Camping at one of the 6 Hope Alaska Campgrounds is a great way to explore this quaint seaside community.
Hope is located approximately 90 miles from Anchorage and takes about 1.5 hours to drive there. The community is a historic gold mining village that has been around for over 100 years. Many of the original buildings are still standing in the community’s historic old town.
The Hope Alaska population is around 200 permanent residents, but there are a lot of people that own recreational cabins and properties in the area. So, there can definitely be more than 200 people “living” in Hope at any given time.
Sitting on the southern side of Turnagain Arm, Hope offers stunning views of the Chugach Mountains and many opportunities for outdoor recreation.
One of the most popular activities in Hope is camping, especially at Porcupine Campground managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
In this post I provide a comprehensive overview of Porcupine Campground, as well as other Hope Alaska Campgrounds. I also highlight some of the other outdoor recreation opportunities available in Hope.
Hope Alaska Campgrounds
There are 6 Hope Alaska campgrounds for you to consider on your next trip to this cute little town. With tent-only campgrounds, and those that have full RV hook-ups, Hope Alaska camping has options for every type of camper
Porcupine Campground
Porcupine Campground is located at the end of the road in Hope and offers 34 campsites.
Of the 34 campsites, 7 are designated as walk in tent l sites. The other 27 sites are suitable for camping trailers or RVs.
Nearly all of the sites offer good privacy from adjacent campsites.
All of the campsites offer good views, but if you can score a reservation for sites 7, 10, 12, or 14 you are in for a treat. These sites back up to a cliff (with a fence) that offers stunning, unobstructed views of Turnagain Arm (watch for beluga whales that frequent the area) and the Chugach Mountains.
If you’re okay with one of the walk-in tent sites, then sites 2, 3, and 4 would offer the same amazing views.
Amenities
Porcupine Campground offers potable water with 3 hand-pumped wells. There are also 3 pit toilets that are well-maintained.
Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table and a campfire pit.
There are no sewer or electric hook-ups at any site.
Season
Porcupine Campground opens for the season about 1-2 weeks before Memorial Day and closes in early September after Memorial Day. Thankfully these dates overlap with best time to visit Alaska for camping.
Reservations
You can reserve a campsite up to 180 days in advance through recreation.gov.
While it is possible to obtain a campsite without an advanced reservation, I would not recommend it.
Porcupine Campground is popular with both locals (like me) and visitors, so it can fill up quickly, especially during weekends and holidays.
On a recent trip, we booked our site 6 months before our camping date. I’m glad we did because there were very few sites available. And this was at the very beginning of the season.
The campground costs $23 per night with a maximum stay of 14 days.
Other Hope Alaska Camping
While I think Porcupine Campground is the best of the Hope Alaska campgrounds, there are other Hope Alaska camping opportunities for you to consider.
Seaview RV Park
Seaview RV Park is located in Old Town Hope right on the water. They have electric and. Non-electric sites but no water or dump station.
It is best to make reservations for RV sites, but tent-only sites are only offered on a first-come first-serve basis. Reservations are only accepted via email.
Prices range from $25-$50 depending on the type of site.
Coldwater Campground
Coldwater Campground offers both RV and tent-only campsites. The campground offers RV sites with full hook-ups, electric and water only, or just electric.
There are shared picnic tables and fire pits. There’s also a restaurant on site.
Advanced reservations are recommended. Prices range from $30-$45 per night.
Sourdough Dru’s
This a funky little gift shop in Old Town Hope that offers camping sites. Definitely no frills, just a place to throw up a tent.
Inquire about current pricing and availability.
Coeur d’Alene Campground
Coeur d’Alene Campground is located a few miles from the main Hope townsite. It is adjacent to the Palmer Creek Trail which is a great hiking option in the area.
There are 6 tent-only sites at this campground and RVs are not recommended because of the narrow road and small campground.
Campsites are first-come first-serve. The campground has no potable water, but does offer pit toilets.
Coeur d’Alene campground is open during the summer.
Things to Do in Hope
The primary draw of visiting Hope is the beautiful scenery and wide-variety of outdoor activities you can participate in.
Hiking
There are three primary hiking trails accessible from Hope.
Gull Rock Trail
Accessible from Porcupine Campground, this trail leads you along a bluff overlooking Turnagain Arm. It’s a X mile round trip hike, but you can go as far as you like and still get great views.
Resurrection Pass Trail
One of the most well-known hiking/backpacking trails in Alaska, the 38 mile long Resurrection Pass Trail connects Hope to Cooper Landing, Alaska.
It is a beautiful hike ranging from forested riverine habitat to alpine tundra. . You can also mountain bike the trail (or a portion of it) if you don’t have time for a full backpacking trip.
Palmer Creek Trail
This short 2.6 round-trip hike let’s you quickly access alpine lakes and Alaska’s iconic tundra ecosystem. There are also old gold mining remnants to explore along the way.
Gold panning
There’s still gold to be found around Hope. There are multiple locations in Hope and nearby areas where you can recreationally gold pan.
Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking
There are multiple outfitters in Hope that offer whitewater rafting and kayaking along 6 Mile Creek just outside of Hope.
Beachcombing
There are a number of locations to access the beach in Hope. While the water is generally calm, Turnagain Arm has one of the world’s largest bore tides, so the water can come in quickly.
But be extremely careful exploring the mud flats when the tide is out. In fact, you should NEVER walk out onto the mudflats. The mud is extremely sticky and acts like quicksand.
People routinely get stuck in the mud and need to be rescued. Recently a visitor to one of Hope’s beaches died after they got stuck in the mud and the tide came in.
It was a real tragedy, but highlights the importance of not venturing onto the mud flats. If you get stuck or see someone stuck, immediately call 911 because time is of the essence for rescuers to arrive!
Live Music
All summer long, Creek Bend Company offers a great selection of live music from exceptional local musicians. If you’re staying the area, it’s a great activity for fun evening.
Summary
If you’re visiting Alaska, or live here year-round but haven’t made it out to Hope yet, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Hope Alaska campgrounds offer something for every type of camper.
But my recommendation is Porcupine Campground because it is the most serene with beaches and hiking literally within feet of the campground.
Still planning your trip to Alaska? Check out our guide on the best time of year to visit Alaska. You can also look at our reviews of other Alaska campgrounds to help plan your Alaskan camping trip.
