K'esugi Ken Campground

We enjoyed this newest Denali State Park Campground in our 40' Tiffin Phaeton QSH with Jeep Cherokee in tow. Sites are generous and spaced well apart. Vault toilets are frequent, clean and easily accessible. It's quiet too, as it not right up near the highway.

Some complain about the "narrow" road, but we had no issues in a back-in site. It's a relatively easy 45-degree angle back-in. Enjoyed having electric as we usually boondock! Also, there are understandable limitations in this northern climate as to why they don't have potable water or septic system for the entire campground. That's Alaska, baby! They do offer a threaded water spigot near the check-in if you need fresh water, but plan come with grey/black tanks empty. There's a dump station 19 miles north at byers Lake Campground, also an AK State Park campground.

We missed out on seeing Denali due to cloudy, rainy weather. But, that's Alaska, baby! Still fun to walk the campground trails, visit Talkeetna and Denali National Park from this campground.

Verizon LTE coverage was 2 bars without a MIMO antenna, 3 bars with. AT&T varied from 1-2 bars without antenna.

Full disclosure we volunteer at Denali State Park. However, we have RV’ed in many state parks and K’esugi Ken is one of the best. The sites are spacious and plenty of space between each site. Each RV site has 30/50AMP power. Most are very level and there are a handful of pull-through sites. Not sure what one of the other reviewers experienced with the roads and trails, but the interior roads are one way loops for the RV and tent areas so no need for a ultra wide road. There are also trails within and between the tent and RV loops. There is a nice interpretive center and the day use parking lot is used for overflow as this campground tends to fill up early on the weekends and peak times during the summer. There is no dump station, but there are dump stations available at Byers Lake (12 miles north) or Trapper Creek RV Park (20 miles south). There is potable water available near one of the fee stations.

For hiking there are a couple of short trails accessible from the RV/tent loops and the day use/interpretive center. Moose Flats Loop trail has an amazing view of Denali, the Chulitna River, and the Ruth Glacier on sunny days. There is also the Curry Ridge trail, which is a 6+ mile out and back (additional loop was added in July 2019 extending the trail to up to 7.5 miles). The Curry Ridge trail is a moderate trail with spectacular views of the 1787 lake, Denali, Chulitna River, and the Ruth Glacier.

We stayed in the RV camp loop for larger RV’s. Sites in this loop will accommodate at least 75-foot RVs, with 5 pull-through sites that will accommodate up to 100-foot RVs.

Reservations Recommended/Walk-up sites are limited. Electric is available although there isn't a dump station there is potable water so be sure to dump before coming to this campground.

Cell service was great on AT&T. We worked and streamed without issue. No cell booster required for our stay.

We loved this campground, it was not crowded when we were there. It was nice and peaceful but it was the beginning of the season, the park had just opened for the summer. We were even able to see Denali herself one day right from the campground.

After reading the three effusive reviews, we thought we'd see if we could snag a site. Even arriving at 10 a.m. was not enough to get anything except a $20 spot in a sloped parking lot. The road through the campground is asphalt, but VERY NARROW. There are no trails or walkways in the campground so the road becomes the sidewalk with families walking down the middle of it and kids playing in it. The campground has received a lot of good press and the locals love it so expect LOTS of children, especially on the weekends.

In spite of what the summary says, the pads are not asphalt, they're crushed gravel. The facility is neat and clean but because of the roadway, it feels crowded. The access road switchbacks up a ridge to the campground. All in all, beautiful facilities, but not a 5 in my mind.

We were lucky to score of the two remaining sites for the night.

Only reason for 4 stars not 5 - no dump and no RV water full. Otherwise this is a really nice campground.

Our site had 30/50 electric. Not perfectly flat ( two blocks on one side and nose had to come way down ).

If you are looking for a nice state park and don’t need to dump, this is your place.

This is a new campground within Denali state park. It has been well planned and beautifully designed and landscaped to a national park standard.

There are 3 A frame type log cabins for rent.

There is a tent only area (10 sites), were the parking is separate from where the tents go. You walk in (about 30 yards) to the tent area. $20/night

There is an RV only area (32 sites), as well. The road is newly paved asphalt with a good mix of pull thru and back-in sites. There are hand pump deep wells for non potable water. No RV dump station. 20, 30, and 50 amp hookups from new pedestals. No potable water. $30/night.

There is a ranger station and ranger led interpretive hikes. There is also an interpretive center. New hiking trails have been blazed to the top of the nearby ridge that give unprecedented views of Denali on good weather days.

Camphost on site, but I never saw them. Check in is automated with a digital payment station that takes credit cards. Right now it is first come, first serve. No reservations.

The demand for campsites like this is high, especially on holidays, which inevitably causes problems, like an overflow of tent campers taking RV spots. Then RV campers decide to camp in the interpretive center and firewood fill and trash dump parking lots. Creates a weird imbalance of wonderment.