hoopers
Loveland, CO
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I am hoping to do a 2 month rv trip to Alaska next summer, which will be my first time.
Can one camp the Alaska hwy without reservations? Or do campgrounds fill up months in advance. I would rather not make reservations, and just go where the wind takes me.
I am hoping 8 weeks is enough from Denver.
I am pulling a 30' 5th wheel also.
What is the best time of year to go?
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Goldencrazy
madison wi
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Joined: 06/21/2007
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I had no problem getting campgrounds in July. One time in Whitehorse my first campground was full but turned out I liked Hi Country better anyway. The first was full of caravans so if you happen to hit with caravans either slow down or move ahead as they are like waves. Once I was out of sync with caravans I was fine. I did just shy of 8 weeks and it was plenty. At some point you just can't absorb anymore.
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hoopers
Loveland, CO
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Goldencrazy wrote:I had no problem getting campgrounds in July. One time in Whitehorse my first campground was full but turned out I liked Hi Country better anyway. The first was full of caravans so if you happen to hit with caravans either slow down or move ahead as they are like waves. Once I was out of sync with caravans I was fine. I did just shy of 8 weeks and it was plenty. At some point you just can't absorb anymore.
Good to know. I dont want to peeve off the caravans, but they seem kinda pricey upfront, without knowing anything about them...my wife and I were leaning towards just going our own way, without a caravan. I think a caravan would be lots of fun, all the social interaction etc...
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HarryWM
Wherever we are parked this time.
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hoopers wrote:Goldencrazy wrote:I had no problem getting campgrounds in July. One time in Whitehorse my first campground was full but turned out I liked Hi Country better anyway. The first was full of caravans so if you happen to hit with caravans either slow down or move ahead as they are like waves. Once I was out of sync with caravans I was fine. I did just shy of 8 weeks and it was plenty. At some point you just can't absorb anymore.
Good to know. I dont want to peeve off the caravans, but they seem kinda pricey upfront, without knowing anything about them...my wife and I were leaning towards just going our own way, without a caravan. I think a caravan would be lots of fun, all the social interaction etc... ... and rigid itinerary with lack of flexibility, and very fast moving to keep up with schedule. This is an easy trip to do alone. You will meet people in every campground you stay in. There are lots of campgrounds along the highway and throughout Alaska on major roads. Buy Mike and Terri Church's book on Alaska camping. It has info on just about all campgrounds. The Milepost also has such info but the reviews are written and paid for by the campground owners so just may be a bit biased.
Harry
With wife Carole 12 yrs fulltiming
Retired U.S. Army
2002 Carriage LS 37' 5er; 2006 Lance 1181truck camper
2008 F-450 King Ranch 4x4 fully loaded 5,000 lb air springs
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SKP # 54751
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jmckelvy
North Alabama
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We spent part of July and August in various places in Alaska and in between. No reservations anywhere and no problem getting a spot. We have a truck camper so I can camp just about anywhere. There is also lots of places to dry camp in that part of the world if needed.
Have a great trip!
Jim
06 Dodge 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto,QC,4X4,Torklifts,Fastguns
2008 Northstar 8.5 Arrow
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lanerd
Ridgecrest, CA
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The problem with caravans is that they are on a strict schedule. With most of them, you can leave and meet up with them somewhere else...but then you miss whatever was planned at the stops you miss.
Traveling alone allows you to move at your own pace, stay at any one place as long as you wish, visit places not on the caravan's schedule, and you don't have to wait in line to get fuel.
You mentioned "campgrounds". Are you including "rv parks" in this category also? Canadian and Alaskan state/provincial "campground" are plenty and without the need to have reservations. However, some "rv parks" are very popular and do require reservations. We too had a hard time at Whitehorse and had to settle for a smaller and out of town park...no big deal tho.
Reservations are definitely required at Denali if you want to stay within the park itself. Watch out for those rv parks that have their own diesel generators for electricity. We found a couple that the voltage varied so much that our surge-gard kept cutting off and on. Finally just disconnected and used our own generator.
Hope this helps
Ron
Ron & Sandie
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2hams2alaska
Illinois
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As others have responded, go ahead and do it on your own pace and stop whenever. You won't have problems finding campgrounds. We did the trip this year and had no reservations anywhere except for Denali. Plent of places to boondock once well North if that is your taste. The Church's guide is the greatest but still but Milepost for the adds and road info. As noted by others, caravans are just too structured for our tastes. Expensive too.
Mike
Mike and Arlyce
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garym114
Texas
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hoopers wrote:I am hoping to do a 2 month rv trip to Alaska next summer, which will be my first time.
Can one camp the Alaska hwy without reservations? Or do campgrounds fill up months in advance. I would rather not make reservations, and just go where the wind takes me.
I am hoping 8 weeks is enough from Denver.
I am pulling a 30' 5th wheel also.
What is the best time of year to go?
Buy yourself the book - The Milepost
It has the routes to Alaska described and all the places to stay along the way. Covers Alaska also. Never needed a reservation for the trip. Only reservation we made in the two years we were in Alaska was for fishing. You have to be there when the fish are there.
Get a Digital Multimeter and Learn How to Use It
2000 Sea Breeze F53 V10 - CR-V Toad
Dawson Creek - Start of Alaska Highway
Don't Forget - USS Liberty, June 08, 1967
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Luke Porter
Not on the road :(
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lanerd wrote: Reservations are definitely required at Denali if you want to stay within the park itself.
I think half of the campsites are are subject to reservations. And half are available for walkup.
I have been to Denali several times and have no problem getting a site in any of the three RV CG's for the following day.
I can't speak for the same day site availability, as I was already somewhere else the first day.
If you know your schedule in advance, then call for reservations as soon as possible.
Yep, actually drove to all of these places---in the last eight years. Missed Rhode Island and New Jersey.
.
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Terry 25
Hagerstown, MD
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Joined: 12/30/2003
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We took the AK trip in the Summer of '08. Made cg res in Ketchikan (4th of July)and for Spruce Meadow in Juneau and Denali. Never a problem. Always found spaces available. Have a great trip.
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