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

Honker Lake Cabin

Honker Lake Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, canoeing and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin. The site can either be accessed by float plane or canoe. Canoeing is a common way to access the cabin as it is located on the Honker Divide Canoe Route. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Honker Lake Cabin1Honker LakeHonker Lake Cabin2Honker Lake Cabin3
Photos courtesy of Staś Moszynski · 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 / vehicles
T046 / –

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.

The cabin is a 12 x 12 foot primitive, pre-cut cedar log cabin ( pan-abode style ) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to six guests. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, shelves, cupboard space, an axe, splitting maul, and a broom. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed. The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Guests must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove, stove fuel, fire starter, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags. Water is available from the lake, but must be filtered, boiled or chemically treated before drinking. There is an aluminum skiff with oars available at the cabin, and guests may choose to bring a long shaft motor for boat use.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Honker Lake Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 8.16 inches of precipitationFebruary: 5.46 inches of precipitationMarch: 6.25 inches of precipitationApril: 5.09 inches of precipitationMay: 3.51 inches of precipitationJune: 4.08 inches of precipitationJuly: 5.30 inches of precipitationAugust: 6.98 inches of precipitationSeptember: 8.63 inches of precipitationOctober: 12.12 inches of precipitationNovember: 10.52 inches of precipitationDecember: 9.08 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.2°F averageFebruary: 33.9°F averageMarch: 36.2°F averageApril: 41.9°F averageMay: 48.6°F averageJune: 54.4°F averageJuly: 58.1°F averageAugust: 57.8°F averageSeptember: 52.1°F averageOctober: 44.3°F averageNovember: 37.0°F averageDecember: 33.7°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Thorne Bay, 17 miles from the campground at 286 feet, station USC00509148 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 85 inches a year.

Getting there

Honker Lake Cabin is accessible by float plane or canoe along the Honker Divide Canoe Route. The cabin is 54 air miles from Ketchikan. In fall, winter, and early spring, the cabin may be inaccessible as float planes cannot land on the frozen lake surface.

Nearest townThorne Bay, Alaska
Coordinates55.8317° N, 132.8894° W · Directions ↗

Explore

Natural features

The cabin sits on the gently rolling shoreline of Honker Lake. It is surrounded by a temperate rainforest of old-growth spruce, hemlock and cedar, and an understory of dense huckleberry and salmonberry bushes. Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl. The site is named after the migrating Canada geese ("honkers") that frequent the area. Bald eagles, wolves, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears are also in the area. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.

Recreation

The Honker Divide Canoe Route is Prince of Wales Island's longest trail. It extends 30 miles on the Hatchery Creek/Thorne River system through the heart of the island, affording glimpses of mountain views, expansive muskegs and open river. The Honker Divide Canoe Route is a challenging combination of river and lake paddles. The first 7 miles are against the current and the portages are on natural tread and may be muddy, but the trip is well worth the effort. Boaters should plan ahead and prepare for changing weather conditions and always wear personal floatation devices when boating. Anglers will find that the area is quite scenic while fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, coho and sockeye salmon. Hikers can hike extensively on primitive trails along the lake's edge.

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 Honker Lake Cabin?

Sites at Honker 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 Honker Lake 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 Honker Lake Cabin?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Honker Lake Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Honker Lake Cabin?

The Honker Divide Canoe Route is Prince of Wales Island's longest trail. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Honker Lake Cabin?

Thorne Bay, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Honker Lake Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Staney Bridge Campground (9.2 mi, first-come), Horseshoe Hole Campground (9.4 mi, first-come), and Eagles Nest Campground (10.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby