A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Bureau of Land Management campground

Paxson Lake Campground

Bureau of Land Management campground in Glennallen Field Office, Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska. 2,589 feet.

Managed by
Bureau of Land Management Glennallen Field Office
Elevation
2,589 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
2 1 walk to, 1 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
Stay limit
14 day stay limit per 60 day period

Overview

Paxson Lake Campground

MP 175 Richardson Hwy

Large boat launch and parking area for 70 vehicles, toilet, boater registration stand and information panels.

RV Dump station – $10 fee for non-campers.

50 campsites

First Loop: 20 camp sites, universally accessible toilets, one hand pump well, rules/map panels and bulletin boards, and boardwalk to lake.

Second Loop: 20 camp sites, 10 walk in sites, toilets (1 universally accessible), rules/map panels and bulletin boards. Trail and bridge across the creek between the two loops.

Fee Station: Per night = $20 all sites; Federal Senior Pass half price.

Recreation

BLM Alaska Recreation Guide

Facilities

This recreation site provides 50 campsites (which includes a host site, two accessible campsites and ten walk-in camping sites), picnic tables and fire rings. Other amenities within the facility include six double vaulted toilets (three accessible), numerous bear-proof trash receptacles and food lockers, parking for vehicles and trailers, a paved boat launch, potable water, a sanitary dump station, accessible trails, picnic area, boater information cabin, and interpretive panels dispersed throughout the site.

Natural Features

Paxson Lake Campground is located at MP 175 of the Richardson Highway near the shore of Paxson Lake. The campground has 50 camp sites, including 2 accessible sites and 10 walk-in sites. All campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and have access to water, picnic tables, fire rings, and restrooms. Fees: $15/night for regular, $6/night for walk-in site. The campground's boat launch is the starting point for those floating the main branch of the Gulkana Wild and Scenic River. Located in the 1st loop of Paxson Campground is a foot trail shore access to the lake and boat mooring area.

Nearby Attractions

Denali Highway Info Gulkana Wild and Scenic River Denali Highway

The description, directions and fees are the Bureau of Land Management’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • berry picking
  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • motor boat
  • photography
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water sports
  • whitewater rafting

The land around Paxson Lake Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.