A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Alsek River Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Tongass National Forest, Yakutat County, Alaska. 54 feet.

Managed by
Forest Service Tongass National Forest
Elevation
54 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Alsek River Cabin is located on the Yukutat Forelands about a mile from the Alsek River, a large river known for its many glaciers. This cabin is open year-round and offers relaxation as well as excellent hunting opportunites.

The site can be accessed by wheeled plane, depending on conditions. An airstrip is adjacent to the cabin. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

Moose hunting is available in the surrounding area, and mountain goat hunting is excellent in the Brabazon Range 2 miles to the east. Hunters must have the proper licenses and hunt only in designated seasons.

Facilities

This 14x16-ft. hunter-style cabin sleeps four people with four single wooden bunks. The cabin has a table and benches, broom, an oil heater and food preparation space. An outhouse, picnic table and 12x12-ft. meat shed are located outside. Water, heating oil and electricity are not provided. Visitors must supply their own drinking water as well as #1 diesel oil or kerosene for the heater. One gallon can last 2-10 hours, depending on the heat setting. Other items to bring include sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food, a cooking stove, cookware, plates, utensils, lanterns or flashlights, toilet paper, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Visitors are expected to pack out trash and clean the cabin before leaving. Click here for more cabin details.

Natural Features

The terrain is flat and very wet, and the cabin sits on predominantly open muskeg with dense patches of alder, cottonwood and willow. The snow-capped peaks of the Brabazon Mountain Range loom over the surrounding area.

Brown and black bears are common here, and moose can often be found in the willow thickets. Sandhill cranes stop in this vicinity during spring and fall migrations. Wild strawberries are available for picking around the airstrip.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Alsek River Cabin

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.