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

Harvey Lake Cabin

Harvey Lake Cabin is open year-round and sits on a beautiful, off-coast freshwater lake and provides access to great boating, fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. The cabin is accessible by boat or float plane. Visitors arriving by boat must hike a half-mile from saltwater to get to the cabin. It is 18 miles from Petersburg by air and 21 miles by boat. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
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Photos courtesy of HARVEY LAKE CABIN · Recreation.gov

Amenities & rules

FeesReservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of seven consecutive nights per party for any one reservation from May 1 through Sept. 30 and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights per party from Oct. 1 through April 30.

The A-frame cabin has two single wooden bunks, a sleeping loft for additional people, a wood stove, a large deck overlooking the lake and an outhouse with a pit toilet. A broom, dustpan, axe and splitting maul may also be available, but could be missing or damaged. It is recommended that visitors bring their own water supply, but water can also be collected from the lake or a nearby creek. Any water from natural sources should be treated or boiled before using. Guests need to bring sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove and cooking gear, towels, food, clothing and garbage bags, among other necessities.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Harvey Lake Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 11.39 inches of precipitation, 20.7 inches of snowFebruary: 7.60 inches of precipitation, 16.9 inches of snowMarch: 7.60 inches of precipitation, 20.0 inches of snowApril: 6.66 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowMay: 5.86 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 4.98 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.63 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 8.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 14.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 13.84 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowNovember: 12.28 inches of precipitation, 10.8 inches of snowDecember: 11.79 inches of precipitation, 15.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.9°F averageFebruary: 32.1°F averageMarch: 34.9°F averageApril: 41.4°F averageMay: 48.5°F averageJune: 54.0°F averageJuly: 56.3°F averageAugust: 55.8°F averageSeptember: 50.8°F averageOctober: 43.3°F averageNovember: 35.8°F averageDecember: 31.8°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Petersburg 1, 17 miles from the campground at 107 feet, station USW00025329 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 110 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 86 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

By float plane from Petersburg, it is 18 miles.

Nearest townPetersburg, Alaska
Coordinates56.5644° N, 133.0586° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Firewood is generally provided, but is not guaranteed.
  • Drinking water is not provided.

Explore

  • under 0.1 mi
    Harvey Lake Trail
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4 mi
    Kah Sheets Lake Trail
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.4 mi
    Kah Sheets Lake Trail Spur
    0.2 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.

Natural features

The cabin is located on Woewodski Island near Duncan Canal. It is situated at the west end of Harvey Lake at an elevation of 100 feet. The surrounding terrain is forested hills. Woewodski Island has a long history of mining, with remnants of mines and current exploratory activities located throughout the area. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including grouse, black bears, deer, moose and waterfowl. Visitors are asked to be considerate of the state's abundant biology and practice wildlife etiquette.

Recreation

The Harvey Lake Trail is an easy half-mile trek leading from saltwater to Harvey Lake, following Harvey Creek. The trailhead can be difficult to locate. It is east of a small islet and south of the private cabins. Look for the red and white trailhead marker on the beach, then walk northward to an opening on the right through woods. The land north of the trailhead is private. Please respect the rights of property owners. The cabin is located near a picnic site with a sandy beach and swimming area. Boating and fishing are also popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area. A rowboat with oars is available at the cabin; however, life jackets are not provided. Visitors may wish to bring a small outboard motor. Anglers might see cutthroat trout in the lake and coho salmon near the mouth of Harvey Creek in early fall. Hunting in the surrounding hills is also popular among visitors. Be aware of wildlife in the area and learn about bear safety.

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 Harvey Lake Cabin?

Sites at Harvey Lake 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 Harvey Lake Cabin?

Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of seven consecutive nights per party for any one reservation from May 1 through Sept. 30 and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights per party from Oct. 1 through April 30.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Harvey Lake Cabin?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Harvey Lake Cabin have?

1 site.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Harvey Lake Cabin?

The Harvey Lake Trail is an easy half-mile trek leading from saltwater to Harvey Lake, following Harvey Creek. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Harvey Lake Cabin?

Petersburg, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Harvey Lake Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ohmer Creek Campground (12.2 mi, first-come), El Capitan Campground (29.5 mi), and Nemo Campsites Entry & Info Site (32.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby