Chugach State Park RV & Campground Guide

Fishing is popular at campsites and along Bird Creek. Many of the lakes and rivers are flush with silver salmon from July through September.

GeocacheAlaska! has secured a permit for traditional and EarthCache geocaches, which must be placed in watertight, animal-resistant containers within the Alaska State Parks system. Anyone can join this high-tech scavenger hunt by using a hand-held GPS or smartphone app to search for a cache and leave something behind for the next seeker.

In fall and early winter, moose may be spotted from the platform at Glen Alps and across the Campbell Creek Valley, and if you’re lucky, you may spot a wolf through a pair of binoculars. The mountain slopes are dotted with brown and black bears in the spring and fall, and you can often see their tracks on muddy creek banks. Voles and picas make their presence known with whistles and squeaks, and ptarmigan may be found in the thickets.

Eklutna Lake is known as one of the best destinations in Alaska for stargazing amidst the mountains. If you want to take in the northern lights, head to the overlook at the Glen Alps trailhead, Eagle River Nature Center, or the Knik River drainage starting in late August, with peak viewing in March.

Chugach State Park is home to over 45 species of mammals, including brown bears, black bears, moose, Dall sheep, wolves, lynx, beavers, river otters, foxes, and mountain goats. The park’s forests are filled with paper birch, white spruce, and quaking aspen in the lower elevations while wildflowers such as the alpine forget-me-not proliferate on higher ground. The forest floor is covered with mushrooms, ferns, and wildflowers like dwarf dogwood and fireweed. Explorers will find everything from wild geranium and bog wintergreen to Nootka lupine, prickly saxifrage, lichen, mosses, and berries as they traverse the woodlands. From late summer to early fall, visitors can find lingonberries, highbush cranberries, redcurrants, crowberries, and blueberries along the trails. Guests should take care to identify their finds before eating them, as some berries are poisonous.

Hikers of every ability level can experience over 280 miles of trails ranging from Eklutna Lake to Turnagain Arm. Many long treks are available for hikers who want a challenge. Devil's Pass is a 10-mile path, and the Eklutna Lakeside Trail is nearly 26 miles long. The Flattop Mountain Trail is considered to be one of the best for hikers who want to enjoy its breathtaking views. Travelers should plan ahead and proceed with caution before venturing out as they may encounter mountain goats and black or brown bears in some areas of the park. Guided treks are also available.

If you love to canoe, raft, sailboat, or kayak, you’ll have a glorious time on the water at Chugach State Park. Most boaters head to Eklutna Lake, which is the only body of water in the park that allows motorboats. Kayaking and canoeing are extremely popular, and rentals are easy to find. Adventure-loving rafters, pack rafters, and kayakers head to Eagle River to enjoy Class I to Class IV rapids.

Hunters can take down a number of animals, including bears, in the park’s Unit 14C outside of the Eklutna, Eagle River, and Anchorage Management areas. Black and brown bears may be hunted from September to the end of May. Hunting squirrels, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, and unclassified game is not allowed. Contact park officials to get up to speed on all regulations.

Some lakes in Chugach State Park may be swimmable in the warmer months. In general, the park’s waters tend to be very cold. Check with park officials for details.

Mountain climbing is a popular activity in the park, and experienced climbers cite Bellicose Peak, Devils Distress, and Bounty Peak as worthy destinations.

Mountain bikers can enjoy several year-round and winter-only trails that run throughout the park, with some of the winter trails designated for fat bike tires between November 15 and March 31. The Eklutna Lake Trail and Gasline Trail are popular year-round while the Middle Fork Loop Trail and Lost Cabin Valley Trail are open in the winter.

Many areas of Chugach National Park are seasonally open for snowmobiling. The park provides detailed maps and descriptions of the areas that are open, closed, or restricted. Turnagain Pass, Skookum Valley Resurrection Pass, and Resurrection Pass Trail are just a few of the areas that may be available, but not all areas are open at all times. Check with park officials for snowmobiling schedules and to learn more about open and restricted areas.

Visitors who love the wintertime cold can enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, and more inside the park. For an otherworldly adventure, you can visit the Portage Glacier on foot, skis, skates, or by bike when the Portage Lake freezes over. Dog sledding tours and skijoring are also extremely popular past times.

Horseback riders may take their mounts along the park’s trails with some exceptions. The Turnagain Arm Trail, Flattop Mountain Trails, Eagle River Valley, and Meadow Creek Drainage are closed to equestrians. Anchorage Hillside, Indian Creek, and the south fork of the Eagle River may also be closed.