Freds Creek Cabin

Freds Creek Cabin

About this campsite

Overview

Fred's Creek Cabin is located 10 miles west of Sitka on the southeastern shore of Kruzof Island and is available year round, weather permitting. Its proximity to a creek and a hiking trail that leads to the cone of a dormant volcano makes the cabin an excellent base to experience and explore this beautiful area in Alaska. The cabin can be accessed by boat, though erratic waves on Kruzof Island can make landings difficult. Helicopters may land during low tide.

Recreation

The 6.7-mile Mount Edgecumbe Trail offers a gradual hike to the cone of Mount Edgecumbe through miles of muskeg and forest. At the cone, the trail becomes very steep but hikers are rewarded with panoramic views on clear days. Cabin visitors may encounter tour groups passing near the cabin to access the trailhead.

In addition to hiking, guests enjoy beachcombing, viewing the breaking surf on the rugged shoreline and exploring varied pumice and volcanic rock formations on the beach and in Fred's Creek.

Deer hunting is also an option. For information about fishing and hunting permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.

Facilities

The 15 by 18-foot Pan-abode-style wood cabin can accommodate 8 people. It is equipped with plywood bunks downstairs and a full sleeping loft accessed by a staircase. A wood stove for heat, axe or splitting maul, table, benches, cooking counter and an outhouse are provided. A deck extends off the front of the cabin. The cabin does not include mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors must bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, fire extinguisher, fire starter, raingear and rubber boots. Water is available from Fred's Creek but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. A mooring buoy is available on a first come, first served basis. Cabin reservations do not include exclusive use of the buoy. Mooring buoys are configured using a 4200-lb concrete block with 90 feet of 1 5/8th-inch stud link chain. Mariners are responsible for determining how suitable an anchoring system is for the size of their craft. Care should be taken when unloading and anchoring, as the surf breaks along a pumice-rock shoreline. No protected anchorage is available. Click here for more cabin information and maps.

Natural Features

The oceanfront cabin is situated on Sitka Sound on a rocky Kruzof Island shoreline surrounded by fairly flat terrain. Fred's Creek flows to saltwater just north of the cabin. A spruce and hemlock forest covers the area. The cabin is 5 miles south of Brent's Beach Cabin.

The cabin is just east of Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,200-foot dormant volcano that dominates the landscape.

Humpback whales can often be seen offshore in early spring and late fall. Sea otters, sea lions, puffins and other sea birds can also be seen. Brown bear frequent the area.

Location

FREDS CREEK CABIN•AK

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Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

SAT🌦️

11° / 8°

💧 100%

SUN🌦️

12° / 9°

💧 100%

MON🌦️

10° / 8°

💧 99%

TUE🌦️

11° / 8°

💧 98%

WED🌦️

11° / 7°

💧 88%

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

8.4 km away

BRENTS BEACH CABIN

Overview Brent's Beach Cabin is located on the eastern shore of Kruzof Island in Crab Bay in the Tongass National Forest, 15 miles northwest of Sitka, Alaska. The cabin is open year-round and makes an excellent base to experience this beautiful corner of Alaska. Fred's Creek Cabin is 5 miles south. The original A-frame cabin located at this site was donated by a former Forest Service district ranger in memory of his teenage son, Brent, who along with two friends, drowned in Sitka Sound while halibut fishing in the early 1970s. In 1985, the current cabin replaced the well-worn A-frame. This is a remote location. The cabin can be accessed only by boat or helicopter, weather permitting. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring many of their own amenities. Recreation Visitors enjoy beachcombing, sunbathing and sculpting in the sands in front of the cabin, saltwater fishing in the bay and hunting deer in-season in the surrounding forest. Volcanic features are a 10-minute hike north of the cabin. Be sure to bring a compass. For information about fishing and hunting permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. Facilities The one-room, Pan-abode-style cabin sleeps six and is furnished with two double plywood bunks and two single plywood bunks (no mattresses). The cabin includes a wood stove, axe or splitting mail, a table and benches, cooking counter, a broom and an outhouse toilet. Guests should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher, fire starter, raingear and rubber boots. Water is available from the nearby inlet stream. Treat all water before using. It is recommended that visitors bring their own water. A mooring buoy is provided on a first-come, first-served basis for boat anchorage. It can be used by cabin visitors or general forest users. Cabin reservation does not include exclusive use of the buoy. Mooring buoys are configured using a 4200-lb concrete block with 90 feet of 7/8th-inch stud link chain. Mariners are responsible for determining how suitable an anchoring system is for the size of their craft. Click here for more cabin information and maps. Natural Features The cabin sits just inside timberline on a beautiful, sandy beach facing Crab Bay and is surrounded by a dense forest of spruce and hemlock. Brown bears frequent the area.

13.7 km away

SHELIKOF CABIN

Overview Shelikof Cabin overlooks a sandy beach of Shelikof Bay on the west coast of Kruzof Island, 20 miles from Sitka, Alaska. The cabin is generally available year-round, weather permitting, and was built in 1991 by volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Sitka. This is a remote site. The cabin can be accessed by helicopter or wheeled plane on the beach during low tide. Alternatively the cabin can be reached by boat, a 45-minute ride from Sitka to Mud Bay, followed by a 7-mile hike, across the Kruzof Island Trail to Iris Meadows and access to Shelikof Trail, subject to tide conditions. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring their own amenities. Recreation Scenic viewing, photography, beachcombing and hiking are popular activities here. Fishing is fair for Dolly Varden, coho and pink salmon in a nearby stream. For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. Facilities The 16 x 16-foot wood A-frame cabin can accommodate up to eight people, with a double bunk bed on the main level and an upstairs sleeping loft reached by vertical ladder. A wood stove for heat, a table with benches, cooking counter, cupboard, broom and an axe or splitting maul are provided. An outhouse toilet is close to the cabin. The cabin does not include mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. Water is available from a spring about 1/4-mile from the cabin, but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. Click here for more cabin details and maps. Natural Features The cabin offers spectacular ocean views of Shelikof Bay's rolling surf from its location at the edge of spruce-hemlock forest. Relatively flat and easy terrain surrounds the cabin and is easy to explore. A expansive sandy beach provides great beachcombing opportunities. North Beach Cabin lies on the northern beaches of Shelikof Bay. Brown bear frequent the area.

14.6 km away

NORTH BEACH CABIN

Overview North Beach Cabin is nestled just inside the forest fringe on the north beach of Shelikof Bay on Kruzof Island, 20 miles northwest of Sitka, Alaska. The A-frame cabin is available year-round, weather permitting, and was built in 1993 by volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Sitka and by local volunteers. The Shelikof Cabin is located on the east shore of Shelikof Bay just south of the Shelikof River, about a mile from this cabin. This is a remote site. The cabin can be accessed by boat, a 45-minute ride from Sitka to Mud Bay, followed by a 7.5 mile hike or off-highway vehicle ride on old logging roads. The cabin can also be reached by helicopter at lower tides. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring their own amenities. Recreation Beachcombing, photography, hiking, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and riding off-highway vehicles are popular activities at North Beach Cabin. Nearly 40 miles of old logging roads are open to hiking, mountain biking and off-highway vehicle riding. Fishing is fair for Dolly Varden trout, coho and pink salmon found in local streams. For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. Facilities The 16' x 16' wood A-frame cabin can accommodate up to eight people with a double plywood bunk bed and a sleeping loft reached by climbing a vertical ladder. An oil stove for heat, a table with benches, a cooking counter, broom and dustpan are provided. An outhouse toilet is close to the cabin. The cabin does not include mattresses, cooking utensils or heating oil. Visitors should bring #1 diesel fuel (generally 10 gallons for a three-day stay, more of less depending on the time of year), sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. Water is available from a creek at a crossing about 1/3-mile from the cabin, but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. Click here for more cabin information and maps. Natural Features The cabin has spectacular views of the cresting waves on the outside coast of the Gulf of Alaska. It is surrounded by a hemlock and spruce forest and sits just above a sandy beach. The terrain is relatively flat and easy to explore. Brown bear frequent the area.

16.3 km away

Starrigavan Campground and Day Use

Overview Starrigavan Campsites lie within Starrigavan Recreation Area about seven miles north of Sitka. Visitors enjoy hiking, photography, wildlife viewing, picnicking, fishing and kayaking. Learn more about the campsites here . Access to Sitka is by boat or airplane. The campsites are a two-minute drive from the Alaska Marine Highway Sitka Ferry Terminal or a seven-mile drive from downtown Sitka or the airport. Recreation Hiking, picnicking and wildlife viewing are popular pursuits at Starrigavan. Visitors also enjoy fishing in saltwater and freshwater areas. Many bird and wildlife viewing opportunities exist. Hiking options include the Estuary Life Boardwalk Trail, Forest and Muskeg Trail, the Mosquito Cove Trail and numerous intertwining path and roadways of the recreation area. For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game . Facilities This primitive camping area is fully accessible and offers a variety of accommodations, including group tent sites, individual campsites (both drive in, one is pull through, and hike-in) and Starrigavan Creek Cabin . Several sites overlook Starrigavan Bay; others are close to Starrigavan Creek. Maximum RV length accommodated is 38 feet. Two small group tent sites accommodate up to 20 people, offering twice the amount of tent space and vehicle parking as individual campsites. They also have covered cooking shelters with two picnic tables, a large grill and a fire ring with two log benches. Picnic tables, campfire rings, gravel tent pads and gravel parking spurs are furnished at the individual sites. Vault toilets, drinking water, bear-proof food lockers and seasonal trash collection are provided. Firewood is provided for a small fee. A dump station is located in Sitka, seven miles away. Natural Features The campsites are situated within a typical temperate rainforest of hemlock and spruce trees with salmonberry bushes, low shrubs and mosses covering the forest floor. The Starrigavan Recreation Area is home to a diverse range of forest, estuary and marine habitats. Depending on the season, visitors might spot brown bear, spawning coho (silver) and pink (humpy) salmon, common merganser, bufflehead, bald eagle, great blue heron, kingfisher, river otter or Sitka black-tailed deer. Nearby Attractions The State of Alaska's Old Sitka State Historic Site is nearby. Visitors can take half or full-day kayak trips to Katlian Bay and Siginaka Islands.

16.4 km away

STARRIGAVAN CREEK CABIN

Overview Starrigavan Creek Cabin is a drive-up, high-use, seasonally accessible log cabin within the Starrigavan Recreation Area. The cabin was constructed in 2008 from young Sitka spruce trees harvested around Starrigavan Creek to improve wildlife and fish habitat. The cabin is an experiment in the longevity of young spruce logs for construction purposes, making it the first young-growth cabin and also the first cabin within a recreation area in the Tongass National Forest. Access to Sitka is only by ferry or airplane. The cabin is a two-minute drive from the Alaska Marine Highway Sitka Ferry Terminal or a 7-mile drive from downtown Sitka or the airport. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring some of their own amenities. Recreation Starrigavan offers saltwater and freshwater fishing opportunities. Visitors also enjoy kayaking, photography, hiking and birding. Hiking options include the Estuary Life Trail, Forest and Muskeg Trail, Mosquito Cove Trail and numerous intertwining paths and roadways within the recreation area. For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. Facilities The popular cabin is equipped with beds for six adults, but can accommodate a maximum of eight people if younger children are involved. The cabin is available solely for overnight camping. See restrictions on maximum number of persons below. The main level of the cabin has one single bunk over an accessible bunk, a table with benches, a wood stove for heat, a cooking counter, a broom and dustpan. A stairway leads to the upstairs sleeping loft, which offers two double-size bunks, a table, two chairs and a lamp table. The cabin does not have electricity or indoor plumbing. A bench overlooks Starrigavan Creek. A picnic table and a combination campfire ring/grill with log benches are provided outside. A vault toilet is located 200 feet from the cabin; artesian well water is 300 feet from the cabin. Parking space is provided for up to four standard vehicles. Visitors must bring sleeping bags and pads, garbage bags, matches, fire starter, a tablecloth to protect cedar tabletop, a cooking stove, pots, pans, food and coolers, eating and cooking utensils, lanterns and flashlights (candles are discouraged). This is a locked cabin that requires visitors to pre-arrange access. See “Need to Know” section for details of cabin and gate access. Click here for more cabin information. Natural Features The cabin is situated next to Starrigavan Creek and is surrounded by a temperate rainforest of hemlock and spruce trees with salmonberry bushes, low shrubs and mosses covering the forest floor. The cabin occupies an old campsite and is located within the major camping loop of Starrigavan Recreation Area. Starrigavan Recreation Area houses a diverse range of forest, estuary and marine habitats. Depending on the season, visitors may view brown bear, spawning coho and pink salmon, common merganser, bald eagle, great blue heron, bufflehead, kingfisher, river otter or Sitka black-tailed deer. Brown bear frequent the area.