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A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Bureau of Land Management campground

Tangle Lakes Campground

Bureau of Land Management campground in Delta Wild and Scenic River, Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska. 2,818 feet.

Managed by
Bureau of Land Management Delta Wild and Scenic River
Elevation
2,818 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Reservations
First come, first served Claim a site when you arrive. Recreation.gov lists it for Scan and Pay, so the fee can be paid from its app at the campground
County
Valdez-Cordova County

Overview

Tangle Lakes Campground, located at MP 21.5 of the north side of the Denali Highway, is situated within the Delta Wild and Scenic River corridor and the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District boundary where over 10,000 years of human use have been documented. The campground provides 45 accessible campsites and 4 walk-in sites and is equipped with water pumps, toilets and a boat launch.

The campground rests amid a series of long, narrow lakes known as the Tangle Lakes that are connected by the Tangle River and form the headwaters of the Delta River. The boat launch provides access to the lakes and is also the designated put-in for the popular 30-mile Delta Wild & Scenic River float trip.

The Tangle Ridge Hiking Trail (for non-motorized use only) extends out of the campground and provides a 360 degree view of the stunning landscape.

Recreation

https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/alaska

Facilities

This recreation site provides 45 campsites (which includes a host site, 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, accessible trails, picnic area, and interpretive panels dispersed throughout the site.

Lower Tangle Lakes and Upper Delta River trip: Put-in is at Tangle Lakes Campground (MP 21 Denali Highway) and take out is north of Phelan Creek (MP 212 Righardson Highway). If continuing on to Lower Delta River past MP 212 of the Richardson highway there is no designated take-out point but the Richardson Highway parallels the river in many places.

Natural Features

This BLM-maintained campground sits amid the Tangle Lakes, a series of long, narrow lakes. This is a designated put-in for the 30-mile-long Delta National Wild and Scenic River float trip. There are moose and caribou in the area, many hunters use this as a base camp during the fall hunting season.

Nearby Attractions

The campground rests amid a series of long, narrow lakes known as the Tangle Lakes that are connected by the Tangle River and form the headwaters of the Delta River. The boat launch provides access to the lakes and is also the designated put-in for the popular 30-mile Delta Wild & Scenic River float trip.

The Tangle Ridge Hiking Trail (for non-motorized use only) extends out of the campground and provides a 360 degree view of the stunning landscape. https://www.blm.gov/visit/denali-highway

https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2021-08/PublicRoom_Alaska_Denali-Hwy-Brochure.pdf

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

The land around Tangle Lakes 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.

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

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.

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