Red Squirrel Campground

The feel

Red Squirrel is a quiet 5 site campground at Mile 43 of Chena Hot Springs Road, the farthest out of the three campgrounds in Chena River State Recreation Area. It is popular for its solitude.

The campground has drinking water, vault toilets, fishing access and picnic sites, with no hookups. Wildlife viewing is one of the listed activities, and the two picnic shelters can be rented. The campground sits within a recreation area of about 397 square miles of forests, rivers and alpine tundra.

What to expect

Layout and setting

Five sites at Mile 43 of Chena Hot Springs Road, with picnic sites and two picnic shelters. There are no hookups.

Check-in and stay

Camping limit is 15 days.

Crowds and best time

Quiet, with only 5 sites, and popular for its solitude.

Parking and rig size

No RV size limit.

Fees and reservations

$20 per vehicle for camping and $5 for day use parking. Campsites are first come, first served and cannot be reserved. Only the two picnic shelters are reservable.

Bathrooms and water

Vault toilets and drinking water are on site. Toilets, water and picnic shelters are accessible.

Season and access

Roughly mid May to mid September, weather dependent.

Mingo says

Aim for the summer window and watch the weather before you drive out to Mile 43. Turn up without a booking, since the sites cannot be held.

Before you go

• Bring $20 for the vehicle camping fee; day use parking is $5.
• Do not count on reserving a campsite; only the two picnic shelters can be reserved.
• Plan for a stay of no more than 15 days.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.