Upper Russian Lake Cabin

Chugach National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: SEWARD, AK, AK

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (21 reviews)

Season: May through October

Upper Russian Lake Cabin is a rustic trapper style log cabin located on Upper Russian lake. It was recently refurbished to keep the old fashioned charm of the 1950s, when it was originally built. Its location provides good fishing and boating opportunities.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Rustic 1950s log cabin on Upper Russian Lake offering excellent fishing and boating opportunities with access to surrounding trails and wildlife viewing. Highly rated by campers as one of the best cabins in the Forest Service inventory.

Wildlife alert: Brown bears and Pacific harbor seals present in the area. Campers report active bear activity on the final mile to cabin, including sows with cubs.

Insider tips for Upper Russian Lake Cabin: Book early — this is a federal campground with limited availability (1 site only) Cabin is accessible via Russian Lakes Trail: 9 miles from Snug Harbor Road trailhead or 12 miles from Russian River Campground trailhead Multiple access options available including hiking, biking, skiing, horseback, snowmobile, and floatplane

Skip Upper Russian Lake Cabin if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You're uncomfortable with bears — active bear activity reported in final mile to cabin. You require boat access — reported boat damage (large hole) noted by recent camper.

Best time to visit Upper Russian Lake Cabin: May-October — Official operating season for the cabin.

Nearby campgrounds: Aspen Flats Cabin (Chugach National Forest, Ak) (SEWARD, AK), Barber Cabin (Chugach National Forest, Ak) (SEWARD, AK), Cooper Creek South (SEWARD, AK), Russian River (SEWARD, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Upper Russian Lake Cabin

Cell signal at Upper Russian Lake Cabin (SEWARD, 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

Upper Russian Lake Cabin

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SEWARD, AK, AK★ 4.3 (21 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Upper Russian Lake Cabin is a rustic trapper style log cabin located on Upper Russian lake. It was recently refurbished to keep the old fashioned charm of the 1950s, when it was originally built. Its location provides good fishing and boating opportunities.

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
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

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✕ You're uncomfortable with bears — active bear activity reported in final mile to cabin✕ You require boat access — reported boat damage (large hole) noted by recent camper

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with limited availability (1 site only)

Cabin is accessible via Russian Lakes Trail: 9 miles from Snug Harbor Road trailhead or 12 miles from Russian River Campground trailhead

Multiple access options available including hiking, biking, skiing, horseback, snowmobile, and floatplane

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the cabin

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: Brown bears and Pacific harbor seals present in the area. Campers report active bear activity on the final mile to cabin, including sows with cubs.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
11111111111· Chugach National Forest
Getting there →

Access to the cabin is via the Russian Lakes Trail, 9 miles from the Russian Lakes Trailhead on Snug Harbor Road or 12 miles from the Russian Lakes Trailhead located in Russian River Campground. Winter parking for Upper Russian Trailhead is located at mile 9 of Snug Harbor Road. The last 3 miles of Snug Harbor Road are not plowed in the winter. Winter parking for Lower Russian Lakes Trailhead is 1 mile back on the campground road and the last mile of the campground road is not plowed. Access the

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 Upper Russian Lake Cabin cost per night?+
Upper Russian Lake Cabin costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Upper Russian Lake Cabin open?+
Upper Russian Lake Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Upper Russian Lake Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Upper Russian Lake Cabin?+
Upper Russian Lake Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Upper Russian Lake Cabin?+
Upper Russian Lake 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 Upper Russian Lake Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Upper Russian Lake Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Upper Russian Lake Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Upper Russian Lake Cabin is open May through October. 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★ 4.3 (21)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Upper Russian Lake Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Upper Russian Lake Cabin open?+
Does Upper Russian Lake Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Aspen Flats Cabin (Chugach National Forest, Ak)

SEWARD, AK

From $60/night

Barber Cabin (Chugach National Forest, Ak)

SEWARD, AK

From $75/night

Cooper Creek South

SEWARD, AK

From $23/night

Russian River

SEWARD, AK

From $23/night

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