Crescent Saddle Cabin
Elodea has been found in Crescent Lake in 2023. Please stop aquatic hitchikers and use clean, drain, dry methods to prevent the spread of elodea. Crescent Saddle Cabin offers a remote and secluded place to stay in the Kenai Mountains of southeastern Alaska. It is difficult to access, but rewards visitors with spectacular views of the surrounding region. Winter travel is recommended only for those with experience in the backcountry. This site can be accessed by hiking, skiing, snowmobile and floatplane. Not recommended for horseback or bikes. Visitors 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 | Surface | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| S17 | Gravel | 8 / – |
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. Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the… |
The cabin has bunk space for six and a maximum occupancy of eight people. It is equipped with counter space, table, benches and a wood stove for heat. A splitting maul and hand saw are available. An outhouse is also provided. There is no electricity, potable water, mattresses, bedding, cooking utensils or cut firewood at the cabin. Visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove, cooking gear and food. Water taken from the lakes or streams should be treated or boiled before consumption.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Access is by trail, 7 miles from the Carter Lake Trailhead at milepost 34 of the Seward Highway or (10.7 miles from the Crescent Creek Trailhead, from milepost 45 on Sterling Highway, take Quartz Creek road 3.2 miles to the Crescent Creek Trailhead. Cabin is also accessible by floatplane.
| Nearest town | Seward, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 60.4453° N, 149.5058° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Worth a stop
- 6.1 miTern Lake Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 2.3 miCarter Lake Trail3.4 mi trail · hiking
- 2.5 miCrescent Lake Trail ↗8.3 mi trail · hiking
- 3.2 miCrescent Creek Trail ↗6.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 3.6 miCarter Lake Trail Snow1.7 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
- 4.7 miInht: Johnson Pass Trail ↗45.7 mi trail · hiking, bike, snowmobile, snowshoe and 1 more · national_scenic_or_historic
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
This campground sits inside Chugach National Forest.
- inChugach National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 6,244,689 acres
- 3.8 miKenai National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 1,943,006 acres
- 12.6 miKenai Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Fish and Wildlife Service · 1,354,247 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
On the National Register nearby
- Alaska Nellie's HomesteadBuilding · Lawing · 5.8 mi
- Cooper Landing Historic DistrictHistoric district · Cooper Landing · 11.6 mi
- Cooper Landing Post OfficeBuilding · Cooper Landing · 11.6 mi
Natural features
The cabin is located south of Sterling Highway on the Crescent Lake Trail. It overlooks Crescent Lake, at an elevation of about 1,450 feet. The cabin is set back from the lake, amid a scattered forest and lots of wildflowers in the warmer months. In addition to avalanche danger, high winds may sweep across the lake, causing danger for small boats and planes.
Recreation
Fishing on Crescent Lake is very popular for grayling. A rowboat with oars is available at the cabin, but life jackets and fishing equipment are not provided. In season, visitors hunt for moose, black and brown bears and Dall sheep. Hiking, horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular activities. There is extreme avalanche danger on the Crescent Creek Trail in winter and early spring. The primitive trail around Crescent Lake crosses several avalanche chutes and should not be used in the winter.
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 Crescent Saddle Cabin?
Sites at Crescent Saddle 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 Crescent Saddle Cabin?
Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance. Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the…
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Crescent Saddle Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Crescent Saddle Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Crescent Saddle Cabin?
Fishing on Crescent Lake is very popular for grayling. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Crescent Saddle Cabin?
Seward, Alaska.
Source: Getting there
What if Crescent Saddle Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Trail River (4.7 mi), Ptarmigan Creek (5.6 mi), and Crescent Creek Campground (6.9 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby