U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Sitka, AK

Freds Creek Cabin

Fred's Creek Cabin is located 10 miles west of Sitka on the southeastern shore of Kruzof Island and is available year round, weather permitting. Its proximity to a creek and a hiking trail that leads to the cone of a dormant volcano makes the cabin an excellent base to experience and explore this beautiful area in Alaska. The cabin can be accessed by boat, though erratic waves on Kruzof Island can make landings difficult. Helicopters may land during low tide.

Reservable · Recreation.gov1 site

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FREDS CREEK CABIN 22FREDS CREEK CABIN4Freds Creek Cabin14FREDS CREEK CABIN
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups1
This site 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.

SitePeople / vehicles
S108 / –

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

FeesOnly 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 customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.

The 15 by 18-foot Pan-abode-style wood cabin can accommodate 8 people. It is equipped with plywood bunks downstairs and a full sleeping loft accessed by a staircase. A wood stove for heat, axe or splitting maul, table, benches, cooking counter and an outhouse are provided. A deck extends off the front of the cabin. The cabin does not include mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors must bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, fire extinguisher, fire starter, raingear and rubber boots. Water is available from Fred's Creek but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. A mooring buoy is available on a first come, first served basis. Cabin reservations do not include exclusive use of the buoy. Mooring buoys are configured using a 4200-lb concrete block with 90 feet of 1 5/8th-inch stud link chain. Mariners are responsible for determining how suitable an anchoring system is for the size of their craft. Care should be taken when unloading and anchoring, as the surf breaks along a pumice-rock shoreline. No protected anchorage is available.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Freds Creek Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 8.22 inches of precipitationFebruary: 5.93 inches of precipitationMarch: 5.60 inches of precipitationApril: 4.31 inches of precipitationMay: 3.81 inches of precipitationJune: 2.92 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.62 inches of precipitationAugust: 7.25 inches of precipitationSeptember: 11.69 inches of precipitationOctober: 11.78 inches of precipitationNovember: 9.91 inches of precipitationDecember: 8.43 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 36.5°F averageFebruary: 36.7°F averageMarch: 37.5°F averageApril: 42.6°F averageMay: 48.1°F averageJune: 53.0°F averageJuly: 56.5°F averageAugust: 57.3°F averageSeptember: 53.2°F averageOctober: 46.4°F averageNovember: 40.0°F averageDecember: 37.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Sitka Airport, 9 miles from the campground at 14 feet, station USW00025333 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 84 inches a year.

Getting there

Accessible year round, weather permitting. Located 10 miles west of Sitka on the southeast shore of Kruzof Island. Access is 30 minutes by boat from Sitka. Helicopter landing on beach is possible at lower tides. Refer to USGS topographic maps Sitka A-5, A-6. Local wave action on the beach may make landing dangerous or impossible.

Nearest townSitka, Alaska
Coordinates57.0664° N, 135.6073° W · Directions ↗

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

Saint Lazaria Wilderness begins about 6.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

Natural features

The oceanfront cabin is situated on Sitka Sound on a rocky Kruzof Island shoreline surrounded by fairly flat terrain. Fred's Creek flows to saltwater just north of the cabin. A spruce and hemlock forest covers the area. The cabin is 5 miles south of Brent's Beach Cabin. The cabin is just east of Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,200-foot dormant volcano that dominates the landscape. Humpback whales can often be seen offshore in early spring and late fall. Sea otters, sea lions, puffins and other sea birds can also be seen. Brown bear frequent the area.

Recreation

The 6.7-mile Mount Edgecumbe Trail offers a gradual hike to the cone of Mount Edgecumbe through miles of muskeg and forest. At the cone, the trail becomes very steep but hikers are rewarded with panoramic views on clear days. Cabin visitors may encounter tour groups passing near the cabin to access the trailhead. In addition to hiking, guests enjoy beachcombing, viewing the breaking surf on the rugged shoreline and exploring varied pumice and volcanic rock formations on the beach and in Fred's Creek. Deer hunting is also an option.

Guidebooks for Alaska

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Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Freds Creek Cabin?

Sites at Freds Creek 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 Freds Creek Cabin?

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 customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Freds Creek Cabin?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Freds Creek Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 standard site without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Freds Creek Cabin?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Freds Creek Cabin?

The 6.7-mile Mount Edgecumbe Trail offers a gradual hike to the cone of Mount Edgecumbe through miles of muskeg and forest. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Freds Creek Cabin?

Sitka, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Freds Creek Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Brents Beach Cabin (5.2 mi), Shelikof Cabin (8.5 mi), and North Beach Cabin (9.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby