Salmon Bay Lake Cabin
Salmon Bay Lake Cabin offers visitors a unique Alaskan lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island. Located on the northern part of the island, the remote site offers a scenic setting for recreation and relaxation in the Tongass National Forest. Access to the site is by float plane or a boating/hiking combination, only at high tide. 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 |
|---|---|
| T09 | 6 / – |
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 12 x 14 foot log cabin ( pan-abode style ) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to six people. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outdoor toilet. Other amenities include a cooking bench, axe, splitting maul, saw and a broom. The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Visitors 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. Visitors are asked to be conservative with wood and use their cook stoves for cooking. 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 visitors 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
Getting there
Salmon Bay Lake Cabin is accessible by float plane on Salmon Lake, or by a boat/trail combination only at high tide. From the Salmon Bay Lake trailhead: The 1.5 mile hike from a saltwater bay through muddy and slippery conditions, includes fording a stream to a boat with oars provided by the Forest…
| Nearest town | Thorne Bay, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 56.2625° N, 133.1925° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.6 miSalmon Bay Lake1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.1 miPine Point 2079000 Rd ↗4.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3 miSpruce Dome Hill North1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.2 miSpurce Dome Hill 2079300 Rd1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.4 mi20008789 Road3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.6 mi2079200 Road0.6 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 back on the rolling, forested shore of Salmon Bay Lake, beneath a towering canopy of old-growth spruce, hemlock and cedar trees. A large sandy beach extends from the front of the cabin. Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl, eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears ( Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest ).
Recreation
Salmon Bay Lake provides good fishing opportunities for cutthroat, Dolly Varden, pink, chum, coho, and sockeye salmon. Swimming and beachcombing on the large sandy beach outside the cabin during the warmer summer months is popular, as the cabin receives southern sun exposure. Hikers may be interested in Salmon Bay Lake Trail which extends from the saltwater flats of Salmon Bay to the cabin. This 1.5 mile hike accesses the skiff that is used to access the cabin for those traveling by boat and trail. The trail is rated more difficult because of muddy areas and bad footing on the trail. At the north end of the trail there is some moderate climbing.
Guidebooks for Alaska
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Salmon Bay Lake Cabin?
Sites at Salmon 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 Salmon 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 Salmon Bay Lake Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Salmon Bay Lake Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Salmon Bay Lake Cabin?
Salmon Bay Lake provides good fishing opportunities for cutthroat, Dolly Varden, pink, chum, coho, and sockeye salmon. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Salmon Bay Lake Cabin?
Thorne Bay, Alaska.
Source: Getting there
What if Salmon Bay Lake Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are El Capitan Campground (8.5 mi), Ohmer Creek Campground (27.8 mi, first-come), and Horseshoe Hole Campground (31.1 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby