ranger
Bird Creek camp/ RV/ Cabin site is a beautiful 25 minute journey south of Anchorage. Far enough away but close enough to town if you feel the need to get back to the city.
We rented a cabin 95$ a night and took aprox 12 young ladies in the chilly month of November! Daring, I know! But state restrooms made sharing a bathroom easy :)
there is a small wood stove and wood supplied for each cabin which was amazing! A lil kitchen area is built in for your food prep pleasure- must bring stoves and water. No electricity so bring your choice of lighting. Also I recommend headlamps for winter months as bathrooms are a small treck from the secluded wooded cabins.
Bunks are built in and a loft makes for plenty of room.
There was a beautiful table with a map in the top- pretty awesome!
There is a walking trail and it's close to the inlet for beluga whale watching and if your lucky a bore tide!
Rv sites and tents sites available as well- plus table and fire pits at each site.
Tent camping near Whittier, Alaska offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several well-reviewed options available, campers can find the perfect spot to set up their tents and explore the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Whittier, AK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Whittier, AK is Alaska Marine Highway with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Whittier, AK?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Whittier, AK, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
