Alaska State Parks · Alaska
Surprise Cove State Marine Park
Alaska State Parks · Alaska, United States
- Sites
- 6
- Hookups
- 6 no hookups
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Whittier
- Address
- Cochrane Bay
About
Surprise Cove State Marine Park is an Alaska State Park campground with 6 sites near Whittier. First-come, first-served - no reservations. Alaska State Parks' own campground directory states: "ALL CAMPGROUNDS ARE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED AND CANNOT BE RESERVED" except where noted otherwise.
Fees
No fee listed on Alaska State Parks' own campground directory (typical of undeveloped/boat-in primitive sites). Rustic/dry camping - no electric or water hookups (Alaska State Parks campgrounds statewide have none: "Showers and flushing bathroom facilities are not available. Outhouses are provided," per dnr.alaska.gov/parks/faq.htm). Pets are allowed at Alaska State Parks, subject to statewide policy: "Pets are welcome at state parks and campgrounds if leashed and accompanied by the owner at all times; unleashed dogs are allowed in the backcountry but must be within voice command." (dnr.alaska.gov/parks/faq.htm, confirmed live.)
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 29° | 7° | 43° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 33° | 27° | 11° | 44° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 31° | 25° | 9° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 37° | 31° | 10° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 44° | 38° | 32° | 58° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 53° | 44° | 38° | 70° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 56° | 48° | 43° | 72° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 56° | 51° | 47° | 75° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 53° | 47° | 42° | 68° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 42° | 36° | 24° | 50° | 5 of 10 |
| November | 34° | 28° | 6° | 44° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 26° | 6° | 41° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Decision Point State Marine Park · Alaska State Parks · 4 mi · 10 sites
- Paulson Bay Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 1 sites
- Pigot Bay Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 1 sites
- Goose Bay Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 2 sites
- Shrode Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
All public campgrounds in Alaska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.