Russian River
Russian River Campground is perched between the Russian and Kenai Rivers in south-central Alaska. It lies within driving distance of two main population centers, 110 miles south of Anchorage and 40 miles east of Soldotna, surrounded by the Chugach National Forest and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Each year, this area is visited by over 100,000 people who recreate at the Russian River Campground, Ferry Access Site, Sportsman's Boat Launch, Russian Lakes Trail and K'beq Site. Hiking, biking and fishing are popular pastimes.
More like this: reservable in Alaska · big rigs in Alaska
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 50 |
| RV, no hookups | 33 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 100 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
83 sites in 10 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 069 | KING | Standard | Pull-through | 65 | Paved | 8 / 1 | |
| 070 | KING | RV | Back-in | 40 | Paved | 8 / 1 | |
| 080 | KING | Standard | Pull-through | 50 | Paved | 8 / 2 | |
| 081 | KING | Standard | Back-in | 53 | Paved | 8 / 2 | |
| 045 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 45 | Paved | 12 / 2 | |
| 046 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | 8 / 2 | |
| 047 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 53 | Paved | 8 / 2 | |
| 048 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 62 | Paved | 12 / 2 | |
| 050 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 62 | Paved | 8 / 2 | |
| 051 | RAIN | Standard | Back-in | 47 | Paved | 8 / 2 |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 100 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
The campground consists of 83 campsites and 130 day-use parking spaces. The campground is open with full service from May through September with 24-hour operation at the "contact station." Compliance with all campground rules and regulations is necessary to insure a safe experience for everyone. Water, vault toilets, tables, fire pits and dumpsters are available, as well as paved roads and parking spurs.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Temporarily closed |
| Forest | Chugach National Forest |
| Booking | Reservations are made through Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) and recommended for summer camping. Fees are charged during the summer season. |
| Rules | Area CLOSED to public use. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Anchorage, Alaska, travel south for 110 miles to Milepost 54 on the Sterling Highway, Alaska State Highway 1.
| Nearest town | Seward, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 60.4835° N, 149.9735° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Video
Thousand Trails Russian River: What Nobody Tells You Before Booking
Worth a stop
Resurrection Pass Trail: This trail climbs from 500 to 2,600 feet over 38 miles. It connects the towns Hope and Cooper Landing via a historic route. Russian River Ferry: The ferry transports anglers across the Kenai River. Sportsman's Boat Launch: The boat launch provides boat access to the Kenai River. K'beq Interpretive Site: At this site, tribal members share traditions, stories and culture with visitors through interpretive walks featuring archeological sites, traditional plant use, informational signs, and artifacts. The gift shop features Native art.
- 14.5 miTern Lake Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miRussian River Angler Access Tr0.2 mi trail · hiking
- 0.5 miRussian Lakes Trail ↗21.8 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.7 miResurrection Pass Trail ↗73.7 mi trail · hiking, snowmobile, snowshoe, ski · national_recreation_or_other
- 0.8 miRussian River Anglers Trail3.1 mi trail · hiking
- 2 miRussian River Falls Trail1.4 mi trail · hiking, snowshoe, ski
- 2.2 miRendezvous Creek Trail0.1 mi trail · hiking
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which overlaps Chugach National Forest.
- inKenai National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 1,943,006 acres
- inChugach National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 6,244,689 acres
- 1.2 miKenai Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Fish and Wildlife Service · 1,354,247 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Cooper Landing Historic DistrictHistoric district · Cooper Landing · 4.7 mi
- Cooper Landing Post OfficeBuilding · Cooper Landing · 4.7 mi
Natural features
The campground sits at an elevation of 400 feet on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula in the Chugach National Forest. The forest, spanning more than 5 million acres, is comprised of jagged mountains, deep fjords and glacier-fed rivers.
Recreation
The Russian River is the most popular sockeye salmon stream in Alaska and a top-rated spot for rainbow trout. Retention of sockeye salmon is legal from June 11th to August 20th. Silver salmon can be retained from July 1st to September 30th. Trout can be retained from June 11th through April 30th. Anglers are required to have a State of Alaska Fishing license and obey all regulations and emergency orders. Kenai Peninsula is also a hiker's paradise, boasting hundreds of miles of maintained trails. The following two trails are accessible from the campground. The Russian Lakes Trail begins in the campground, and is the most popular trail on the Chugach National Forest. Most hikers travel only 2.3 miles to Russian River Falls where a viewing platform allows views of leaping salmon. More ambitious hikers and backpackers can travel another 19 miles past two lakes to the Upper Trailhead on Snug Harbor Rd. Along the trail, three public use cabins can be reserved; Barber Cabin, Aspen Flats Cabin and Upper Russian Lake Cabin. The Angler's Trail also begins in the Russian River Campground and travels 1.25 miles from the Russian River Canyon to the Kenai-Russian River Confluence.
Guidebooks for Alaska
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Russian River?
Sites at Russian River are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations are made through Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) and recommended for summer camping. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Russian River?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Russian River open right now?
Temporarily closed as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Russian River have?
83 sites, including 50 standard sites without power and 33 RV sites without hookups.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Russian River?
Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Is there cell service at Russian River?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Russian River?
The Russian River is the most popular sockeye salmon stream in Alaska and a top-rated spot for rainbow trout. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Russian River?
Seward, Alaska. Resurrection Pass Trail: This trail climbs from 500 to 2,600 feet over 38 miles.
Source: Getting there
What if Russian River is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cooper Creek South (3.1 mi), Hidden Lake Campground (7.7 mi, partly first-come), and Quartz Creek Campground (8.4 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby