A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Italio River Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Tongass National Forest, Yakutat County, Alaska. 21 feet.

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

Overview

Italio River Cabin is situated on the west bank of Hooligan Creek about half a mile from the Old Italio River and the Gulf of Alaska. This remote retreat is open year-round and makes an ideal base for fishing or hunting trips. The site can be accessed by wheeled plane, depending on conditions. The nearby airstrip is on tidal flats, making it prone to flooding and debris. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

The Old Italio, New Italio and Akwe River systems offer outstanding fishing for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and steelhead, as well as sockeye, pink, king and coho salmon. Moose hunting is good to excellent.

Facilities

This 14x20-ft. A-frame style cabin sleeps six people and comes with two single bunks and a sleeping loft. Other amenities include a table with benches, broom and an oil heater. A picnic table and campfire ring are located outside. An outhouse with pit toilet and a 12x12-ft. meat shed are located on-site. Water, electricity and heating oil are not provided. Visitors must bring their own supply of drinking water, as well as #1 stove oil for the heater. One gallon lasts 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, 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 cabin sits on relatively flat terrain that can get very wet. The surrounding vegetation is predominantly brush with scattered willow and alder thickets and cottonwoods. The nearby tidal flats often flood during high tide or heavy rains ( local tide charts ). Large populations of moose and brown bears live in this area. Bald eagles and ravens are common, and gulls are often seen along the river.

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

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Italio 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.