USDA Forest Service · Alaska

Josephine Lake Cabin

USDA Forest Service · Alaska, United States

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Sites
1
Hookups
1 no hookups
Season
Year-round
Drinking water
No
Restrooms
Yes
Elevation
1,857 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 1
Cell coverage
T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Lake
Tongass National Forest
Nearest town
CRAIG
Address
P.O. BOX 500, CRAIG, AK, 99921
Activities
Camping, Hiking, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing

1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Josephine Lake Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site is located at an elevation of 1,800 feet and offers a scenic setting for fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing, within the vicinity of the cabin.

The site is accessible by float plane only. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

There are no fish in Josephine Lake, but hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing are popular pastimes for visitors to the cabin. The alpine terrain is quite stunning, showcasing a display of wildflowers in mid-summer.

Boating or kayaking on the lake offers a peaceful setting for viewing wildlife in the area. An aluminum skiff with oars available for use. Guests are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices.

Facilities

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 people. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, an oil stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities
include a cooking counter, shelves, cupboard space, 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, #1 diesel stove oil, 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. Click here for more cabin details.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated on the shores of Josephine Lake, a cold, clear alpine lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks reaching elevations of 4,000 feet. The terrain is rugged with a mixture of stunted trees and alpine vegetation. Wildflowers dot the area in mid-summer.

Wildlife in the area is abundant, including Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.

The area is famous for its quartz and epidote crystals. Several mining claims are nearby, including some that are active, and others that have been idle for some time. Visitors are asked to please respect the property rights of private landowners and note that prospecting, digging, or collecting mineral specimens on the private land near Josephine Lake is prohibited.

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.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January35°28°-10°43°11 of 11
February35°25°11°42°11 of 11
March36°25°16°54°11 of 11
April41°29°19°58°11 of 11
May49°37°29°72°5 of 11
June52°40°34°72°0 of 11
July56°46°38°71°0 of 11
August57°48°36°81°0 of 11
September54°42°32°65°0 of 11
October45°37°23°58°7 of 10
November38°29°20°46°10 of 10
December34°26°17°44°10 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Alaska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.