Located just south of Anchorage near the town of Hope, Alaska, Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site is a beautiful site surrounded by trees right along Porcupine Creek off of Highway 1 at the end of Hope Road. The campground is located inside the Chugach State Park with scenic views all around. You’ll have beautiful birch forest views, and from certain locations will be able to watch Beluga whales and windsurfers in the bay. The park is open during peak season. The dates may change at any time, but usually, the park is open between May to September. Check the official recreation website for specifics.
You can walk and hike on trails that lead through the forest north of the campsite and aren’t too far from beautiful mountain views. The campsite is wheelchair accessible and provides amenities like fire rings, hiking, and fishing, among others. Firewood is sold on-site, so you can get a warm fire going. The campground features an accessible toilet, drinking water from a well, and picnic tables for a peaceful lunch in the forest. The campsite is mostly unsupervised and can provide families with a lot of peace and quiet during any time of the season.
This is a small remote campground with 12 sites that are open in peak season. You may call the facility to find more information about specific dates, as these can change at any time. Find out more information here. The park is open to RVs. However, you won’t find any electrical, water, or sewer hookups at this location.
Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site is located just north of the city of Hope along the water. Get off of Highway 1 and travel north through Sunrise, then west along the water through Hope to the campground.
The site has wide roads that are easy to navigate for RVs and trailers, but beware of the icy roads and possible road closures. The site allows for RVs, trailers, and large vehicles. Navigating the park by foot or bike is easy, as the entire campsite is very open.
There is a limit of two vehicles per site, where a truck with a trailer counts as two vehicles. Extra vehicles will need to use an additional site. Extra fees may be collected for additional vehicles. Season dates may vary due to unknown weather conditions, so call ahead to find out the current status of the site.
If you’re looking to bring your RV to this campground, you’re in luck. The campground offers 12 sites for either tent camping or RV camping. There is no length limit for RVs or trailers, and reservations may be made by calling ahead of time. You can also just show up, but it’s recommended to call to avoid a full site or closure due to weather or road conditions that could happen at any time. If you don’t have an RV, there are plenty of RV rentals in Alaska.
While the campground is RV-friendly, you won’t find any water, sewer, or electric hookups at your site. Your RV can be virtually any length because of how open the sites are, but you will need your own power generators or use an off-the-grid setup for RV power. The campground offers toilets that can be used if you don’t want to use your RV toilet, and a water spigot is available for individual water use. If you need additional facilities, the town of Hope is not far from the campground. The 12 sites that are offered at this campground are both day-use and overnight use. The town of Hope is not far from Anchorage, AK.
Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site has terrific opportunities to fish. Porcupine Creek is right next to the site, and you can use the campsite as your base camp, then walk or bike to the large creek to fish all day long. You are also right on the coast of Turnagain Arm, which is a large body of water to fish from as well.
You may find king salmon and rainbow trout among many other species of fish. The water is cold, but there are many areas to gather and fish with friends and family.
If you’re okay with ice-cold water, consider a whitewater rafting adventure. Porcupine Creek offers whitewater rafting that you and the whole family can enjoy. You have multiple rafting options, both of which lead you down Six Mile Creek with three canyons. Two are Class IV rapids, and the last is Class V. If you are physically fit and a strong swimmer, this whitewater rafting excursion is a blast. Heading into the town of Hope will provide you with the details of setting up a day full of whitewater rafting and lots of fun.
Because Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site is located right in Hope, Alaska, you have the opportunity to try your luck at gold panning. Hope is one of the best gold rush towns in the region, and you can take a short trip from your campground into the town of Hope for a view of historic streets and the opportunity to pan for gold. There are multiple gold rush tours, and you can make a fun day out of panning for gold for a few hours at one of the few excursions offered in the town of Hope.
There are beautiful trails that have trailheads located right off of the campground. Some of the trails lead into steep sections that may require some uphill hiking, but mostly, the trails are rocky and surrounded by trees and beautiful scenery. You can travel through the forest with a guide or on your own. Be bear aware on any trail, including on your campsite. The trails are quiet and well kept.
Besides walking and hiking the surrounding trails, you have the opportunity to travel deeper into the forest by bike. Consider biking through the trails for incredible birch forest scenes and views of the creek from many sites.
If you’d rather not bike deep into the forest, there is enough room around the campsite to enjoy a bike ride near your base as well. You can also bike south to the city of Hope to view the historical streets and buildings.
In an Alaskan forest, especially near a creek like Porcupine Creek, you must be bear aware. You may occasionally find a roaming bear or family of bears on the trails, near the creek, and sometimes on the campsite.
Keeping your food in personal food storage containers and inside your RV or vehicle is necessary. You can find lots of Alaskan wildlife besides bears by taking a short hike down one of the many trails in the area.
