Spent a few hours looking up info about the Alaska highway. After a bit of reading, maybe I missed it, but I couldn't find much info about 1) the average cost to stay at RV parks in Canada and Alaska, 2) general availability of dump stations, drinking water for RV's, and 3) is it reasonably easy (or illegal??) to stop, park overnight on the side of the road or at rest-stops (if they exist)? Thanks!

- RV parks can be expensive. You might look under 'Alaska' in RV Park Reviews site to get a general idea. Probably $25+ is the norm and they aren't resorts. They're gravel parking lots. There are some nice state parks, provincial parks, nat'l forest and of course, Denali Nat'l Park which will sometimes be cheaper than RV parks. Many have dump and water fill. - dump and water fill is readily available. Some fuel stations even offer it.- it's extremely easy to overnight (or more) at roadside beautiful spots. That's what we did 75% of our trip.If you purchase Mike and Terri Church's book on Alaskan (& Canada) Camping you'll find all the above information clearly given for you. Naturally, the RV park fees are only true as they update the book. Fees are constantly changing.Going to Alaska is not cheap but you can make it more reasonable by the type of parks you utilize. Besides, it's worth it! Have a good one.

Yukon gov't campgrounds are a favourite for us. Only $12 per night gets a nice usually private campspot with fire ring and picnic table, AND free firewood for the fire ring. The outhouses are usually exceptionally clean and well-stocked.Hardly makes staying roadside worthwhile, where you'll have transport trucks going by most of the night along the Alaska Highway. Fuel and goods are moved to Alaska by semi-truck and the highway is busy through the winter and summer with'em.Numerous gas stations have dump stations. Potable water is also accessible. When we were tourists in Yukon, we rarely stayed in RV parks, usually just when we needed to wash clothes, humans, and truck, AND stock up on groceries. Once every couple of weeks was enough.Environment Yukon has a good website for campers/RVershttp://www.env.gov.yk.ca/camping-parks/campgrounds.phpThe map of gov't campground sites is especially useful.

This page gives some prices of RV Parkshttp://travelyukon.com/Plan/Accommodations/Camping-and-RV-Parks

You can check my travel log in my signature for our 2013 trip. It provides the route we took, the miles we traveled each day, the camp sites we stayed in, the services provided, the 2013 cost, and where we fueled.We were in a 40' motorhome so have large tanks. Never has a problem with water and dumping.

Thanks, everybody, for all the great info and links!My first concern with making a trip to Alaska was road conditions and fuel availability. Within 5 minutes of reading, those concerns were erased.It's good to know my other concerns about overnight options, water, etc. are basically non-issues, too.BTW, anybody know if the Wal-Mart in Whitehorse allows overnight RV parking?

Cost:RV Parks; Availability:DumpStation, Water, & RV Parking

24 Replies

joe_b_
Explorer II
Mar 09, 2014
In Canada, many of the smaller towns will operate low cost campgrounds. Some places will have campgrounds run by service organizations, such as Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, local Possum Lodge, etc. then there are the provincial and territorial campgrounds, most are well maintained, in great locations, and reasonable in cost. In recent years more of the government campgrounds are being turned over to concessionaires, which seems to about double the cost of when the CG was operated by the government agency in charge of it. The same idea is becoming popular in the US as well.

Many of the places I have boon docked at in the past are being gated off from overnight camping in places. Suspect too many campers were trashing the places. But there are still many places to pull off for the night, just don't plan on being alone at all of them. Plenty of impromptu overnight spots along lakes, streams, and rivers, etc.

Cost of commercial campgrounds is all relative. If you are used to camping in Florida and paying Florida prices, then you may feel the CGs in Canada and Alaska are almost free. Commercial campgrounds in the north country run between $25 usd to about $85 at one in Homer. That compares to about $45usd to $109 + lodging taxes! here in Florida.

I have made trips to Alaska, where I didn't spend a dollar for camping at night. Just pull over, throw my tarp on the ground, a sleeping pad and sleeping bag and I was good for the night. In the 1960s there were still many of the old abandoned buildings that had been used, during the construction days of building the Alaska Highway. These made great places to sleep at night, a chance to meet new and interesting people, LOL.
But then I got married to a city girl in 1973 and she didn't exactly approve of my style of sleeping out. Her idea of roughing it, was slow room service. So we compromised and did it her way, motels and in 1974 bought "our" first RV, a truck camper. I had owned a couple of rigs earlier in life.

So a person can stay for as little as they wish or be plugged in every evening, just your choice. We now probably split our nightly stays, about half and half, between boon docking and designated campgrounds, private and governmental. Here in the SE part of the US, we are plugged in most nights due to the heat, but the farther north we are, the more we boon dock or use campgrounds with dry sites.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Mar 09, 2014
almcc wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
AS I recall, there is a very nice huge book on the route from lower US to Alaska with tons of information. can't remember the name.
bumpy

I think you are referring to The Milepost! Yes, a great resource for doing the Alaska Highway

yep, that's the one, thanks,
bumpy
almcc
Explorer
Mar 09, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
AS I recall, there is a very nice huge book on the route from lower US to Alaska with tons of information. can't remember the name.
bumpy

I think you are referring to The Milepost! Yes, a great resource for doing the Alaska Highway
otrfun
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2014
lonnie4801 wrote:
You can check my travel log in my signature for our 2013 trip. It provides the route we took, the miles we traveled each day, the camp sites we stayed in, the services provided, the 2013 cost, and where we fueled.

We were in a 40' motorhome so have large tanks.

Never has a problem with water and dumping.
Thanks, Lonnie. Just read a few of your 2013 logs--you and Sue are quite the travelers! Your logs give a very good feel for the trip--very helpful, thanks!
EsoxLucius
Explorer
Mar 08, 2014
The Church's book on Alaskan camping has all that information. RV park costs, sanidump locations, water availability, and some info on dry camping/boondocking sites. Generally, if there is room in a pull off and it is not posted for no camping or overnight stays you can stay there, more so in Alaska than Canada.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Mar 08, 2014
AS I recall, there is a very nice huge book on the route from lower US to Alaska with tons of information. can't remember the name.
bumpy
dannydimitt
Explorer
Mar 08, 2014
sue.t wrote:
Yukon gov't campgrounds are a favourite for us. Only $12 per night gets a nice usually private campspot with fire ring and picnic table, AND free firewood for the fire ring. The outhouses are usually exceptionally clean and well-stocked.

Hardly makes staying roadside worthwhile, where you'll have transport trucks going by most of the night along the Alaska Highway. Fuel and goods are moved to Alaska by semi-truck and the highway is busy through the winter and summer with'em.

Numerous gas stations have dump stations. Potable water is also accessible. When we were tourists in Yukon, we rarely stayed in RV parks, usually just when we needed to wash clothes, humans, and truck, AND stock up on groceries. Once every couple of weeks was enough.
We found the Yukon Government campgrounds to be some of best we have ever encountered anywhere !:) Spotless toilets , free firewood , nice spacious sites with easy back in . And no complaints when we paid with a check from a Texas Credit Union when the loonies we sometimes had for washing machines ran out . And the fact they are usually located by a beautiful lake "like Teslin" stayed at that one on the way up and back ,or stream is a huge plus. Hats off to the Yukon !

Environment Yukon has a good website for campers/RVers
http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/camping-parks/campgrounds.php

The map of gov't campground sites is especially useful.
otrfun
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2014
sue.t wrote:
The Whitehorse Walmart allows overnight camping. In summer, it is a crowded spot with RVers, and some people who live full-time in their RVs there. I think Walmart is going to try to stop the full-time living though.

Some mornings it is so busy at the Walmart RV lot that it is difficult to access the parking lot with a car to go shopping.
Wow, full-timers in a Wal-Mart parking lot?! Human nature being what it is, I guess it's not surprising that some would take advantage of a situation like that. Hopefully management gets a handle on it.

In any case, sue.t, thanks for answering my question. It's good to know, that if push-comes-to-shove (literally, if I understand you correctly), we do have the option of overnighting at the Whitehorse Wal-Mart--lol!
sue_t
Explorer
Mar 08, 2014
The Whitehorse Walmart allows overnight camping. In summer, it is a crowded spot with RVers, and some people who live full-time in their RVs there. I think Walmart is going to try to stop the full-time living though.

Some mornings it is so busy at the Walmart RV lot that it is difficult to access the parking lot with a car to go shopping.
otrfun
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2014
Thanks, everybody, for all the great info and links!

My first concern with making a trip to Alaska was road conditions and fuel availability. Within 5 minutes of reading, those concerns were erased.

It's good to know my other concerns about overnight options, water, etc. are basically non-issues, too.

BTW, anybody know if the Wal-Mart in Whitehorse allows overnight RV parking?

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Cost:RV Parks; Availability:DumpStation, Water, & RV Parking

24 Replies

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