Cabin rental · NPS · Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve · Copper Center, AK

Esker Stream Cabin

Built in 2002, Esker Stream Cabin is located near Yakutat, 20 miles (32 km) across Yakutat Bay in the southern coastal region of Wrangell-St. Elias Preserve, offering seclusion and relaxation. The cabin is accessible by air via beach landing in a wheeled airplane and is dependent on tide and glacial ice conditions. There is no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identifier or landing strip, nor good tie-down area for private aircraft. The cabin is located at sea level, surrounded by mature spruce and birch, and may include opportunities to see bears, moose, wolves, whales and shorebirds. Access to the cabin requires a short but unimproved 0.34 mile (.5 km) walk with a stream crossing.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
An aerial view of Esker Stream Cabin and Esker Stream (Wrangell-St Elias)An interior view of a table and heater inside Esker Stream Cabin (Wrangell-St Elias)A wheeled airplane parked on the beach after landing near the cabin. A beach plane landing depends on the tide and if there are icebergs on the beach.The exterior of primitive Esker Stream Cabin (Wrangell-St Elias)
Photos courtesy of National Park Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteShadePeople / vehiclesFiresRating
Esker Stream CabinPartial4 / –YesBasic

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesReservations required year-round with a user fee of $25 per night. Reservations can be made six months in advance of the requested dates. The maximum stay in the cabin is 7 days in a 30 day period. There are no discounts for cabin rentals with the NPS Park Pass or Golden Age Senior Pass.

The cabin has no running water or plumbing. You may collect water from nearby Esker Stream, a short easy walk from the cabin. In winter, the park recommends carrying potable water since the stream may be frozen. The cabin contains four twin-sized wooden bunks (sleeps four people), a table with benches and an oil burning stove. The park recommends bringing your own subbly of kerosene or K1 commercial grade fuel. Please bring your own toilet paper.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Esker Stream Cabin-10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°January: 0.93 inches of precipitation, 13.2 inches of snowFebruary: 1.11 inches of precipitation, 7.9 inches of snowMarch: 0.40 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowApril: 0.31 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowMay: 0.93 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJune: 1.63 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.45 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.65 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.56 inches of precipitation, 2.7 inches of snowOctober: 2.22 inches of precipitation, 9.4 inches of snowNovember: 1.45 inches of precipitation, 13.5 inches of snowDecember: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 11.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: -1.6°F averageFebruary: 9.7°F averageMarch: 18.2°F averageApril: 34.6°F averageMay: 46.6°F averageJune: 54.3°F averageJuly: 57.3°F averageAugust: 53.5°F averageSeptember: 44.3°F averageOctober: 29.4°F averageNovember: 9.7°F averageDecember: 2.3°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mccarthy 3 SW, 13 miles from the recreation area point at 1,250 feet, station USC00505757 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 67 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

It is not possible to drive to the cabin. Esker Stream Cabin is located near Yakutat, 20 miles (32 km) across Yakutat Bay and is accessed by air via beach landing in a wheeled plane. There is no airstrip or FAA identifier; the fly-in access is a beach landing that is dependent on tide and glacial ice conditions.

Nearest townCopper Center, Alaska
AreaRecreation.gov lists no exact point for this campground. The recreation area is at 61.42° N, 142.60° W. Call the office before you drive.

Good to know

  • Heating oil is not provided.
  • There is also a porch and a rustic pit toilet that is not regularly maintained.

Charges and cancellations

A $10 fee applies to change or cancel reservations.

Explore

Natural features

The cabin is surrounded by mature spruce and birch with Yakutat Bay nearby. The Malaspina Glacier is to the northwest of the cabin and other glaciers are located throughout the bay area, including the Hubbard Glacier. There are numerous streams, lakes, marshes and tidal flats in the area, and mountains of the Tongass National Forest can be viewed from across the bay.

Recreation

Opportunities for recreation include sea kayaking, whale watching, exploring and hiking around the cabin and the Esker Stream drainage, or walking on the beach southeast for three miles to Bancas Point. This is a remote, rugged area, dependent on tide and glacial ice conditions. Be sure you're familiar with backcountry safety before venturing out to hike. This cabin is located in the preserve, so sport and subsistence hunting is allowed. A State of Alaska hunting license is required, and if you are a subsistence hunter, a federal subsistence hunting permit may be required. Please refer to state and federal hunting regulations. ORVs are not allowed for recreational or subsistence use in the park and preserve in the Malaspina Forelands. Nearby Esker Stream is suitable for fishing. If you plan to fish, a State of Alaska fishing license is required.

Nearby

Although the cabin is remotely located, there may be opportunities to visit other attractions in Yakutat Bay, depending on your mode of transportation and experience level. The Malaspina and Hubbard Glaciers may be accessible, along with several other smaller glaciers. The Russell Fjord Wilderness of the Tongass National Forest is located across the bay from the cabin; all travel is dependent on tide and glacial ice conditions.

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Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Esker Stream Cabin?

Sites at Esker Stream Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Esker Stream Cabin?

Reservations required year-round with a user fee of $25 per night. Reservations can be made six months in advance of the requested dates. The maximum stay in the cabin is 7 days in a 30 day period.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Esker Stream Cabin?

Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Esker Stream Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Esker Stream Cabin?

Yes, pets are allowed at Esker Stream Cabin. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Esker Stream Cabin?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Esker Stream Cabin?

Opportunities for recreation include sea kayaking, whale watching, exploring and hiking around the cabin and the Esker Stream drainage, or walking on the beach southeast for three miles to Bancas Point. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Esker Stream Cabin?

Copper Center, Alaska. Although the cabin is remotely located, there may be opportunities to visit other attractions in Yakutat Bay, depending on your mode of transportation and experience level.

Source: Getting there

Which national park is Esker Stream Cabin in?

Esker Stream Cabin is a Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.

Source: Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve