Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Ketchikan, AK

Southeast Heckman Cabin

Southeast Heckman Cabin is situated on the southeast shore of Heckman Lake within the Naha Recreation Area approximately 15 miles from Ketchikan. The cabin is open year-round and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska with its recreation options, beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife. The cabin is remote and accessible only by float plane, depending on conditions. This primitive cabin has no electricity, indoor plumbing or cell phone coverage. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Cabin rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 site
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
SE Heckman CabinView towards rear of CabinRear DoorWood Stove
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SitePeople / vehiclesAccessible
K048 / –Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

FeesOnly one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.
AccessibilitySite K04 is listed accessible

The 16x22-ft. ( pan-abode style ) log cabin accommodates 8 people with 3 single and 2 double bunks. Other amenities include a table and benches, a cooking counter, broom, splitting maul, and outhouse. A wood stove is provided for heat. Bring your own firewood as it cannot be guaranteed. This cabin is designed to be barrier-free, with accessible boardwalks connecting the dock, cabin and outhouse. The boardwalk has an incline between 5 and 15 percent. Visitors must bring their own water supply, but water is also available from the lake and should be treated before drinking or cooking with it ( water safety ). Visitors should also bring sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cooking gear, lanterns or flashlights, food, toilet paper, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. Visitors are expected to pack out their trash, gear and food and clean the cabin before leaving (additional cabin details).

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Southeast Heckman Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 11.67 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.80 inches of precipitationMarch: 7.49 inches of precipitationApril: 7.33 inches of precipitationMay: 5.50 inches of precipitationJune: 4.73 inches of precipitationJuly: 5.19 inches of precipitationAugust: 8.01 inches of precipitationSeptember: 10.20 inches of precipitationOctober: 12.93 inches of precipitationNovember: 13.12 inches of precipitationDecember: 10.77 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.6°F averageFebruary: 36.2°F averageMarch: 38.1°F averageApril: 43.2°F averageMay: 49.9°F averageJune: 55.2°F averageJuly: 58.6°F averageAugust: 58.9°F averageSeptember: 53.3°F averageOctober: 45.9°F averageNovember: 38.8°F averageDecember: 34.8°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ketchikan 10N, 14 miles from the campground at 295 feet, station USC00504594 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 105 inches a year.

Getting there

Access to the cabin is by float plane. The cabin is approximately 15 miles from Ketchikan within the Naha Recreation Area. Cabin is located on the southeast shore of Heckman Lake about a half mile across from the inlet of the Naha River.

Nearest townKetchikan, Alaska
Coordinates55.5752° N, 131.5267° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • A short-shaft motor can be used with the skiff, but one is not provided.
  • Drinking water is not available at the cabin.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.8 mi
    Naha River National Recreation ↗
    5.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
  • 2.4 mi
    Naha Shelter Loop
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Naha Tram Loop
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness begins about 10.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The cabin sits in a clearing overlooking the lake, backed by old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock. The terrain is sloped above and below the cabin. Visitors can gaze out over the lake to the densely forested slopes on the other side. Sitka black-tailed deer, black bear, marten, mink, beaver and wolf are common to the area (bear safety and precautions). A variety of birds may be seen in and around the lake.

Recreation

Fishing and boating are popular activities at this cabin. The Naha River is noted for steelhead and salmon runs and offers resident trout and Dolly Varden. For information about fishing permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. Guests have use of the cabin's 14-foot aluminum skiff with oars, but they must provide their own life jackets.

Guidebooks for Alaska

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Sites at Southeast Heckman Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Southeast Heckman Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Site K04 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Fishing and boating are popular activities at this cabin. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Southeast Heckman Cabin?

Ketchikan, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Southeast Heckman Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Last Chance Campground (11.7 mi), Three C's Group Use Campground (13.1 mi), and Signal Creek Campground (13.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby