Facility Details - STARRIGAVAN CREEK CABIN, AK

Overview

Starrigavan Creek Cabin is a drive-up, high-use and fully accessible log cabin within the Starrigavan Recreation Area, 7 miles from Sitka, Alaska. The cabin was constructed in 2008 from young spruce harvested around Starrigavan Creek to improve wildlife and fish habitat. The cabin is an experiment in the longevity of young spruce logs for construction purposes, making it the first young-growth cabin and also the first cabin within a recreation area on the Tongass National Forest.

Access to Sitka is only by ferry or airplane. The cabin is a two-minute drive from the Alaska Marine Highway Sitka Ferry Terminal or a 7-mile drive from downtown Sitka or the airport. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring some of their own amenities.

Natural Features:

The cabin is situated next to Starrigavan Creek and is surrounded by a temperate rainforest of hemlock and spruce trees with salmonberry bushes, low shrubs and mosses covering the forest floor. The cabin occupies an old campsite and is located within the major camping loop of Starrigavan Recreation Area.

Starrigavan Recreation Area houses a diverse range of forest, estuary and marine habitats. Depending on the season, visitors may view brown bear, bufflehead, spawning coho and pink salmon, common merganser, eagles, great blue heron, kingfisher, river otter or Sitka black-tailed deer. Brown bear frequent the area.

Recreation:

Starrigavan offers saltwater and freshwater fishing opportunities. Visitors also enjoy kayaking, photography, hiking and birding. Hiking options include the Estuary Life Trail, Forest and Muskeg Trail, Mosquito Cove Trail and numerous intertwining paths and roadways within the recreation area.

For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.

Facilities:

The popular cabin is equipped with beds for six adults, but can accommodate a maximum of eight people if younger children are involved. Cabin is available solely for overnight camping. See restrictions on maximum number of persons below. The main level of the cabin has one single bunk over an accessible bunk, a table with benches, a wood stove for heat, a cooking counter, a broom and dustpan. A stairway leads to the upstairs sleeping loft, which offers two double-size bunks, a table, two chairs and a lamp table. The cabin does not have electricity or indoor plumbing.

A bench overlooks Starrigavan Creek. A picnic table and a combination campfire ring/grill with log benches are provided outside. A vault toilet is located 200 feet from the cabin; artesian well water is 300 feet from the cabin. Parking space is provided for up to four standard vehicles.

Visitors must bring sleeping bags and pads, garbage bags, matches, fire starter, a tablecloth to protect cedar tabletop, a cooking stove, pots, pans, food and coolers, eating and cooking utensils, lanterns and flashlights (candles are discouraged).

This is a locked cabin that requires visitors to pre-arrange access. Access gates to the cabin close and lock daily when there is no snow. When there is snow, access is by walking in 1/4-mile over snow.

Click here for more cabin information.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Beach Access Beachcombing Biking Boating Bunkbed(s) Cabin Rentals Clam Digging Cooking Area	Fishing Hiking Kayaking Parking Area Photography Table & Benches Wildlife Viewing Wood Stove

Know Before You Go

Cabin is locked; requires pre-arranging access no less than four days prior to arrival by contacting cabin manager at 907-747-4216 or via email at r10_sitka_rd@fs.fed.us
Eight people is the maximum number allowed at cabin/cabin site at one time. Person count includes visitors not camping overnight. Keep this in mind if planning parties where number of visitors is unknown or exceeds eight. Contact cabin manager as listed above for a possible alternative.
Earliest check-in time is 2 p.m.; latest departure time is noon
Firewood not included with cabin reservation; bring your own firewood (maximum length 15 inches) for heating stove or request firewood when prearranging access with cabin manager
Starrigavan has an active brown bear population; be prepared to keep all food and drinks in the cabin unless actively eating outside at the fire ring, or store in vehicle at night
Dogs must be leashed at all times on the cabin site and within Starrigavan Recreation Area, cannot be left alone within the cabin and cannot be tied up outside the cabin; dogs are not allowed at the cabin site July through early October when bears are very active and feeding on spawning salmon in the creek in front of the cabin
Check-in on arrival with the host in the Starrigavan Host Cabin (last left hand turn before end of highway)
Adjacent campsites not available for use by those with cabin reservations
Tents, RVs, buses, trailers, motor homes, pickup campers, travel trailers and commercial vehicles are not allowed at this site
Vehicles must be parked within the designated cabin parking spur. Parking is not permitted along the roadway or in adjacent campsites.
May 1-September 30: drive up access with cabin and site meets accessibility standards; access gates are locked daily by 9 p.m.; gates reopen by 9 a.m.
October 1 through April 30: access gate is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. if no snow or ice is on the access road; when snow or ice is present, hike 1/4-mile in, over the snow; winter parking available off highway adjacent to the host cabin
Photo ID required at check-in; cabin key is only given to the person listed on the reservation; when pre-arranging check-in, let cabin manager know if a different person will be checking in for the key
Walk-in use without a reservation is possible; if a “w” shows for the desired date you wish, contact the Starrigavan host directly or the cabin manager at 907-747-4216 for walk-in instructions
Learn more about Tongass National Forest

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
57.12972, -135.36278
57°7'47"N, 135°21'46"W

Located 7 miles northeast of Sitka at the end of Halibut Point Road, about 3/4 mile from the local Alaska Marine Highway ferry terminal. There are no roads to Sitka.
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Access is via the Alaska Marine Highway or Alaska Airlines. Upon exiting the Ferry Terminal parking lot, turn left. Drive 3/4 mile on the state highway, also known as Halibut Point Road, or walk the same distance on the separate pedestrian walkway. The Estuary Loop, where this cabin is located (in Campsite 6), is accessed from the last right turn before the end of the state highway.

From the airport, go across the Japonski Bridge through downtown Sitka to the intersection of Sawmill Creek Road and Halibut Point Road, which is a roundabout. Turn onto Halibut Point Road and travel 7 miles north to Starrigavan Recreation Area.