Quartz Creek Campground
QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND
Part of Chugach National Forest
Overview
Quartz Creek Campground is tucked between Kenai Lake and Quartz Creek in Cooper Landing, Alaska.
Boating, hiking, nature-viewing and fishing are popular pastimes at this family-friendly campground, where most campsites offer sweeping views of the lake. At an elevation of 500 feet, the campground is relatively flat with small spruce trees dotting the area.
Facilities
The campground provides a boat ramp to access the expansive lake. Quartz Creek offers 46 campsites for both tent and RV camping.
Drinking water, flush toilets and picnic areas are provided at the campground. The west loop has parking spurs and firewood is sometimes sold on-site.
Natural Features
Chugach National Forest covers more than 5 million acres and is comprised of ice fields, alpine tundra, jagged mountains, dense forests, glacier-fed rivers and the Prince William Sound. Bears, moose, mountain goats and wolves call the area home.
Recreation
Kenai Lake is the third largest lake in the Kenai Peninsula. It is over 20 miles long and 500 ft. deep. It boasts about 14,000 acres of water as well as one island the three remote campsites at Ship Creek, Meadow Creek and Porcupine Island. These can be reached by boat from the boat launch at Quartz Creek Campground.
Fishing is also popular in the area. Rainbow, lake trout and Dolly Varden are found in Kenai Lake, with rainbow and Dolly Varden found in Quartz Creek later in the summer.
About two miles east of Quartz Creek Campground, Kenai Lake becomes Kenai River. Kenai River is world-famous for its trophy trout fishing as well as salmon fishing. Rafting and drifting are both popular on the river. Many outfitters and guides in the area can help anglers understand local fishing regulations as well as increase your chances of fishing success.
Kenai Lake and River, offer unparalleled nature and wildlife viewing. However, they are also very cold and conditions can quickly deteriorate from calm to rough. If you plan to venture on the water, always let someone know where you are, when you will return and wear your life jacket at all times.
Nearby Attractions
Quartz Creek Road leads to Crescent Creek Campground, Crescent Creek Trail and eventually becomes the Old Sterling Highway. The bridge over Quartz Creek is a great place to view salmon spawning from late July through September.
The Crescent Creek Trail follows the creek for six miles to Crescent Lake where Crescent Lake Public Use Cabin can be reserved. Grayling fishing is popular in Crescent Lake. More adventurous hikers can continue on a primitive trail another eight miles along the lake to the Crescent Saddle Cabin. Beyond Crescent Lake, hikers traverse another three miles of beautiful alpine wildflower meadows and pass Carter Lake to end at the Seward Highway in Moose Pass.
The Old Sterling Highway is open to motorized use, and great for OHV enthusiasts and wildlife viewers. It leads five miles through the woods above open marshy areas from Quartz Creek Road to the Tern Lake Day Use Area. Observant hikers may spot wood frogs, moose, hawks, owls and bears.
The Tern Lake Day Use Area has picnic tables, vault toilets and a salmon viewing platform. Tern Lake is a premier spot for bird watching and photography. Throughout the summer arctic terns, trumpeter swans, and many types of ducks, wading birds and songbirds can be identified. This shallow, marshy lake often has a perfect reflection of the steep surrounding mountains making it a great spot to enjoy nature and wildlife.
Other popular trails in the area include the Resurrection Pass Trail which takes hikers and bikers on a 38-mile scenic adventure that climbs from 500 to 2,600 feet.
Contact Info
For local information, please call (907) 522-8368 or call (907) 288-3178 for general information.
Important Notices
- Be bear aware; keep all food out of site in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle and remove all food from area after eating
- Season dates may vary due to weather, snow melt, wind damage, etc.
- Limit 2 vehicles per campground
- Fires allowed in fire pits only
- Fireworks and firearms prohibited
- Click here for more information on Chugach National Forest
- Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by purchasing firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.
Available Activities
- WILDLIFE VIEWING - Wildlife Viewing
- HIKING - Hiking
- FISHING - Fishing
- CAMPING - Camping
- BOATING - Canoeing
- BIKING - Mountain Biking
Directions
From Anchorage, Alaska, take Seward Highway to Sterling Highway south for 100 miles and turn onto Quartz Creek Road before reaching Kenai Lake.
Contact Information
Phone: (907) 288-3178
Seward Ranger District, 33599 Ranger Station Spur
SEWARD,
AK
99664
Available Campsites
- Site 021, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 043, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 008, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 013, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 033, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 027, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 028, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 039, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 023, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 005, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 022, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 024, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 007, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 031, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 009, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 006, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 015, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 038, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 041, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 034, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 025, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 040, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 032, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 001, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 012, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 010, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 036, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 019, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 003, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 016, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 002, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 004, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 020, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 011, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 029, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 044, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 018, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 037, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 045, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 026, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 017, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 042, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 014, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 030, Loop AREA QUARTZ CREEK CAMPGROUND, Type Standard Nonelectric