Alaska Camping
We have wanted to go to Alaska for a long time. When camping became our major retirement hobby and we set a goal of camping in all fifty states, it was clear that any trip to Alaska must include camping. We considered pulling our trailer there, but it is such a long trip to just get there and back and it was longer than we like to be away from home. Also, the train to Denali has always seemed so cool and we didn’t want to miss it. Therefore, it was a rental camper for this trip.
The Rental Camper
Great Alaskan Holidays was our choice for a rental company because they had the best reviews. We rented a 22 foot, 2022 Forest River Forrester from them and everything went very smoothly. We have never camped in a Class C, so it was an opportunity to try something new. It had a slide out and an on-board generator, both also new to us.
I am very happy to say that all went well with the RV. Riding in the cab was not as comfortable as our Ram truck pulling the trailer and the gas mileage was only about 9. 5 miles per gallon compared to about 13 for our trailer. However, it had a more comfortable bed and a fabulous stove, refrigerator, and microwave/ convection oven. I also liked that I could see what was going on in the back and could also get back there if necessary.
There was plenty of room in the RV and it was equipped with basic linens, blankets, dishes and cookware. We stocked up with food in Anchorage at the local Walmart.
Alaska Camping on the Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is where many Alaska residents go for vacation because it includes some highly prized towns to visit. I narrowed our trip down to four stops and ten nights. We could have done everything we wanted in eight or nine nights, but didn’t want us to be rushed.
Hope Alaska
Our first campground was Porcupine Campground in Hope. Hope is an old mining town and a popular weekend destination for Anchorage residents with live music. However, we were there on a weekday and absolutely nothing was going on. It would have been nice to see what a weekend would be like.
Porcupine is dry camping in the Chugach National Forest. Our site was nice and our first time operating a slide and using the generator went great. The batteries held well and we only needed minimal generator use. Overnight temperatures were in the mid-forties, but we were very comfortable.
A few sites are on water on Turnagain Arm. It was beautiful and phenomenal to have such a view right in the campground.
We attempted a short hike, but mosquitoes were quite aggressive. We were not adequately prepared, so we gave up this idea.
We we were only in Hope for one night, but our next stop was close, so we spent awhile to explore the town. It was picturesque and rustic.
Hope has a museum dedicated to its mining history. It opened at noon, but we wanted to get on the road before then. We spoke briefly to the museum’s director and she told us to feel free to look around outside. There was quite a bit outside that we checked out.
Kenai Alaska
Diamond M Ranch Resort in Kenai was our next Alaska camping stop. The campground had full hookups, but no beautiful view. There were also very aggressive flies in the campground. Any opening of doors or windows allowed them in by the dozen.
We were in Kenai for two nights and our major sight to see was the Kenai National Wildlife refuge. On the way, we encountered a moose. So exciting!
We spent several hours at the refuge. The employees were very nice and informative. They recommended a hike by the lake and a loop. We had bug spray, but it didn’t contain deet. The had complementary bug spray with deet and we used it.
We also visited the City of Kenai. It is a small and quaint town with a wonderful restaurant in Old Town called Veronica’s. The desserts were so good, we stopped there twice. Old Town has several very old buildings, such as the Russian Orthodox Church built in 1841 below.
Homer
Homer was our favorite stop on this trip because it had our favorite campground and extraordinary views. Ocean Shores had full hookups, a nice laundry, and very well-maintained facilities. We were there for three days.
Our campground had a beautiful view of the mountains, the bay, and the beach below. We walked down to the beach and discovered dark sand and rocks with shapes and colors like I have never seen. Very other worldly. An interesting fact about Homer is that its tides create a variation in water levels by as much as thirty feet within a single day. Boats can become stranded because of this.
The Spit
A big attraction for Homer is The Spit. It is a narrow 4.5 mile jutting out of land into the bay. The harbor, tours, restaurants, and several campgrounds are on it. It is a cool place to visit, but extremely windy.
Homer is known as the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World. We didn’t do any fishing, but we did try the halibut and it was delicious!
The harbor was a very busy place. We took the Kachemack Bay Wildlife Tour with Seabird Ventures and it was excellent. Davey and his wife, Lindsey, have a small boat and they took us to Gull Island, a rookery where over 15,000 seabirds nest.
While near Gull Island, we saw eagles, common murres, and puffins. We also saw sea otters in the water.
When we returned to The Spit, my husband spied an eagle perched on a pole. He was able to get fairly close. We saw several eagles there.
Homer also has tours by plane or air that will take you to a place where you are likely to see brown bears from a close range. We considered it, but the tours were quite expensive. I think if we had it to do again, we would take the tour despite the cost because we are not likely to have another opportunity to do something like that.
Seward
Seward was the last stop of our Alaska camping adventure and it was an amazing place. We were at Waterfront Campground right on Resurrection Bay. The campground had electricity and water, but few amenities beyond that. However, the view more than made up for it.
Resurrection Bay is actually a deep fjord that was carved by ancient glaciers, much like those that can be found in Norway. It is almost a thousand feet deep and is a stop for cruise ships.
The Alaska Sealife Center is an aquarium and a marine rehabilitation facility in Homer. It provides care for sick and injured marine animals and returns them to their natural habitat. We spent an afternoon there and saw many aquatic birds, seals, and sea lions.
Nearby Kenai Fjords National Park is only accessible by plane or car with the exception of Exit Glacier. We took a six-hour cruise and saw stunning rock formations and mountains. On two separate occasions, we saw orcas from a distance, but sadly they did not rise highly from the water.
We also saw a group of sea lions resting on a cliff from a fairly close perspective.
Glaciers
The highlight of the cruise was Aialik Glacier located in Aialik Bay. It was enormous and pieces of it was falling off into the water. It was so majestic!
The next day, we visited Exit Glacier, a few miles north of Seward. It is part of Kenai Fjord National Park and the glacier can be viewed by taking a mile hike. We took a ranger tour, which made it more interesting. The glacier has been receding since the 1800s and it appears much smaller than Aialik.
Alaska Camping Conclusion
Our Alaska camping adventure was everything we expected and more. We have now camped in thirty-nine states. If interested in reading about our adventures in other states, check out our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.
Awesomeness
Thanks Donna!