Honestly, when we first pulled in I was bummed. I thought we'd hit a bad spot. Until we ventured in…read moreand realized the camp sites here back up to cooper creek, just a short jaunt from the sites. Super private, gorgeous, very Alaska. We loved it so much we went to our next stay and came back the following day to stay at the river side of the campground (warning - that side is first come, first serve so arrive before 11!). Bonus points - the host is amazing and no one cares if your dog is off leash.

There are several campgrounds located in Cooper Landing and the immediate vicinity. Apart from…read moreSkilak Lake Recreation Area, Cooper Creek Campground is my personal favorite because some of the spots overlook the water. It's sort of a strange set up because the campground is bisected in half by the main road that runs through Cooper Landing (hence the confusion regarding the North and South campgrounds.) They are ONE campground with one host. The sites on the South side overlook Cooper Creek and the sites on the North Side overlook the beautiful aquamarine shores of the Kenai River. Can you guess which side I prefer? Sites have picnic tables and fire pits. There's a total of 26 sites. Most of them can accommodate an RV, but this is an older campground with some erosion issues, so you need to be a good parker to stick the landing. Lol. I don't recall seeing any pull through sites. There's a dumpster, bear boxes, pit toilets, hand pump water and firewood for sale. You can not fish or launch a boat from any part of this campground. River access is very nearby in either direction. Bears are a real consideration, so one needs to plan accordingly. Reservations are absolutely necessary during fishing season.

Super relieved to be able to confirm after my visit that Hidden Lake was essentially unaffected by…read morethe Swann Lake fire. All the services (toilets, dump site, amphitheater, boat launch, campsites, etc) were not touched by the flames. However, from the lake shore (boat launch and day use area) there is visible fire damage so the fire came VERY VERY close. So if you intend to hike while in Skilak you'll likely want to go southerly, as we observed heavy fire damage from mile zero through mile 4. But the fire did jump all over the place so you may want to confirm with the park service if you have specific questions about trails or the back country.

Russian River Campground has got to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest in Kenai and maybe…read moreall of Alaska. It is a massive, sprawling complex that encompasses many camping areas, day uses areas, trails, and of course river access for fishing. I HIGHLY recommend bringing a bike, scooter, skateboard or roller blades if you plan to stay here because of the distance from one area to the next. You definitely need bear spray and or a gun as well. One of the things that makes Russian River unusual is it actually has an TV dumpster AND limited running potable water for drinking (both if which are unusual in state and federal parks in Alaska). Most parks have hand pump water. Pit toilets, no sinks, no showers. The camp sites can accommodate large RVs. Some are pullthrough, but most are not. The sites are very functional, but much to close together for my liking. I wonder if that was deliberate to discourage the bears... There's no privacy in 98% of the camp sites. They all have a picnic table, bear box and fire pit. You DEFINITELY need to make reservations online during peak season. This campground runs at capacity during fishing season. Sites are 18 bucks. I personally wouldn't stay here because of how close together the campsites are and none of them have water view. I definitely will be making use of the day use areas and trails in the future. I think most people staying here will find it satisfactory all in all.

Awesome well laid out USDA campground!…read more Great place to stay for fishing at the Russian River, floating the Kenai river, or hiking the numerous trails. Just remember to bring bear spray and/or firearm for bear protection. Numerous parking available if you arrive early enough and with a reservation.

Stayed at the Kenai Riverside Campground / Bed & Breakfast in July 2014…read more The facilities were good, the rooms clean and the staff very friendly. All in all we were very happy with the accommodations. Every room had 2 beds - 1 queen and 1 twin with a shared bathroom, living space and dining area. The staff made breakfast each morning which consisted of muffins, bagels, toast, fruit, coffee, tea and juice. Certainly not elaborate but satisfactory for the $60 per night for 3. The campground has RV, Tent and Bed&Breakfast rooms. Its also located on the Kenai river and is about 5 minutes drive from the Russian/Kenai confluence. Considering your options in Cooper Landing. Kenai Riverside Campground is pretty nice and the staff go out of their way to help make your stay a good one.

Made reservations to stay at a tent site here last week. When we showed up it looked like there…read morewere a bunch of vehicles that had been parked there for a very long time... almost as if they were using some of their land as a vehicle storage lot. However, we were staying at the tent sites near the river, so we figured we'd be far enough away that it wouldn't matter. We checked in and the staff was very friendly. They told us which spot we'd be staying in, gave us a map, and made sure we knew where we were going. When we went to our assigned spot, there was nowhere to put a tent without sleeping tree roots or very rocky ground. It was also RIGHT next to a very dusty road. There were some other open tent spots, so we went back to the office to see if we could get a spot that was a little further from the dusty road and had a grassy area to pitch a tent. The staff offered their apologies but said that all the spots were reserved. We ended up going to the state run campground and lucked out finding a spot available there. Much nicer and even a few bucks cheaper than this place. The staff was nice and it is nice to be so close to the river, but I wouldn't recommend this place for tent campers. Might be alright for someone who is in an rv, but if you're looking for tent camping I would really recommend going someplace else.

Despite the horrific fire damage resulting from the 2019 Swann Lake Fire, Skilak Lake recreational…read morearea remains one of our family's favorite places to recharge. It's remote enough to unplug from the world (no cell.service in about 80% of this huge park) but close enough to basic services like toilet paper, gas and a latte if you REALLY need it that you won't freak out. There's an enormous variety of activities in the wonderful park, and the fire opened up huge fields of wild flowers and fungi that were previously much harder to access. In some places the fire damage is very very disturbing and sad, but if you like being alone, like me, and enjoy rebirth and photography, coming here can be a very beautiful and centering experience.

We just bought an RV and didn't want to camp in the "hot spot" of Seward so we did the next best…read morething and went to Moose Pass. Having lived in Alaska 6 years I honestly have never stoped in moose pass, only obeyed the speed limit and slowed down while passing though. The campground is super easy to find (especially when obeying the speed limit). They have a sign out on the road. The camp host was beyond friendly. We let her know it was our first time and we were hoping for a spot a little more secluded so we could work out any kinks and hangout with our pups. She put us in a location that was easy for us to back into and we isn't have any camp neighbors within a visual radius. A few of the spots do but up against the highway so you'll have some street noise, but that mellowed down around 10pm. There was a group fire pit where folks brought some drinks and hung out. Super friendly place! The next morning we went for a walk down to the float plane docs and along the railroad tracks. Such a cute little town and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Seward.

This campground is a hidden, underutilized jewel. The rates are dirt cheap - maybe the best in…read moreAlaska. The grounds are nicely manicured. The grounds are beautiful with trees througout. Sort walk to "town" which is very cool. Had a great lunch at the Inn. My dog got to swim in the lake. The lake and surrounding mountains are stunning. Please stop here. They deserve your support and this campground needs to remain open.

Cabin was spacious and cozy. With trails with direct access ti the river. All the comforts of…read morehome with full kitchen. Perfect spot to stay while fishing with the boys. They keep this place very clean. Had a great weekend. Thank you

From the owner: Alaskan owned and operated for 20 years. Cooper Landing Fish Camp offers expertly guided drift boat…read morefishing on the scenic Upper Kenai River in Cooper Landing Alaska. Permitted to guide in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Relax in your own private cabin after a long day of fishing or any of the multiple excursions available on the Kenai Peninsula.

The campground was quiet, the sites were large and ours backed up to a nice creek. We had views of…read morethe mountains. The bathrooms were clean. Laundry available 24 hours/day. Nice fire pits. We really liked this campground.

Great little spot in Alaska. The views are great, staff very friendly, but the showers and…read morebathrooms take the prize. I love camping and I'm always scared oh what I will find in the bathrooms. Here the bathrooms are stylish, clean, and there is plenty of hot water at no charge. There is also an affordable laundry room next to the bathrooms. Will definitely come back.

Bertha Creek is a lovely little wooded campground nestled between Girdwood and Hope in the middle…read moreof nowhere Alaska. It's funny because it's only 3ish miles away from its sister campground Granite Creek, but somehow Bertha feels just right. Most of the sites are cozily shaded amongst the ample spruce trees and nicely spaced apart. There are a few sites on the south side of the campground that get sun in the afternoon and have a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. Bertha Creek wraps very closely around the perimeter of the campground, but none of the sites have a creek view due to undergrowth. I'm guessing the creek is a class 3 rapids, so it makes sense that the sites would be a little distance in the event the creek floods or changes paths over the years. There is a darling waterfall just a few hundred feet from the nearest campsite and I've decided that I'm DEFINITELY camping here next year so we can spend the day frolicking in the water. I'm packing my waders and gonna try to see if it's scalable. The waterfall is blissfully moss covered a la Fern Gully, so I'm probably fooling myself, but I can dream... at the very least I plan to spend a few years sunning myself along the banks of this beauty. OK, details: No campsite host. He's down the road a Granite Creek. So if you need firewood, it's about a 3 mile trek. One bear box for the whole campground. Clean, "modern" pit toilets. No running water, but there are water pumps. $14 per night, no reservations. I highly doubt this campground ever fills up due to its remoteness. Sites are large enough for Small RVs. There aren't any pullthroughs, so ginormous RVS might have trouble, but it's doable if you're a good driver. This is an ideal site for tents, but I do believe bears are a real concern, so be prepared. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Johnson Pass Trail is the nearest attraction. This is really the middle of nowhere. Six Mile Creek and Hope are the next nearest things to do. Girdwood, about 40 minutes away is the next nearest gas station, grocery store and Rv dump station. One aside, it looks like the Forest Service is working on some improvements here... they built a heavy duty bridge to nowhere over the creek so maybe there is an awesome trail in the works? Bertha Creek is really gorgeous so I'm excited to see what the finished product will be!