Chena Cove Campground

This place could be great. But sadly it’s not. Run by the MWR Outdoor Rec, it is poorly managed. Sites were level, well spaced, secluded with shady and sunny sites available. Zero oversight. Zero obvious initiative to improve the campground. No bathroom, no power, no water. Somehow we were overbooked on our site. Post Commander, Sir, please look into Fort Wainwright’s campgrounds. Just a little love and they could easily be a money maker funding a necessary manager during the summer months. I know those folks at the outdoor rec who are motivated and they are being overrun.

We had the campground to ourselves, except for the host. This campground isn't used very much, but is pretty nice. We didn't need (or want to pay for) electric, water, and sewer, so this campground was just fine for us. We are self contained and have plenty of solar panels. We did like the generous generator hours (there are none). The weekly rate makes this the best deal in Fairbanks for dry camping. The sites are level and fairly large. However, the picnic table is on the wrong sides and can't be moved. The brush near the sites and along the road needs trimming, but the hosts are trying to work on that. There's a bench along the Chena River, but it's buried in 12' of bushes. It sounds like MWR doesn't support the maintenance or upkeep of the campgrounds very much. Too bad, as this rustic campground has great potential if a little effort was made. It would also be nice if MWR put in a self-registration box. Our only real negative is the trains are across the road and get very loud, especially at night. However, we started getting used to them. If you have a boat, canoe, or kayak, the cove would be wonderful to paddle around in. We would return if staying in this area again.