Mckinley Trail Cabin

Chugach National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: CORDOVA, AK, AK

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Located just off the Copper River Highway in the Chugach National Forest, McKinley Trail Cabin offers guests year-round recreation and relaxation. Although the cabin isn’t in the remote wilderness, it makes a good base camp for exploring the Copper River Delta and the surrounding areas. Fishing, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing are within the vicinity.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mckinley-trail-cabin to be notified when sites open up.

McKinley Trail Cabin offers year-round recreation in the Chugach National Forest with access to fishing, hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing in the Copper River Delta area. Campers praise the beautiful rustic cabin and scenic trail experiences, with one reviewer noting an easy 2.5 mile hike to the cabin.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Orange-crowned Warbler, and American Wigeon present in the area

Insider tips for Mckinley Trail Cabin: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability The trailhead is located at Mile 21 of the Copper River Highway from Cordova Consider Pipeline Lakes trail for a change of scenery from the main McKinley Trail

Skip Mckinley Trail Cabin if: You need hookups - no hookups available at this site. You prefer developed campgrounds - cabin is described as older and rustic.

Best time to visit Mckinley Trail Cabin: Year-round — Campground operates year-round according to verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: Mckinley Lake Cabin (CORDOVA, AK), Tiedeman Slough Cabin (CORDOVA, AK), Power Creek Cabin (CORDOVA, AK), Childs Glacier Recreation Area And Campground (Cordova, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mckinley Trail Cabin

Cell signal at Mckinley Trail Cabin (CORDOVA, AK): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Chugach National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mckinley Trail Cabin

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CORDOVA, AK, AK★ 4.2 (12 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Located just off the Copper River Highway in the Chugach National Forest, McKinley Trail Cabin offers guests year-round recreation and relaxation. Although the cabin isn’t in the remote wilderness, it makes a good base camp for exploring the Copper River Delta and the surrounding areas. Fishing, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing are within the vicinity.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterFirewood for Sale

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups - no hookups available at this site✕ You prefer developed campgrounds - cabin is described as older and rustic

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

The trailhead is located at Mile 21 of the Copper River Highway from Cordova

Consider Pipeline Lakes trail for a change of scenery from the main McKinley Trail

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round according to verified data

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Moose, Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Orange-crowned Warbler, and American Wigeon present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1 (907) 424-7661· Chugach National Forest
Getting there →

Access to the cabin is by motor vehicle and a short walk from the McKinley Trail trailhead. From Cordova, drive 21 miles east on the Copper River Highway. The trailhead for the cabin is located at mile 21. The cabin is approximately 80 yards from the road on the McKinley Lake Trail.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Chugach National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Chugach National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mckinley Trail Cabin cost per night?+
Mckinley Trail Cabin costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mckinley Trail Cabin open?+
Mckinley Trail Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mckinley Trail Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mckinley Trail Cabin?+
Mckinley Trail Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mckinley Trail Cabin?+
Mckinley Trail Cabin is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Mckinley Trail Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mckinley Trail Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mckinley Trail Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Mckinley Trail Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$75 /night★ 4.2 (12)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Mckinley Trail Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Mckinley Trail Cabin open?+
Does Mckinley Trail Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mckinley Lake Cabin

CORDOVA, AK

From $60/night

Tiedeman Slough Cabin

CORDOVA, AK

From $60/night

Power Creek Cabin

CORDOVA, AK

From $60/night

Childs Glacier Recreation Area And Campground

Cordova, AK

From $20/night

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