Castle River Cabin
Castle River Cabin is located on Kupreanof Island on the coastal waters of southeastern Alaska. It offers access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as a secluded place to enjoy its beautiful surroundings. The cabin is accessible only by boat or float plane from Petersburg or Wrangell, and tides impact access. During low tides, a 2-mile hike is necessary to reach the cabin. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| P11 | Full | 7 / – |
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
| Fees | Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights per party for any one reservation between May 1 through September30, and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights per party from Oct.1 through April 30. |
The modified A-frame cabin has an extended roof and an upright wall to form a bump-out. It has two double bunks and a sleeping loft to accommodate a total of seven people. The cabin is also equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove and an outhouse with a pit toilet. Firewood is for heating the cabin only, not for outdoor campfires. A broom, dust pan, axe and splitting maul are generally available, but may be missing or damaged. Water is available in the nearby river or streams, but it must be treated or boiled prior to consumption. It is recommended that visitors bring their own supply of water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Visitors need to bring sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove and cooking gear, towels, food, clothing and garbage bags, among other necessities. All trash and food must be packed out, and visitors are expected to clean the cabin before leaving.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Petersburg, it is 16 miles by float plane or 30 miles by boat. A 16-foot tide is required for direct boat or float plane access to the cabin. At lower tides, there is up to a 2-mile hike across the sometimes muddy tide flat to get to the cabin.
| Nearest town | Petersburg, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 56.6431° N, 133.2589° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Firewood is generally available, but is not guaranteed.
- Drinking water is not available at the cabin.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.4 miCastle River Trail1.1 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.
Public land it sits in
Petersburg Creek-Duncan Salt Chuck Wilderness begins about 10 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 10 miPetersburg Creek-Duncan Salt Chuck Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 46,756 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
The cabin is located inside a large tide flat on Kupreanof Island at the mouth of the Castle River on the west side of Duncan Canal. The surrounding terrain is predominantly flat-to-rolling old-growth forest and muskeg. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including moose, deer, black bears, waterfowl and grouse ( learn more about bear safety ).
Recreation
The Castle River Trail leads a half-mile downstream to the Castle Flats Cabin, and a half-mile upstream to a rowboat and oars. Wildlife can be seen along the trail. Visitors also enjoy fishing for steelhead trout from April to May, trout from May to October, and coho salmon in mid-August through mid-September. Boating is a popular way to explore the area, but a 16-foot tide is required to cross the tide flats in front of the cabin ( local tide tables ). Life jackets are not available; visitors must bring their own. Visitors may also choose to bring a small outboard motor for the rowboat.
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 Castle River Cabin?
Sites at Castle River 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 Castle River Cabin?
Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights per party for any one reservation between May 1 through September30, and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights per party from Oct.1 through April 30.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Castle River Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Castle River Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Castle River Cabin?
The Castle River Trail leads a half-mile downstream to the Castle Flats Cabin, and a half-mile upstream to a rowboat and oars. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Castle River Cabin?
Petersburg, Alaska.
Source: Getting there
What if Castle River Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Ohmer Creek Campground (20.2 mi, first-come), El Capitan Campground (33.3 mi), and Nemo Campsites Entry & Info Site (41.9 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby