Sites

Water

20 Amp

30 Amp

50 Amp

Sewer

WiFi

Cable TV

Facilities

Club House

Laundry Room

Swimming Pool

Hot Tub

Fitness Center

Game Room

Rec Hall

Pavilion

Exercise Room

Restroom/Shower

Restroom Only

Shower Only

Restaurant

Groceries

RV Supplies

ATM Machine

Dog Park

Cocktail Lounge

Dog Washing Station

Pit Toilet

Snack Bar

Play Ground

Services

Escort to Site

Self-Service RV Wash

Metered LP Gas

Firewood

Fishing Supplies

Pet Supplies

Onsite Rentals

Worship Services

Golf Carts

Fishing Guides

Onsite RV Service

Staffed RV Wash

Fishing Licenses

Complimentary Breakfast

Policies

RV Age Restrictions

Pets Welcome

Pet Restrictions

Pet Restriction on Quantity

Pet Restriction on Breed

Pet Restriction on Size

No Pets

Tent Camping Allowed

Folding Tent Campers Allowed

No Tents

No Overnight Guests

Recreational activities in or near the park

Recreational Activities

Archery Range

ATV Riding

Biking

Boating

Body Of Water

Casino

Climbing

Dock

Driving Range

Fishing

Golf

Heated Pool

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Horseshoes

Kayaking

Lawn Bowling

Mini Golf

Paddle Boats

Pickle Ball

Putting Green

Ramp

Sauna

Shuffleboard

Snow Sports

Splash Pad

Swimming

Tennis

Wading Pool

Water Slide

Water Sports

Water Umbrella

Whitewater Rafting

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Riley Creek Campground serves as the primary gateway for RVers visiting Denali National Park, AK. As the largest campground within the park boundaries, it offers a wooded, serene setting just inside the park entrance. This facility is unique because it remains open <strong>year-round</strong>, providing a rare opportunity for winter enthusiasts to experience the Alaskan wilderness in its quietest season. The campground provides a natural transition between the Alaskan highway and the vast, protected wilderness beyond, making it an essential stop for any northern road trip.</p><h2>Location & Surroundings</h2><p>The campground is nestled within a lush <strong>spruce forest</strong> near the confluence of Riley Creek and the Nenana River. Its location is unbeatable for travelers who want to minimize driving, as it sits within walking distance of the Denali Visitor Center and the park’s main transportation hubs. The surrounding landscape is characterized by rolling hills and dense vegetation, offering a true sense of <strong>Alaskan immersion</strong>. Being located right at the entrance ensures that visitors have the quickest possible access to the park’s restricted interior road.</p><h2>Amenities & Park Features</h2><p>While Riley Creek is a dry camping location without individual hookups, it provides several essential services to support self-contained RVs. The nearby <strong>Riley Creek Mercantile</strong> acts as a central hub, offering hot showers, laundry facilities, and a small grocery store for supplies. Every site is equipped with a <strong>picnic table and fire ring</strong>, allowing for traditional campfires under the midnight sun. The facility also includes a conveniently located dump station and potable water fill, which are critical for those planning an extended stay in the park.</p><h2>Nearby Attractions & Things to Do</h2><p>Staying here puts you at the heart of the park’s best activities. You are steps away from the <strong>Wilderness Access Center</strong>, where you can board the shuttle buses that travel deep into the heart of the tundra. Hikers can easily connect to the <strong>Triple Lakes Trail</strong> or the McKinley Station Trail directly from the campground. For a unique cultural experience, guests are just a short drive or bus ride away from the park’s kennels to see the famous Denali sled dogs in action.</p><h2>Who This Park Is Best For</h2><p>This park is ideal for travelers who prioritize <strong>location and accessibility</strong> over the luxuries of a modern RV resort. It is best suited for independent RVers who enjoy a <strong>rustic atmosphere</strong> and want to be the first in line for early morning bus tours. If you value being surrounded by nature while having immediate access to interpretive programs and park resources, Riley Creek is your perfect Alaskan basecamp. It is a top choice for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts who want to maximize their time in the park.</p>



Denali Riley Creek is located in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. It is a popular destination for visitors to the park, offering a variety of activities and attractions. The area is home to a variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves, and Dall sheep. Visitors can explore the area on foot, by bike, or by car. There are several trails in the area, including the Savage River Trail, which offers stunning views of the Alaska Range. The area is also home to the Riley Creek Campground, which offers camping and picnic areas. Other attractions in the area include the Denali Visitor Center, the Murie Science and Learning Center, and the Denali Backcountry Lodge.

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Denali/Riley Creek

Experience Denali National Park at Riley Creek Campground, AK. Located at the park entrance, it offers rustic RV sites near shuttles and hiking trails.

Riley Creek Campground | Denali National Park, AK

Our time at Denali NP camping at Riley Creek campground was amazing. We were close to the visitor center, 15 minutes from Savage River and right next to hiking trails. The pricing was fair for a national park and the amenities. There were flush toilets right next to our RV site and our 40 foot 5th wheel could fit into multiple site options. We stayed for 9 nights and the camp host was amazing to load up his water bladder with a pump to fill up our fresh water for a few more days of not having to sherpa water. Generator hours were reasonable but there were lots of trees so solar was pretty lack luster. Starlink was OK but not amazing. Overall, wonderful campground and great camp hosts!

We absolutely loved our time staying at Riley Creek Campground.  We loved we were able to have running water and had access to showers.  Bathrooms and showers were always clean and staff were prompt to address issues.  The staff were mostly helpful and friendly, but it does take them a long time to check people in or add services to your stay (bus tickets).  Some staff know the park very well, while others do not.  The reservation system is that you reserve a site type and then when you arrive it is first come first serve based on the site type.  The sites were large and spaced out.  Bears and moose regularly stroll through, so be prepared to handle wildlife.

This is a dry campground with no hookups for those with an RV. There are 3 loops. The A sites are longer and the B sites are shorter, with some a little wider. If you don't fit your trailer and vehicle in the site, you need to keep your vehicle at the mercantile parking lot. The mercantile had a lot of great merchandise and some food items. The mercantile is where you go to do your campsite registration. There is a laundry room and bathrooms with showers. The mercantile had the tokens for $5 each for 10 minutes each token and the $5 gets you 2 tokens. The staff is amazing. The camphost was very helpful. There are flush toilets in the campground and they have a food locker if you need a place to store your food. There are plenty of trails throughout the campground that will take you to the visitor center and other locations. It was very quiet.

Toilet blocks are cleaned and maintained regularly (not drop toilets!). Lots of different types of little camping spots which is great for any type of camper/group. Our setup was near the river so it was always in earshot which I personally like.
Every camp site had a picnic table.
You can get really cheap fun food at the mercantile and use the microwave which was a nice change.
Free shuttle buses to the main bus stop and visitors centre but also really beautiful trails to get to those places too.
Camp sites weren't completely segregated from each other (so you can get to know neighbours if you want) but still have some separation and privacy with sparce trees.

# 15 Denali National Park
07/13-19 Riley Creek Campground
Wolf Loop Site B45
I can’t get over the sound of constant traffic at this campground…HOWEVER- I loved the proximity to the mercantile (they even have ice cream and cones!) the showers (turns out 10 minutes is more time than you think) and their laundry facility has great machines (your clothes will be dry before time runs out). RV water and dump(?) is also located here…you can walk to the mercantile from any loop. The sites are all decently level - we camp with a large tent and had plenty of space to spread out. Wolf Loop has super clean vault toilets-probably because Flush restrooms and (nice) kitchen wash station is just several feet away in Bear Loop. Plenty of birds, arctic squirrels and hare to catch your eye. Didn’t need bug repellent the entire time we were here-wish ya’ll the same luck &happy travels.
PS: the shuttle to East Fork mile 43 was well worth the money as it appears most of the wildlife prefers life away from people.

Shout out to Mike, the camp host for being the best host that I have met on our epic Alaska trip.  We had a long day yesterday with my hubby visiting the urgent care.  When we arrived at the park, I found out that I reserved the wrong type of camping spot and thank goodness Mike was there.  He made sure that we get the right type of the camp site and it was perfect for us.  He is hands on person who took care of everyone at the park.  Thank you so much for making our trip more wonderful.

Great campsite with lots of amenities -- bear boxes, restrooms, potable water sources, a camp store, laundry, and showers. They have three main campground loops, with a special section for tent-only campers. I camped the night before and after my 3 nights in the Denali backcountry, and it was a great spot to stay! Highly recommend if you're in the area and looking for something in the outdoors. There are some nice trails along the river nearby as well :)

The reason to come here is for the views and the hikes. You cant go wrong by coming here. it is stunning. Every angle is beautiful and there are so many hiking trails, you will run out of time before you exhaust the list.

This national park had\s better a than average camp ground with real toilets (not holes in the ground), a laundromat, water refill stations, and a bus system to take you around the grounds. The only detractor is that they do not offer power for RVs. They do have a waste water dump on site though.

There is even a starbucks, a limited convenience store (snacks, frozen foods, and microwave items as well), and a cafeteria (a bit over priced, as you would expect). the hot chocolate is surprisingly good.

They offer a longer bus ride to go out further into the park for a price, and it is absolutely worth it, especially if you want to see some wildlife.

If you are considering going, just do it! It's wonderful.

6/28/24 Great Nat'l Park campground! We're in a 38' class A w/ toad. There are several large spots in the bear loop. We were in #22A. Nicely spaced spots. Outhouse was very clean!
Loved the dog sled kennels!
The Mercentile had showers. We used our RV, so we don't know about that. The laundry facilities were good. Dump and water fill up were easy in/out.

We camped with our truck and 20’ camper. We arrived about 11 am on a Saturday morning and had no trouble finding a nice spot (we did have a reservation, but the spots were FC/FS). Larger spots are harder to come by, but they do have some. Everything was well kept and we had AWESOME cell phone service at the campsite, too. Nice trees for shade, very nice bathrooms with flush toilets. Might be the nicest national park campground we’ve ever used.

Nice walk from Railroad, no rental car, just backpacking and moose and God's artwork I. The most beautiful landscape on the planet

Reviews

Denali/Riley Creek

User Reviews