Harding Lake State Recreation Area
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- dnr.alaska.gov
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 336 acres, Harding Lake State Recreation Area lies in Fairbanks North Star County, about 36 miles southeast of Fairbanks.
Visitors come for horseback riding, winter sports, canoeing and kayaking, boating, and fishing. Water access includes a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).
Fees and passes
Per vehicle daily parking fee at developed units (typically $5), per-site/vehicle camping (typically $20) and boat-launch fees; many remote units and marine parks are free. Listed by unit in the statewide fee table.
Statewide fee rule from Alaska's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Alaska park passes
- Annual Day Use Parking Pass — $60. Day-use parking at most state parks for the calendar year (not Pillars/Eagle Rock boat launches, Arctic Valley, Eagle River Nature Center) Details
- Annual Boat Launch Pass — $150. Boat launch fees for the calendar year Details
- Disabled Veterans Camping Pass. Camping for qualifying disabled veterans Details
From the Alaska state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Camping
- Not required
- Booking system
- Reserve Alaska State Parks (reservealaskastateparks.com)
Campsites are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
90+ Campsites - Walk In Sites Available (see fee page)
No RV size limit
Camping Limit - 15 days
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
CampingCanoeing and kayakingFishingHorseback ridingBoatingWinter sportsHiking
Trails
Harding Lake State Recreation Area, 45 miles south of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway, is one of the longest standing park facilities in the Alaska State Park system, having been established in 1967. All together there are over 90 campsites, including five walk-in group campsites. The park also has numerous picnic sites and two picnic shelters. In addition, areas have been set aside for activities such as baseball, volleyball and horseshoes (bring your own equipment). Hiking along nature trails is another activity available at Harding Lake SRA.
Boating and paddling
Boat launch (see fee page)
Fishing
A boat launch facility gives access to the lake for those having canoes, motorized boats, jet skis or other watercraft. A straight canal leads from the boat launch toward the center of the lake. There is fishing for lake trout, arctic char and burbot. Pike fishing is closed.
Please be sure to check the sport fishing limits and regulations for the season. These are determined by the Department of Fish and Game.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
Water
- Boat ramp
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
ADA Facility - Yes
Toilets - ♿
Water - ♿
Picnic sites - ♿
Picnic shelter - ♿
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- Mile 321.4 Richardson Highway
AK - Nearest town
- Fairbanks — about 36 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 64.4379, -146.8734
Google Maps directionsApple Maps
Directions from the park
From Fairbanks, take the Richardson Hwy South.Turn left onto Harding Drive and a right onto Coolidge Street, follow that to the campground.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Alaska State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- Alaska DNR ArcGIS 'ASP Park Boundary' layer (OpenData/Recreational_ParkBoundary MapServer/2, refreshed daily), with unit pages from the region 'List of Units' tabs
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology