USDA Forest Service · Alaska
Starrigavan Campground and Day Use
USDA Forest Service · Alaska, United States
- Sites
- 41
- Hookups
- 6 with water, 26 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 38 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 66 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- STARRIGAVAN ESTUARY LOOP MAIN (NFSR 7513) · crushed aggregate or gravel · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Tongass National Forest
- Nearest town
- SITKA
- Address
- SITKA RANGER DISTRICT, SITKA, AK, 99835
- Phone
- 907-747-6671
- Activities
- Biking, Boating, Camping, Educational Programs, Fishing, Museum
34 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
34 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
Starrigavan Campsites lie within Starrigavan Recreation Area about seven miles north of Sitka. Visitors enjoy hiking, photography, wildlife viewing, picnicking, fishing and kayaking. Learn more about the campsites here.
Access to Sitka is by boat or airplane. The campsites are a two-minute drive from the Alaska Marine Highway Sitka Ferry Terminal or a seven-mile drive from downtown Sitka or the airport.
Recreation
Hiking, picnicking and wildlife viewing are popular pursuits at Starrigavan. Visitors also enjoy fishing in saltwater and freshwater areas. Many bird and wildlife viewing opportunities exist. Hiking options include the Estuary Life Boardwalk Trail, Forest and Muskeg Trail, the Mosquito Cove Trail and numerous intertwining path and roadways of the recreation area.
For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game .
Facilities
This primitive camping area is fully accessible and offers a variety of accommodations, including group tent sites, individual campsites (both drive in, one is pull through, and hike-in) and Starrigavan Creek Cabin. Several sites overlook Starrigavan Bay; others are close to Starrigavan Creek. Maximum RV length accommodated is 38 feet.
Two small group tent sites accommodate up to 20 people, offering twice the amount of tent space and vehicle parking as individual campsites. They also have covered cooking shelters with two picnic tables, a large grill and a fire ring with two log benches.
Picnic tables, campfire rings, gravel tent pads and gravel parking spurs are furnished at the individual sites. Vault toilets, drinking water, bear-proof food lockers and seasonal trash collection are provided. Firewood is provided for a small fee. A dump station is located in Sitka, seven miles away.
Natural Features
The campsites are situated within a typical temperate rainforest of hemlock and spruce trees with salmonberry bushes, low shrubs and mosses covering the forest floor.
The Starrigavan Recreation Area is home to a diverse range of forest, estuary and marine habitats. Depending on the season, visitors might spot brown bear, spawning coho (silver) and pink (humpy) salmon, common merganser, bufflehead, bald eagle, great blue heron, kingfisher, river otter or Sitka black-tailed deer.
Nearby Attractions
The State of Alaska's Old Sitka State Historic Site is nearby. Visitors can take half or full-day kayak trips to Katlian Bay and Siginaka Islands.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 37° | 5° | 54° | 6 of 11 |
| February | 40° | 33° | 14° | 53° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 43° | 35° | 15° | 58° | 6 of 11 |
| April | 46° | 38° | 26° | 58° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 55° | 45° | 39° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 58° | 50° | 43° | 74° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 61° | 54° | 50° | 75° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 63° | 55° | 48° | 77° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 60° | 51° | 42° | 73° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 51° | 46° | 32° | 60° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 38° | 25° | 53° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 42° | 35° | 12° | 54° | 8 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Starrigavan ATV Parking Trailhead · 0.9 mi as the crow flies
Starrigavan Valley Mainline 1.7 mi Hike · Drive there - Gavan Hill Trailhead · 5.4 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Totem Trailhead · 6.1 mi as the crow flies
Totem Trail 0.8 mi Hike, Serpentine Walk 0.1 mi Hike, Totem Cutoff Trail 0.1 mi Hike · Drive there - River View Trailhead · 6.1 mi as the crow flies
Russian Memorial Trail 0.8 mi Hike, Totem Trail 0.8 mi Hike, River View Trail 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Russian Memorial Trailhead · 6.1 mi as the crow flies
Russian Memorial Trail 0.8 mi Hike · Drive there
All 589 trails in Tongass National Forest · All 12 trails in Sitka National Historical Park
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Starrigavan Creek Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 1 sites
- Brents Beach Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 1 sites
- Sawmill Creek Group · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi
- Allan Point Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Sawmill Creek · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi
All public campgrounds in Alaska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.