Crescent Saddle Cabin, Seward, AK

Crescent Saddle Cabin is located in the Seward Ranger District, Chugach National Forest (2 hrs 34 min southwest of Anchorage, AK) with an elevation of 1,482 feet. The site is open all year. Prices start at $60.00 per night. Activities include fishing, hiking trails.

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Campsite Reviews (19)

4.0 out of 5

5 star		63%
4 star		5%
3 star		16%
2 star		0%
1 star		16%

@SusanS9297654 · Camped on Jul 22, 2024 at Campsite #S17

We rented the Crescent Saddle Cabin for 7/22/24, knowing that the "primitive" trail from the west end of the lake to the cabin would likely be quite overgrown. So we weren't sure we'd make it there. We took one look at the "trail" and decided to forget it. It irks me that the Forest Service is still renting this cabin for backpacking purposes knowing full-well that the trail barely exists anymore. I've hiked a lot of overgrown trails in southcentral AK, but this was hardly even visible. We did stay in our rented Crescent Lake Cabin the previous night and it had three boats; I kept reading that the Saddle cabin boat was missing--I wonder if someone hiked the trail to the Saddle cabin and decided to just row/paddle the boat back to the Crescent Lake Cabin and leave it there rather than fight the "primitive" trail to get back. Anyway, be forewarned: boat or fly in to the Saddle Cabin. Don't bother trying to hike to it.

@MichelleL80751 · Camped on Jul 14, 2024 at Campsite #S17

Experience of a lifetime! The crescent creek trail was gorgeous, primitive trail was difficult to navigate on the way in much easier finding/staying on the trail on the way back. Was glad we booked 3 nights. There are two row boats at the cabin one of which seemed to be taking on water. Caught one 12in grayling. The trip was so peaceful. Cabin was well stocked with extras (cards/skillet/lures etc.) outhouse was getting pretty full.

@erikab7755695 · Camped on Jul 7, 2024 at Campsite #S17

Cabin did not have much wood available upon arrival, we cut and left wood for the next occupants before we left. The advertised row boat was not anywhere to be found, possibly a victim of poor tying up and the wind, or unauthorized users leaving it somewhere unknown. Overall the cabin is in a fantastic location. The approach was quite wet due to the overgrown primitive trail, so be prepared to have to dry shoes and clothes out in the cabin.

@SamS5464358 · Camped on Dec 25, 2023 at Campsite #S17

Beautiful spot! Almost no firewood as of Dec. 28, 2023, and it is nearly impossible to find any downed wood due to the snow. We always cut a lot of extra wood when at huts outside of winter for this reason! If snowmachining in would recommend taking some wood.

@AmberB2127441 · Camped on Oct 20, 2023 at Campsite #S17

The cabin is beautiful, but very difficult to find via the trail from Crescent Creek. The wood stove is amazing!

@kimberlyn1B5BB · Camped on Jun 29, 2023 at Campsite #S17

We hiked to the cabin on 6-29 and hiked out on 6-30 from the carter lake side. It took us around 5 hours to get out to it and 4 hours to return. Conditions once you hit the primitive trail were honestly pretty decent all things considered- muddy, slick, and wet (as expected) but other than that not super overgrown to the point where you need to bushwhack. There’s a decent size creek crossing once you start the primitive trail and you’ll cross a waterfall-like creek once you are around two miles from the cabin. There are two snowpacks you’ll need to cross- i recommend bringing boot spikes if you hike in from this side in the next few weeks. We didn’t bring them and it was overall fine (i slid a little down one of the chutes but it was ok in the end lmao) but since the snow has been sitting out in the sun it’s pretty slick and on a steep grade. But if you’re good at walking on that kind of stuff you don’t have to worry about it. But yeah. Best forest service cabin i’ve been to. Seriously. It’s the prettiest one for sure. The views are unbelievable. We caught some grayling while out there. As of our stay, the boat is there (read some other reviews that it was unfortunately missing for other peoples stays). Hell yeah!

@BuckL6F36974CF · Camped on May 13, 2023 at Campsite #S17

TL:DR - if you go in April or May, you may get stopped by avalanches and you will 100% need skis, not snowshoes. Definitely go from the crescent lake side, not carter lake.
.
Seeing the review about bad snow conditions, we brought snow shoes and went over a week earlier in May than the other reviewer. Same problem but the lake was mostly still frozen. We passed the people who stayed there the night before who suggested we walk on the melting lake (yeah no). The Carter Lake side is basically impassible in May. We made it 5.5 miles (1 mile from the cabin) and the entire side was blocked top to bottom with an avalanche. That was 9 HOURS into our hike so we slept under a tree about mile 5. Burned from the sun reflection day 1; ripping winds and drizzle day 2. Heard the cabin is nice though and the stove is apparently awesome. We will be back one day when there is no snow.

@EdwardT1368517 · Camped on Jul 10, 2022 at Campsite #S17

The boat is always missing. Hiking 11 miles to a cabin that is advertised as having a boat and then finding it gone kind of ruins a fishing trip. Reading the guest log, this is an ongoing issue for years now. Won’t be returning.

@DavidP3257927 · Camped on Jun 22, 2022 at Campsite #S17

Our sole purpose of this hike was to fish for grayling on June 22 and the morning of June 23 before the noon check-out time. To our dismay, there was no row boat as advertised. We didn’t stay the night and returned to the trailhead. Very disappointed.

@DevinW7843213 · Camped on Jun 7, 2022 at Campsite #S17

We took the Crescent Saddle Trail side. The primitive trail was not easy and hard to follow in certain marshy areas. It was a challenge but a lot of fun. The cabin itself is on a beautiful spot. It’s one of the older cabins around but has all of the amenities. The tools at the cabin could use some love as they are dull or rusted but all in all we had a wonderful experience. Thank you!

@JonathanM29727 · Camped on May 23, 2022 at Campsite #S17

A word to the wise on this one: time the season perfectly if wanting to avoid snow. We came last few days of May, and the snow was the perfect combination of depth and slushiness to make travel (even if we had snow shoes) impossible over through Carter Lake to the cabin. We had to change plans and take a plane to a break in the ice on the lake. From what many in the cabin log wrote, July and later have such tall grass and devils club that the trail takes twice as long with lots of losing the trail.

That said, the location of this cabin is absolutely gorgeous. We didnt see any animals, but plenty of evidence of moose, brown bear, and sheep or goats from the snow prints. Lots of wood around and someone who had clearly brought a chainsaw left a bunch of wood rounds to chop. Cabin is tiny but that means its easy to heat on the small stove.

Gear: there are two hacksaws, one handsaw, a maul, a broom, oars, but don't look for the boat. From the cabin log, the boat went missing a couple years ago (maybe at the bottom of the lake).

@AshleyS5221344 · Camped on Sep 14, 2021 at Campsite #S17

Went in mid-September and had a great time at Crescent Saddle cabin. We took the Carter Lake trail to the Crescent Lake trail, which ended up being close to 7.5 miles total. The first 1.5 miles had a pretty steep elevation gain of about 1000 ft. Once you branch off from the Carter Lake trail, the going gets a little rough. Because of the time of year, the bushes and tall grass got us soaked since the trail was very overgrown and it had rained earlier. There were also two spots were you cross streams that were a little too deep for normal hiking boots and our feet got wet. An arduous trail but the views were worth it. The cabin itself was cute, previous occupants had left some wood under the woodshed to dry, which was fantastic. Wish we had waterproofed a bit better before going but other than that, a great trip.

@AshleyS141 · Camped on Sep 14, 2021 at Campsite #S17

@MichelleM611 · Camped on Jul 20, 2021 at Campsite #S17

The hike in is beautiful, slightly challenging and absolutely worth it. The cabin was very new and clean and the boat was in excellent shape. I've been to several FS cabins and this one was one of my favorites for the scenery. We didn't see any bears, but saw a dall sheep across the lake and some loons.

@MichelleM70561 · Camped on Jul 20, 2021 at Campsite #S17

@JeannieP206 · Camped on Oct 22, 2020 at Campsite #S17

Beautiful cabin in a stunning location! If arriving from Carter lake trailhead, plan to cross some dubious water depending on the time of the year!

@JeannieP300353 · Camped on Oct 22, 2020 at Campsite #S17

Beautiful cabin in a stunning location! If arriving from Carter lake trailhead, plan to cross some dubious water depending on the time of the year!

@MatthewO442 · Camped on May 15, 2020 at Campsite #S17

Trail a little muddy and some slides to traverse but otherwise awesome!

@MatthewO386420 · Camped on May 15, 2020 at Campsite #S17

Trail a little muddy and some slides to traverse but otherwise awesome!

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