Red Bay Lake Cabin
Red Bay Lake Cabin offers visitors a unique Alaskan lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island. Situated on the northern part of the island, the remote site provides a scenic setting for recreation and relaxation in the Tongass National Forest. Access to the site is by float plane or a vehicle/hiking/boating combination. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗



Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | People / vehicles |
|---|---|
| T08 | 8 / – |
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
| Fees | 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. |
The cabin is a 15 x 17-foot, two-story, log cabin ( pan-abode style ) furnished with a sleeping loft and wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to eight guests. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outdoor toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, shelves, counter space, fire extinguisher, axe, splitting maul and a broom. 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. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed. Guests are asked to be conservative with wood and use their cook stoves for cooking.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Red Bay Lake Cabin is accessible by float plane or a vehicle/hiking/boating combination. Refer to USGS maps Petersburg A-4 and Petersburg B-4. The trailhead to access the cabin is approximately a 3.5 hour drive from Hollis or 2 hours from Thorne Bay on Forest Road #20.
| Nearest town | Thorne Bay, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 56.2411° N, 133.3200° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Trails nearby
- 1.4 miRed Bay Lake Trail0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.5 mi2080100 Road3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 1.9 mi2080000 Rd Big Creek2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 2 mi20008789 Road3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 2.1 miSalmon Creek Headwaters1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 2.2 miSpruce Dome Hill North1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
The cabin sits on the forested shore of Red Bay Lake. The lake is lined with old-growth spruce, hemlock and cedar trees, with a dense understory of brush and rocky outcroppings. Visible from the cabin, the vertical wall of Red Bay Mountain rises 3,000 feet in elevation along with neighboring limestone peaks. Wildlife in the area abounds, including loons, eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. ( Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest. )
Recreation
Fishing opportunities are abundant in the area surrounding the cabin. The fish most noted include coho, pink, chum, and sockeye salmon, steelhead, cutthroat, and Dolly Varden. The cabin is also an excellent location for sport fishing in the Red Bay Creek drainage. The cabin provides an aluminum skiff with oars available at the cabin, and guests may choose to bring a long shaft motor for boat use. Guests are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices. Red Bay Lake Trail extends from the trailhead on Forest Road #20 to a row boat at the north end of Red Bay Lake, providing visitors an access option other than aircraft. For visitors hiking into Red Bay Lake Cabin, this 3/4 mile trail accesses the row boat that is used to reach the cabin. Rowing across the lake takes approximately 1 hour. The scenic trail is mostly boardwalk and winds between large cedar trees and crossing over a stream.
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 Red Bay Lake Cabin?
Sites at Red Bay 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 Red Bay 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 Red Bay Lake Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Red Bay Lake Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Red Bay Lake Cabin?
Fishing opportunities are abundant in the area surrounding the cabin. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Red Bay Lake Cabin?
Thorne Bay, Alaska.
Source: Getting there
What if Red Bay Lake Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are El Capitan Campground (5.4 mi), Horseshoe Hole Campground (30.4 mi, first-come), and Staney Bridge Campground (31 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby


