USDA Forest Service · Alaska
Honker Lake Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Alaska, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 200 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · T-Mobile none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Tongass National Forest
- Nearest town
- THORNE BAY
- Address
- HONKER LAKE CABIN, THORNE BAY, AK, 99919
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
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.
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 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. Guests are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices.
Click here for more cabin details.
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.
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
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 34° | -1° | 49° | 5 of 11 |
| February | 40° | 31° | 14° | 49° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 41° | 33° | 21° | 60° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 46° | 36° | 25° | 62° | 7 of 11 |
| May | 55° | 43° | 38° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 58° | 47° | 42° | 77° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 61° | 52° | 44° | 75° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 63° | 54° | 45° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 60° | 50° | 45° | 70° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 49° | 43° | 34° | 65° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 36° | 18° | 51° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 34° | 12° | 51° | 6 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
- Sweet Water Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 1 sites
- Eagles Nest Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 12 sites
- Control Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 1 sites
- Staney Creek Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 1 sites
- Barnes Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 1 sites
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.