rv to alaska----- campground reservations

10 days from Texas wow I am looking at 2 weeks to get to Dawson creek from NH. Slow down and enjoy the view.:E

When we were young we never make reservations, and I mean never. But things are different now. Now I guess we just like the sense of security knowing we have a place to stay because we have a reservation. We have driven to Alaska twice and made reservations for each and every place along the way. That was difficult because many times the campgrounds were closed for the winter. But we were persistent with emails and phone calls and got it done. There was only once that we did not stay at a campground we had reserved but found a much better one nearby. As mentioned above you can get away without reservations most of the time, but not at Denali National Park or on the Kenai Peninsula during salmon runs.

10 days to where in Alaska? Hyder? (part of British Columbia, not part of main-land Alaska)

It took me 11 days from Michigan to Hyder, and another 3 days from there to Valdez... and that included some 16+ hour days of driving to cover the "flyover states"

As I crossed the Yukon in May, most of the private campgrounds had not opened yet or were permanently out of business. The public campgrounds were open; they require exact change in Canadian currency or pre-paid permits that you buy ahead of time.

The roads in the Yukon and British Columbia are like nothing we have here in the lower 48. The only vehicles that survive driving them at posted speed are semi-trucks.

If you have specific places you want to stay on specific dates, then make them. What most people will say is they don't make reservations very far ahead, but often do make them. Seems to be the same thing to me but to some it is obviously different. The salmon runs are somewhat predictable based upon historic runs. If I know I am going to fish the Valdez pink salmon run, the week or two after the 4th of July, I will call and make reservations a week or two ahead, same with the Kenai as Bob mentioned. Seward on the 4th, you will need them.

With all that verbiage, I have yet to talk to anyone that didn't find some place to park for a night, even though it may be box store pavement parking. I personally don't overnite at the big box stores, except in emergencies. Once in Alaska your cell phone will often work so I don't see it as a big deal to call a few days head to reserve a spot, especially in places like Fairbanks, Valdez, Homer, Seward as I know where we want to stay. Will at times turn my cell phone on in Canada to call for a place in Whitehorse or Dawson. This is all based upon what the RVers is comfortable with so far as a place to park. If you love parking at Wal Marts or Fred Meyer stores, then don't call as neither accept reservations that I am aware of. LOL

It depends on when you're planning on making the trip. Early in the season, like May and first part of June you shouldn't have any problems getting into almost anywhere. Later though it depends on where you are. If you're on the Kenai in July and August you'll be competing with all the sports fishermen and reservations will probably be needed.

Don't make them. Call that day. Most of the time CGs are not full, unless it's a holiday weekend.