If you are considering Alaska for a camping trip, you may find these places interesting and appealing for yourself. The exciting thing about them is that you can even go on a solo trip, grab your single-person camping tent and escape the routine.
Seward
This beautiful harbor town provides a little bit of everything the state has to offer, making it the perfect place to experience these quintessential Alaskan attractions and wildlife. Surrounded by wilderness, you can hike. The 5-mile coastal trail is known as one of Alaska’s best.
You may paddle or go horseback riding for dramatic views of the Turnagain Arm shorelines, the towering rocky peaks of the Chugach Mountains, countless waterfalls, blue-tinted glaciers, and dazzling lakes. Along the way, keep an eye out for moose, bald eagles, arctic terns, and even bears. Stand ashore or paddle out on Resurrection Sunset, and you might spot humpback whales, orcas, harbor porpoises, manatees, sea lions, and more.
Denali National Park
Located in the interior of Alaska, Denali National Park, and Preserve is North America’s highest mountain, Denali, at 20,310 feet above sea level. Because the park has a variety of habitats that include forests at lower elevations, tundra in the middle, and glaciers, snow, and rock at the highest peaks, it lends itself as an ideal habitat for a virtually infinite number of animal species, making it one of the best destinations for wildlife lovers.
Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, Alaska
Alyeska Resort is recognized as one of the top resorts in the state and is the perfect weekend getaway less than an hour from Anchorage International Airport. This luxury chateau-style hotel is surrounded by lush forest and the dramatic peaks of the Chugach Mountains, located along the South Central Coast just below the popular ski mountain.
It is a perfect spot for camping as well. If you have the best tent for Alaska hunting, you could bring it with you too. Its relatively remote location makes it a fantastic place to view the colorful Northern Lights, and the staff arranges wake-up calls so you can enjoy them without staying up all night. You can also enjoy refreshing dips in the saltwater pool, hot stone massages, dog sledding, and snowmobile tours, as well as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, biking, and skiing.
Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island is known for its bears, as well as its outstanding fishing opportunities with five species of salmon, halibut, and trout. Protecting a diverse area of nearly 3,000 square miles of rugged mountains and lush alpine valleys, the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best bear-viewing spots on the planet, home to about 3,500 animals. There is no road to the refuge, so you’ll have to book an air charter or take a tour of one of the desert lodges to see them, but it’s a must-do for a weekend you’ll never forget.
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Alaska is one of the best states for whale watching of all types, and many cetacean species inhabit or migrate through its waters, including orcas, belugas, and humpbacks. But Glacier Bay National Park is a particularly hot spot for watching humpback whales, which have been known to build massive circular bubble fishing nets to catch vast shoals of herring, launching themselves high into the air with their mouths wide open.
To see this sight is truly once in a lifetime. The veritable giants of these waters expel air at speeds of more than 300 miles per hour, creating a cloud-like plume of evaporated air that can be seen for miles. Come in the summer months for camping here, especially in August, and you’re virtually guaranteed to see a variety of boat tours and enjoy brown bears and plenty of bald eagles.
Related Read: Best Place to Camp in the United States
Homer
Homer is famous for its breathtaking coastlines, deep fjords, towering mountains, ancient Sitka spruce forests, tranquil beaches, and incredible tidal fluctuations. Everything for a fantastic camping experience. It offers great fishing, beach combing, and bird watching, with more bald eagles than you can probably count.
The city itself is considered the cultural capital of South-Central Alaska, with an array of art galleries, museums, music venues, and live theater, as well as a host of outstanding eateries and cafés. One of the best ways to experience it is to also rent a kayak and paddle across Kachemak Bay in a kayak. You will be enveloped in serenity as you watch sea otters with snowy mountain peaks and dense forests providing a stunning backdrop.
Ketchikan
Ketchikan is located on the southern edge of the Inside Passage, the first city cruise passengers usually see to the north. The downtown area is particularly rocking and lined with historically significant buildings and shops that showcase the work of local weavers, woodcarvers, painters, jewelry designers, sculptors, photographers, writers, and more.
It also boasts a number of live music venues, a theater, and a wide range of eateries. Of course, most people come for outdoor adventures and camping, like fishing in this “salmon capital of the world,” as well as hiking, whale watching, ziplining, skydiving, and more.
Nome
If you want to experience camping in some particularly remote Alaskan wilderness, you can head to Nome. While it’s best known as the end of the Iditarod Trail, it’s also home to active gold mines to explore and makes a good base for exploring the back roads and Bering Land Bridge National Park, where numerous scenic hikes await.
Musk oxen and reindeer can often be seen grazing right next to the road throughout the area, and other wildlife, such as wolves, bears, and moose, also roam the area.
Wrapping up, we do hope there are some places you have found interesting for your next camping weekend in Alaska. Choose the best tents, gear, and clothing, and enjoy yourself while discovering the beauty of Alaska sites!
