Campground Basics
Riley Creek Campground is located just inside the park entrance. It is the largest campground in Denali, with sites that can accommodate tents or RVs, up to 40' in length.
No campground in Denali has electrical or water hookups for RVs. However, Riley Creek has a nearby mercantile, or general store, which features camping supplies, food, a shower house and laundry facilities. The mercantile also has a dump / fill station for RV use. Learn about other services and amenities in and near the park.
A small section in the third loop is designated as walk-in, tent-only camping. "Walk-in" means two things here: no vehicles are permitted in this part of the campground (you must walk into the sites), and that these sites can only be booked upon arriving in the park, not in advance.
You may make reservations online, through a third-party reservation system. Reservations can be made beginning December 1 of the year before your visit.
- Necessities
Restrooms, both flush-toilet and pit-vault, can be found throughout the campground (see map below). Potable water is available both at the mercantile and at spigots throughout the campground. All sites have a picnic table and fire grates.
- Be courteous
Quiet hours are between 10 pm and 6 am. Generators may only be operated from 8 am to 10 am, and 4 pm to 8 pm. There are no exceptions to these rules.
- Wildlife & food storage
Small animals, such as red squirrels and snowshoe hare, are commonly seen and large animals, like moose and bears, sometimes frequent the campground as well. Keep all food and scented items (e.g., toothpaste, sunscreen, dishes, ice chests/coolers, etc) in your hard-sided vehicle. If you are tent-camping without a vehicle, use the food lockers found throughout the campground. Label and date your items in the food locker. Keep a clean camp and wash your dishes immediately. Learn more about wildlife safety.
- Fires & Firewood
You can have a fire in the established fire grates in Riley Creek.
- Don’t move firewood long distances — it can potentially transport invasive species. This is true throughout the country, not just in Denali; learn more about why you generally shouldn't transport firewood.
- Instead, buy firewood where you’ll burn it, buy heat-treated firewood, or gather on site where permitted. In Denali, you may collect wood that is both dead and on the ground—no sawing or cutting to harvest wood. You can buy wood at the Riley Creek Mercantile.
- Site Limits
There is a maximum of eight people per site.
- Pets
Pets are welcome in the campground. They must be leashed (6' or shorter leash) at all times and tethered pets may not be left unattended. Clean up your pet's poop and dispose of it in garbage cans. Secure pet food in your vehicle or a food locker. Learn more about visiting Denali with your pet.
Spring Camping
- The yearly goal is to turn on the dump / fill station and water spigots in the campground on May 15 each year. However, weather can delay that date.
- Drinking fountains and water bottle refilling stations may be available at the Murie Science and Learning Center, the Denali Visitor Center, or the Denali Bus Depot. Contact us in the spring to find out if delays in turning on the water are anticipated.
- Riley Creek can fill entirely in spring, before fees are charged. Spring visits are very popular, especially when the weather in May is nice. Be prepared to look outside the park for campsites if Riley Creek is full. The local Chamber of Commerce is one starting point for researching what is available outside of Denali.
Visiting outside of the mid-May to mid-September season means services will be limited. Read more about planning a winter camping trip.
