U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Thorne Bay, AK

El Capitan Campground

This waterfront campground offers a scenic view of the beautiful El Capitan Passage. This site has access to fishing, hunting, kayaking, hiking, caving and marine dock. It provides a remote, scenic setting for recreation and relaxation on the Tongass National Forest.

Reservable · Recreation.gov3 sitesFrom $15 per night

More like this: reservable in Alaska

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
picnic tablegravel trail with view of trees and oceancovered shelter with picnic tables and view of oceanpicnic table with view of trees and ocean
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric3
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

Fees$15 per night

There is access to an accessible outhouse as well as a nearby covered picnic pavillion and marine dock.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near El Capitan Campground30°40°50°60°January: 8.36 inches of precipitationFebruary: 5.24 inches of precipitationMarch: 5.06 inches of precipitationApril: 4.79 inches of precipitationMay: 4.79 inches of precipitationJune: 2.91 inches of precipitationJuly: 5.02 inches of precipitationAugust: 6.60 inches of precipitationSeptember: 10.73 inches of precipitationOctober: 11.06 inches of precipitationNovember: 9.33 inches of precipitationDecember: 8.39 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.5°F averageFebruary: 35.1°F averageMarch: 36.5°F averageApril: 41.6°F averageMay: 47.2°F averageJune: 51.8°F averageJuly: 54.4°F averageAugust: 54.9°F averageSeptember: 50.7°F averageOctober: 44.4°F averageNovember: 38.4°F averageDecember: 35.3°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Pt Baker, 18 miles from the campground at 20 feet, station USC00507421 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 82 inches a year.

Getting there

El Capitan Campground can be reached by vehicle, boat, or plane. By road, follow Forest Service Road 20 to Forest Service Road 15 and take a left for about a mile (1.6 km) to the cave. Watch for signs. From both Thorne Bay and Craig is an estimated 3-hour drive.

Nearest townThorne Bay, Alaska
Coordinates56.1625° N, 133.3210° W · Directions ↗

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    El Capitan Cave Access Trail
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.9 mi
    159800 Rd El Cap Peak
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 3.3 mi
    2710000 Rd Twin Island 10
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 3.6 mi
    Beaver Falls ↗
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Beaver Falls Spur A ↗
    0.08 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Beaver Falls Spur B ↗
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Natural features

The El Capitan Campground is in an area of high geologic interest including the El Cap Cave. The surrounding forest boasts old growth species such as yellow cedar, red cedar, hemlock, and Sitka spruce. There is abundant wildlife viewing for both aquatic and terrestrial species including Sitka black tail deer, black bear, harbor seals, otters and many fish species. Prince of Wales Island has runs of every salmon species except chinook as well as populations of cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden.

Recreation

The El Capitan Campground is nearby many opportunities Prince of Wales island has to offer. Salmon fishing is popular during the summer months as well as fall deer hunting, beach combing and other marine sports including paddle craft and sea kayaking. The nearby El Capitan Cave offers guided tours during the summer season and is the longest mapped cave in Alaska at over two miles.

Nearby

Prince of Wales Island Visitor Guide can be found on the Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce website.

Guidebooks for Alaska

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at El Capitan Campground?

Sites at El Capitan Campground 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 El Capitan Campground?

$15 per night

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does El Capitan Campground have?

3 sites, including 3 standard sites with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at El Capitan Campground?

The El Capitan Campground is nearby many opportunities Prince of Wales island has to offer. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to El Capitan Campground?

Thorne Bay, Alaska. Prince of Wales Island Visitor Guide can be found on the Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce website.

Source: Getting there

What if El Capitan Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Horseshoe Hole Campground (25.2 mi, first-come), Staney Bridge Campground (25.7 mi, first-come), and Ohmer Creek Campground (36.3 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby