Chugach / Williwaw

Williwaw Campground was just the type of National Forest one that we like to visit. The sites were wooded and private and the campground had plenty of choices of sites. The drive and sites were paved and contained a table and fire pit. None had water or electricity. We camped across from the river and watched the multitude of salmon swimming upstream. A visitor was standing with his camera and said that a bear had just left the river after a dinner of fish. We never saw him but found a nice hiking trail and beautiful view of a hanging glacier above the campground. Being in a temperate rain forest the vegetation included ferns, moss, and aspen turning yellow. It is a short drive to the Portage Visitor Center and Whittier Tunnel. I would strongly recommend the Phillip's 26 Glacier Day Cruise in Whittier, a .8 mile hike to Byron Glacier on a well maintained trail and a delightful walk on the toe of the glacier, and a visit to the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center. There is a small sandwich and soup restaurant at the visitor's center of which I forget the name but it is good as well. The campground is near the road so traffic can be heard until night but it is a beautiful setting surrounded by mountains and an easy 45 min to 1 hour drive back to Anchorage. Alaska is blessed with many public campgrounds and this is one of the best we visited in our 2 week trip. We camped here in a Motorhome.