K'esugi Ken Campground — Hotel in Alaska

The best campground! The entire State Park staff does an amazing job! There are hiking trails throughout and access to the Moose Flats and Curry Ridge trails from the campground. Great views of Denali when the weather cooperates. Be sure to check out the interpretive center and its trail. Day use parking is available for $5.00. Fee stations currently take cash or card. The RV loop sites have electric hookup and can accommodate rigs of all sizes. $30,00 per night. The main roads are nicely paved. The sites are gravel, mostly level (site 15 being the most unleveled), have a grassy spot for a tent, a picnic table and a fire ring. Must make reservations online well in advance. There are five first come first serve sites that fill quickly. Check in is at 1pm, check out is at noon. There is a big overflow parking lot, just past the interpretive center, if you come and the sites are full. Potable water is available to the right just past the first fee station, before heading into the RV loop. Connect your hose and fill up. There is no dump station on site. Firewood is sometimes available in the firewood shed by the dumpsters for a fee. The primitive camp sites are first come first serve and have a nice sized tent pad, fire ring, picnic table and bear box for your food. $20.00 per night. All sites are well spaced out and the best I have seen. Site one has Incredible views of the mountains. There is a book exchange located in the primitive campground loop, by the fee station. There are currently three cabins on site that are for reservation only. The Denali cabin has the volunteer camp hosts in near proximity. Each cabin have a fire ring and picnic table. There is a group camping area, online reservations only, that is basically a big parking area that can accommodate several small RVs and vehicles. The group area has a grassy pad that can hold multiple tents. There are several picnic tables and a fire ring. A toilet is on the site. Enjoy, always be bear aware and please leave...

MAKE SURE YOU PAY THE FEES ASAP. Sorry for the caps but I got cited so you don't need to. K'esugi (Curry) Ridge Trail is stunning, constant view of Denali on a clear day. And here is my rant: I admit the citation is on me but hear me out. This is my last stop of my first visit to the great state of Alaska, everything exceeded my wildest expectations and this would be the exclamation mark for this trip. Upon entering the turnout there's no fee stall to be found unlike any other state parks I've visited in many other states.. I know there is a $5 fee so I started actively looking for the fee deposit stall. I checked the interpretive center but no luck. Parked car in the lots, clouds rolling in, need to get going. Fast forward, literally on the way hiking back I said to my wife we need to figure out how to pay fees, annnnd bingo there's the citation on my windshield. Then I found out that the fee station is on the side of the parking lot oppose to the trail head. And you need to pay within 30mins of arrival! Can't argue the citation unless you appear in court.. It almost feels like it's intentionally baiting you, really left a bad taste in my mouth. I'd be more than happy to donate $50 to the park matter of fact I've been donating to NPS and state parks, but this isn't the way to do it and I hope the fine doesn't get lost among the...

We got lucky with the weather staying at Hunter Cabin for three days in early June. The weather was uncharacteristically clear each day and we had an unobstructed view of Denali from our cabin the entire time (even at 2:30 a.m.) The campground is new since 2015 and the rangers take great care of it. You can rent camp sites (both tent and camper with power hook ups) or state access cabins. Vaulted toilets were in good shape and there was plenty of easy access parking. The water spigot was out of order for maintenance, but the rangers were kind enough to let us use their faucet fill our jug. ||||This location is still a two hour drive from Denali National Park though as Denali State Park is much further south than the National Park. The drive north to the National Park was very peaceful though and we could have taken any number of hikes along the way. ||||This camp ground is an hour or less north of Talkeetna, and we spent an afternoon there as well for a quick excursion. What a great place to get away without power, running water or other distractions. We did get a cell signal though as it is very close to the main highway. (that is a double edged sword depending on your perspective.) ||||We'll be back next year with our camper. Great camping...