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Open year round, but some of the season is considered "off season"...During the off-season there is no water, no trash service, and no fees. Please pack out all garbage. Outhouse/toilet facilities may be unavailable. Reservations are made though Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) and recommended for summer camping. Fees are charged during the summer season. Reservations may be made up to180 days prior to your desired arrival date in the summer season (Memorial Day through Labor Day in September). Williwaw is the the larger of the two campgrounds in Portage Valley. Located about 1 mile from the popular Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. 60 sites. Can accomodate RV's. Restroom facilities and hand pump water is provided. $18 (single)/$28 (double). A non-refundable service fee will be added to each reservation by Recreation.gov Williwaw Campground, an idyllic area, sits beside Williwaw Creek near the town of Girdwood, Alaska. The campground boasts prime fishing, hiking and wildlife watching all within the Portage Valley. Next to the campground is the Williwaw Salmon Viewing Area, a top-notch spot for salmon viewing. In August, visitors can see these fish spawning in impressive numbers through the translucent waters. The area is a great place to view numerous glaciated valleys and the Portage Glacier. Over the past 80 years, the glacier calved large icebergs into Portage Lake, located just east of the campground. Recreation Wildlife viewing includes moose, brown and black bears, mountain goats, lynx, bald eagles and wolves. The Williwaw Nature Trail can be reached from the campground. It heads to the Williwaw Fish Viewing Platform, passes under the highway bridge and follows Williwaw Creek to a series of ponds. The trail then connects to the Trail of Blue Ice, which accesses the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. The Trail of Blue Ice is also popular among mountain bikers. Facilities Drinking water from hand pumps, vault toilets, picnic tables and a parking area are provided at Williwaw Campground. Campsites are nicely separated, but no electric hookups are available. Natural Features The campground sits in the Portage Valley of the eastern Kenai Peninsula in the Chugach National Forest. The Forest, spanning 5,361,803 acres is comprised of arid tundra wilderness, jagged mountains, deep fjords and glacier-fed rivers that surround the Prince William Sound. Nearby Attractions Consider visiting the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier, the town of Whittier and Byron Glacier. ADA Access: N
From Anchorage go 55 miles south on Seward highway to Portage Glacier Road (milepost 78.9). The campground is located at mile 4.1 of the Portage Glacier Road.
Mile 4 on the Portage highway. Travel south on the Seward highway, 50 miles from Anchorage
Reservations are made though Recreation.gov (1-877-444-6777) and recommended for summer camping. Fees are charged during the summer season. Reservations may be made up to180 days prior to your desired arrival date in the summer season (Memorial Day through Labor Day in September).
First come first serve campground. Good one. Very close to Whittier tunnel. Fish viewing from walkable distance from campground. You can see glacier from campground. Firewoods available for campfire. Make sure to bring cash. No card payment.
What a beautiful campground! The mountains, glaciers, and woods surrounding the campsite are stunning. Each campsite is far enough from others and isolated by trees to be quiet. There are bathrooms scattered around the campgrounds so that you're never too far away from one. Water available from a hand pump. No showers. In the right season, you can also watch the salmon run here (we were a bit early in mid-July). We loved our stay! While we reserved our stay online, when we arrived around 11 pm on a Sunday night, there were several first-come-first-serve campsites still available.
It's one of the best forrest service campgrounds we visited. Very well cared for by the camp hosts. Wonderful, easy hikes. Great walk to the visitor center from the campground.
