Chilkat State Park Campground

Alaska, the Last Frontier, offers unparalleled natural beauty and an abundance of opportunities for outdoor adventure. For Alaskans who cherish their state's wild landscapes, camping provides an intimate way to experience this grandeur. Among the many incredible destinations, Chilkat State Park Campground in Haines stands out as a truly remarkable spot, providing a serene and picturesque escape into the heart of Southeast Alaska's stunning wilderness. It’s a place where majestic mountains meet the sea, where glaciers glisten in the distance, and where wildlife roams freely.

Chilkat State Park Campground is a quieter alternative to some of the more bustling parks, offering a more peaceful and authentic Alaskan camping experience. It’s perfectly suited for those seeking breathtaking views, excellent hiking, and superb opportunities for wildlife viewing, both on land and in the water. While it offers a rustic charm, it provides essential amenities that make a remote stay comfortable. For locals, it represents an accessible slice of paradise, offering all the raw beauty of Alaska without venturing too far off the beaten path (though the path itself is a memorable part of the adventure!). Whether you're a seasoned RVer, a tent camper, or simply looking for a day-use picnic spot with an incredible backdrop, Chilkat State Park Campground promises an unforgettable Alaskan experience.

Chilkat State Park Campground is located at 4438 Chilkat State Park Rd, Haines, AK 99827, USA. This puts it approximately seven miles south of the charming town of Haines, on the Chilkat Peninsula, nestled between the Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets. Haines itself is a unique community, accessible by road (one of the few in Southeast Alaska), ferry, or plane, making the park surprisingly reachable for many.

The journey to the campground involves navigating Mud Bay Road, which leads directly to the park. While the road into the park is described as a bit "pot-holy" or gravel, it is generally "easy enough to drive around," though a steep 14% grade dirt road section is noted by some. Despite this, it's manageable for most vehicles, including RVs up to 35 feet. The road's condition is part of the remote Alaskan charm, leading you to a truly spectacular setting. Along the drive, visitors are encouraged to take advantage of pull-outs for viewing towering mountains and abundant sea life. Moose are also known to wander this passage, adding to the scenic drive. While remote, the close proximity to Haines means visitors can easily access a full grocery store, liquor store, restaurants, coffee shops, and an excellent Visitor's Information Center in town for any last-minute supplies or information.

Chilkat State Park Campground offers a range of services designed to provide a comfortable yet rustic camping experience in its stunning natural setting. It’s important to note that all campsites are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved in advance.

• Campsites: The park features 35 campsites in total, including 4 walk-in tent sites and 31 drive-in sites. These gravel sites can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length and offer a mix of pull-through and back-in options. Each site is generally tucked into the forest near the water, providing a sense of privacy and easy access to trails and the beach. Most sites include a fire pit/steel fire ring and a grill.

• Water: Water pumps or spigots are scattered throughout the campground loop, providing access to potable water. However, some reviews indicate "No water available on site," which might refer to individual site hookups, as central water pumps are generally available. It's always wise to confirm current water availability.

• Latrines/Vault Toilets: Clean and well-stocked vault toilets (outhouses) are available throughout the campground, ensuring basic sanitation facilities for campers. These are also ADA accessible.

• Picnic Area & Shelter: The park includes a dedicated picnic area with picnic sites and a picnic shelter, perfect for day use or group gatherings.

• Boat Launch: A boat launch provides direct access to Chilkat Inlet, making it convenient for kayakers, canoeists, and those with small motorized boats looking to explore the surrounding waters. This launch is particularly popular during the king salmon run in early June.

• Information Center/Contact Cabin: A log cabin contact/information center (staffed by summer hosts during the season) offers incredible views, reference materials, and wildlife spotting scopes to help visitors identify seals, porpoises, whales, and even distant bears and mountain goats.

• Electronic Fee Station: Camping fees (typically $20 per night) can be paid at an electronic fee station located within the campground after you've secured a site.

• No Hookups: It's important to note that campsites do not offer water, electrical, or sewer hookups. Campers should be prepared for off-grid living or bring their own solar panels/generators. There is also no dump station within the park.

• Stunning Scenery & Glacier Views: The park boasts breathtaking views of Chilkat Inlet and is uniquely positioned to offer glimpses of Rainbow and Davidson Glaciers, making for an incredibly picturesque setting. The confluence of deep channels and steep rising mountains creates a dramatic backdrop.

• Exceptional Wildlife Viewing: As a relatively remote park, Chilkat State Park offers fantastic opportunities to spot wildlife. On land, visitors may see black and brown bears (remember bear safety!), mountain goats, and moose. The inlet itself is a prime spot for viewing harbor seals, harbor porpoises, humpback and killer whales, and Steller sea lions. Bald eagles are also commonly sighted.

• Diverse Hiking Trails: The park provides access to three main hiking trails catering to various skill levels.

  • Ayiklutu Trail (Seduction Point Trail): An easy, 7-mile one-way (14-mile round trip) hike from the campground that follows the coast, winding between the woods and the beach, offering great scenery and wildlife viewing.

  • Battery Point Trail: Another easy trail, approximately 2 miles one-way (4-mile round trip), starting in the forest and emerging onto the beach.

  • Mount Riley Trail: For the more adventurous, this challenging trail features a steep vertical rise (climbing nearly 1,500 feet over 10.2 miles round trip) but rewards hikers with incredible panoramic views of the entire park and surrounding inlets.

• Prime Fishing Opportunities: The park's boat launch provides excellent access for fishing in Chilkat Inlet, especially during the king salmon run in early June. The Chilkat River is also noted as a highly productive area for coho, sockeye, Chinook, and chum salmon runs.

• Sea Kayaking & Boating: The calm waters near the park make it perfect for sea kayaking and canoeing, allowing for unique exploration of the inlets and closer wildlife encounters.

• Quiet and Less Crowded: Compared to some other popular campgrounds like Chilkoot, Chilkat State Park is often described as a "quiet alternative," offering more solitude and a peaceful atmosphere, particularly during shoulder seasons.

• Stargazing: With minimal light pollution, the park offers fantastic stargazing opportunities on clear nights.

Address: 4438 Chilkat State Park Rd, Haines, AK 99827, USA

Phone: While a direct general park phone number for immediate inquiries is sometimes listed as (907) 465-4563 for Alaska State Parks information, specific on-site contact for the campground may be limited. It is often best to consult the Alaska Department of Natural Resources website for the most up-to-date information on fees, alerts, and operational hours.

The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so direct reservations for specific sites are not taken.

For Alaskans, Chilkat State Park Campground in Haines embodies the very essence of what makes their home state so extraordinary. It offers an accessible yet profoundly wild escape into a landscape of towering mountains, glistening glaciers, and rich marine life, all without requiring an epic journey into the deepest bush. Locals appreciate this park as a "quiet alternative" that still delivers on every promise of an authentic Alaskan experience. It's a place where families can easily spend a weekend fishing for salmon, hiking trails that offer stunning panoramas, or quietly observing eagles, bears, and marine mammals in their natural habitat.

The first-come, first-served system, while requiring a bit of flexibility, is familiar to many Alaskans who value spontaneous adventures and the ability to claim a prime spot in a less crowded setting. The presence of essential amenities like clean vault toilets and water (where available), coupled with the breathtaking backdrop, ensures a comfortable stay even without full hookups—a trade-off many locals are willing to make for the unparalleled scenery and wildlife. Whether it's launching a kayak into Chilkat Inlet, embarking on a challenging hike up Mount Riley, or simply enjoying a quiet campfire with views of Rainbow Glacier, Chilkat State Park offers a deeply rewarding and quintessentially Alaskan experience, right in their backyard. It's a testament to the wild beauty that makes Alaska truly "The Last Frontier."