This is an awesome location, certainly worth the hike. You should plan to stay a couple nights if possible. Typical forest service cabin, right on the river, with very likely nobody else around for miles. Great Alaskan experience.
The Barber Cabin is just one of many forest service cabins available for rent around the state. All are in outstanding locations, and this is one of my favorites. There are lots of bear in the area, and for those wanting the security of 4 walls, this is a great option. The camping at the lower mouth, is spectacular as well. The area can get lots of traffic with folks hiking in to see the salmon climb the falls.
This campground is popular with rafters and fishermen who like to drive upstream and float back to the campground. Willow Creek gets a good annual run of King, Silvers and Pink Salmon…with the occasional Chum. Rainbow and Dolly Vardon are especially good in the fall. Kids loved the domestic bunnies, which populate the campground.
We’ve camped with these folks for 50 years. The Spit has grown up around them, and it’s not as picturesque as it once was…but it’s still right on the beach, walking distance to all the cool stuff on the spit…and it’s affordable. Nice bathrooms with showers…electric available but limited. They take reservations, which is helpful for weekly campers.
If you’re looking for a campground with access to the Kenai River, and walk distance to downtown Soldotna, this is it. Typical Alaskan camping…no hookups, but nicely wooded and mostly private. Walking distance to some of the best road accessible fishing in Alaska.
If you’re looking for a place to camp in Seward, but don’t want to camp in a parking lot this is it. On the water, or back in the trees…it’s really a cool place. Big rigs might want to call ahead, it can be tight…but you can’t beat the location. The office has a small store, with seating on the outside patio overlooking the bay. They generally have a weekly potluck so campers can meet their neighbors. They also have a couple cabins for rent, as well as a water taxi service. Kayak rental is available as well as busy launch services.
Russian River is a very popular campground June-Aug…and particularly during the Red Salmon runs which start roughly the second week of June and July…and peak over a roughly two week period for each run. No hookups, but bathrooms in each campground and a dump station on the way out. Expect to see bear on the River, which runs adjacent the campground…and often times in the campground.
This campground has lots to offer. Water and sewer via dump station…30 amp service available up top. Wooded tent and RV sites down the hill in “The woods”. There are bathrooms with showers, large green area for soccer, frisbee, ect. Volleyball court, covered picnic areas, great hiking. Just off the Matanuska River with trails down to the river. Very convenient to town. Hosts were great.
Just an update for Seward campgrounds. The city went to a new third party reservation process for 2020. Rates are the same, but they now have a $2.00 processing fee. You can reserve sites no more than 30 days out. There is no way to reserve consecutive nights beyond 30 days. That said, Seward is awesome…and when visiting The 907 should be on your list of places to see.