Bertha Creek Campground — Hotel in Alaska

You can recreationally pan for gold here for free, and keep any gold you find. There's a little secret with this place also. The campground is a National Park campground, so you have to pay to stay and camp, but if you go to the opposite side of the highway, there is a fairly hidden rough dirt road that winds around 100 yards or so, and has around 10 more campsites, most on or very near the creek, and they are free. Zero amenities for these sites, and its first come, first served, but if you don't mind roughing it, there's almost always sites available during the week, but they normally are taken very early Saturday mornings by locals. You can camp I believe 14 days, but then you have to leave. Also, in case anyone is not aware, it is illegal in Alaska to be actively gold prospecting with a firearm on your person or within reach. I watched a Forestry Officer confiscate a man's handgun, write a citation, and tell him he would have to make a request to the judge to get his gun back. Last thing...If you are visiting Alaska and choose this area to spend some time at, have a firearm, or bear spray with you at all times (except when gold prospecting), the Kenai Peninsula, and Chugach Mountains are home to a very large Brown Bear population, and this is especially important during any of the Salmon runs. Also, if you camp here, bring plenty of blankets, at night it gets pretty cold because you are sleeping right next to a creek that is fed by...

I am assuming this is the Bertha Creek Campground that is a national park campground off the highway between the Stereling highway turn and Portage Glacier, which is actually a bit of a way from Seward. Anyway it is a nice campground with no utilities but nice views of the mountains and a lovely waterfall. The creek is not that great for fishing and it is pretty close to the highway. The camp host is located about 3 miles up the road but he was very...

First-come first-served, absolutely beautiful, small campground with about 12 sites on a single dirt road loop, next to a lovely creek. The sites are well separated and have lots of privacy. Vault toilets with no sink. Water via hand pump. No hookup for RVs....