Trail River Cabin

An easily accessible cabin located in Trail River Campground, offering stunning views of Kenai Lake and the surrounding Kenai Mountains. It is a quick 0.1 mile hike to access in the summer time and a 1.2 mile ski or snowshoe in the winter. The Trail River Cabin is a family friendly getaway for those looking to get into the outdoors but not too far off the main road. The accessible two-story log cabin has bunk space for seven and a maximum occupancy of eight people. It is equipped with counter space, a table, benches and a wood stove for heat, and a splitting maul and hand saw are available. A vault toilet is located 400 feet away in the campground loop. There is no electricity, mattresses, bedding, cooking utensils or cut firewood at the cabin, so visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove, cooking gear and food. Potable water is available in the campground during the peak season and must be hauled to the cabin; during the off season it must be hauled in. Trash should be disposed of in the campground dumpsters or the transfer station at mile 24 of the Seward Highway. Potable water and trash disposal are only available while the campground is open for the summer season. The cabin provides beach access to Kenai Lake, where many people enjoy fishing, collecting driftwood, skipping rocks and walking along the beach, with a gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains. When the winds are calm, boating on Kenai Lake can be a fantastic way to enjoy your time at the Trail River Campground. Or explore many of the hiking trails that nearby Moose Pass has to offer. Snow is present in the high peaks and avalanche chutes until the end of August. Trout fishing can be very productive from the beach at Trail River Campground as well as at many nearby streams; the lake is home to Dolly Varden, rainbow trout and lake trout. Although trout fishing is open year-round in Kenai Lake, special restrictions apply within 1/4 mile of inlet streams, and the lake is not open to salmon fishing. Anglers are required to have a State of Alaska fishing license and obey all regulations; fishing equipment is not provided. Within a one-mile radius of the campground entrance are the Falls Creek Trail, Crown Point Mine Road, Ptarmigan Creek Trail and Vagt Lake Trail. These run roughly east-west and provide access to the Iditarod National Historic Trail, which runs north-south; sections of that trail are still under construction and several bridges are missing, but links between Falls Creek Trail and Ptarmigan Lake Trail, and between Vagt Lake Trail and Crown Point Mine Road, make loop hikes possible. The steep Falls Creek OHV Trail, half a mile north of the entrance road, provides good views of Kenai and Lower Trail Lakes and is ideal for hikers and experienced OHV enthusiasts, while the historic Crown Point Mine Road, one mile north, leads above tree-line to great views. South of the entrance road is Ptarmigan Creek Campground, with a day use area and fish-viewing platform where you can watch spawning salmon in the late summer and fall, and the Ptarmigan Creek Trail, which gains elevation steadily to Ptarmigan Lake, seven miles round trip. In the winter the campground is closed and its entrance road and loops are groomed for freestyle and Nordic skiing. The cabin is located on the edge of Kenai Lake, nestled in woods of hemlock, cottonwood, sitka spruce, and aspen. The Chugach National Forest covers the eastern half of the Kenai Peninsula and extends around Prince William Sound, over 5 million acres characterized by jagged mountains, deep fjords, glacier-fed rivers, and dense forests, supporting many miles of productive fishing streams as well as wildlife populations. Brown bears and black bears are often spotted in the area, so make your campsite less attractive to bears by practicing good Leave No Trace habits. The Seward Ranger District Information Office is one mile south on Ranger Station Spur, and possible day trips include wildlife viewing in Kenai Fjords National Park, rafting down the Kenai River, and a visit to Portage Glacier in Portage Valley, home to the Begich Boggs Visitor Center.