This small state park is located right next door to the much larger Williwaw US Forest Service Campground. On the road (Portage Glacier Rd) the enterance is about 1/4 mile before Williwaw. Once in each campground there is a all propose Boardwalk / bike trail that connects each other. This Boardwalk "Trail of Blue Ice" starts about 2 miles west of here and ends a mile and a half away at the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. You will pass 3 different glaciers as you hike or bike this level trail. The campground is for tents or RV's under 20-25'. All roads and campsites are gravel, where as it's next door neighbor (Williwaw) has paved roads and sites. All sites are heavily wooded. There are only pit toilets here. Normally I would have given this type of campground 2 stars, but because of the bike path and the campgrounds close proximity to the Portage Glacier, Begich Boggs (USF) Visitor Center and the Whittier Tunnel, I'll bump it up to 3 stars.
About this campground
Black Bear Campground in Girdwood Alaska is a US Forest Service (Chugach National Forest) campground providing 13 primitive tent and small RV camping sites just off Portage Road. Situated in a forested setting this campground is better suited to tent campers compared to the adjacent Walliwaw Campground. Seasonally open.
Located near Portage Creek, which provides Class II whitewater opportunities for rafts and kayaks. Pit toilets and a hand pumped water well.
Note: wildlife is abundant in this area. Follow all food and waste storage rules to keep yourself and other campers safe.
What campers say
Black Bear Campground is a small, quiet, riverside campground with well-maintained walking trails. Amenities commonly noted include clean pit toilets, a water pump, bear-proof food lockers, and picnic tables. Sites are spread out for privacy; many are suitable for tent or hammock camping and some can accommodate a small travel trailer. Expect a simple, low-cost self-service experience (around $14/night). Tradeoffs include a few smaller sites that puddle and get muddy after rain, so choose a firmer, higher site when possible.
Our summary of 46 traveler reviews.
Amenities
Sites
- Back-In
Setting
- Mountains
- Forest
- River
More
- .GOV
- .RECREATION
- Bathrooms
- Biking
- Destination
- Dirt
- Dogs
- Family Friendly
- Firepits
- First Come First Served
- Forest Service
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- National Forest
- Park
- Pets
- Primitive
- Public Park
- Public Parking
- Pull-In
- Remote
- Rural
- Scenic
- Seasonal
- Shade
- Tents
- Tourist
- Trails
- Trees
- US Forest Service
- Walking Trail
- Water
- Wildlife
47 reviews
1 of them was written on CampgroundViews.
Photos
Location
- Address
- Portage Glacier Road, Anchorage, AK 99587
- GPS
- 60.7886° N, 148.8886° W
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