Decision Point State Marine Park and Decision Point Public Use Cabin
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Decision Point State Marine Park is on the south side of Passage Canal approximately eight miles east of Whittier. The park is generally used by kayakers and small boat users, as there is no protected anchorage. The public use cabin in this park is located on the west side of Squirrel Cove. The cabin sleeps up to 8 people and has a table, benches, counter, and oil stove. The stove uses #1 fuel oil or kerosene.
Four tent platforms are also located in Squirrel Cove and can be accessed from the cabin by a boardwalk trail. Each tent platform can accommodate one tent and they are available on a first come basis. A cooking area and bear-proof locker is provided for food storage.
Just south of Decision Point is an east-facing pebble beach that provides dry, flat camping for up to 10 tents between the dead trees. The camp areas are above the high tide and have two fire rings.
This cabin can be reached by private boat, kayak, floatplane, or commercial water taxi. If using a private boat or kayak, please use the caution necessary for coastal Alaskan waters with respect to tides, weather, currents, and your party's abilities and experience level. No mooring buoys are provided at Decision Point State Marine Park. If pulling a kayak, inflatable or small skiff ashore, be sure to secure your boat to avoid losing it at high tide or in surf conditions. Whittier Water Taxi is an approved State of Alaska transporter - let us arrange your transport to and from the cabin.
Check cabin availability here: http://dnr.alaska.gove/parks/cabins/pws.htm#decp
For more cabin information, click here: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/cabins/index.htm
For Cabin Reservation, click here: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/cabins/reserv.htm
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Surprise Cove State Marine Park Camping
Surprise Cove State Marine Park is located on the western side of the mouth of Cochrane Bay. There are many recreational opportunities and it is one of the most popular anchorages in western Prince William Sound. The park includes forested uplands and two large lakes draining into Surprise Cove. The uplands and muskeg throughout the park provide good exploratory hiking. A short trail to North Lake can be found starting at the head of the northern bight (around the point westward of the largest camping beach). A small orange triangle with a black "T" will mark the trail head next to a small creek. Abundant tide pool life can be found at Point Cochrane during minus tides.
There are about seven camping sites on various terrains. The most popular site, which is protected from weather and on flat slate pebbles, is located above the gravel beach just inside the north entrance to the cove. Larger groups with kayaks or small motorboats often use the site, which has room for approximately 12 tents. Three tent platforms nest against the hillside here to offer scenic views and drier camping pads. A small bear-proof locker and latrine are in the center of this beach.
The second largest site is above the exposed beach just northeast of Point Cochrane. There is room for five tents, but it is only usable in fair weather due to beach surf. The other sites within the cove are single tent sites. Two are on relatively dry land by the northern bight, or bend, in the coast, and the others are on wetlands above the beach and on the islands. One of the northern bight sites is located on moss in the trees just west of the stream, and the other is on the small rock promontory 150 feet southeast of the stream. One of these island sites has part of an old tent platform. Water can be collected at streams that feed the cove.
Don't have camp gear? We rent out full camp kits if you're going out with Whittier Water Taxi. Contact Heidi at (907) 362-1290.
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Chugach National Forest | Pigot Bay Rental Cabin
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This 16' A-frame cabin with a loft sleeps up to 6 people. It has a table, wood stove, woodshed (with some wood available in the area), splitting maul, crosscut saw, and an outhouse. There is no running water, electricity, mattresses or bedding, cooking utensils, or cut firewood.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
The cabin is on a bluff 12' above the ocean overlooking Pigot Bay. Access from the beach is by steps.
Climate is often wet, windy, and cool. Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of your trip so bring extra supplies to last an extra two days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended. Drinking water is sometimes difficult to obtain near cabin.
Whittier Water Taxi starts transporting to this cabin in March every year. Most requests to go out there are from telemark skiers and kayakers.
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Chugach National Forest | Paulson Bay Rental Cabin
This 12' x 14' log cabin sleeps 6 and has a table, wood stove, splitting maul, crosscut saw, covered woodshed, firewood (some searching required), and outhouse. Not included: running water, electricity, mattress or bedding, or cooking utensils.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
The weather may be wet, windy and cool. Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of your trip, so bring extra supplies to last an extra 2 days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended. Drinking water is sometimes difficult to obtain near the cabin.
The cabin is in an area that offers seclusion and majestic scenery as well as excellent fishing and hunting. Hiking in the area is fairly easy because of relatively little brush to inhibit movement. There is a route from the cabin north to the creek (about 3/4 mile). A small boat can increase the opportunity to explore the bay and surrounding coast. (Boats not supplied by the Forest Service.) The cabin is situated for a spectacular view of Port Wells and into College Fjord with Harvard Glacier in the background. The lagoon at the head of the bay offers fish viewing.
Whittier Water Taxi starts transporting to this cabin in March each year. This cabin makes an awesome base camp for an extended kayaking trip.
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Chugach National Forest | Shrode Lake Rental Cabin
This 16' A-frame cabin with a loft sleeps up to 8 people. It has a table, oil heater, boat with oars, boathouse, and an outhouse. There is no running water, electricity, mattresses or bedding, cooking utensils, life vests, or stove oil.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
This cabin offers a secluded gateway in majestic surroundings. This area receives heavy snowfalls, making skiing in the early spring awesome! Since Threefingers Cove and Long Bay freeze in the winter, the cross-country trek from the nearest water taxi drop-off point to the cabin can be challenging! A small run of sockeye salmon passes through in mid-July, followed by abundant pink salmon through mid-August, and silver salmon in late August. You can fish for salmon in Shrode Lake, in the the lake outlet and the creek it feeds, in the lagoon beyond that, and in Long Bay - which is beyond the lagoon. There is also fishing for Dolly Varden in Shrode Lake. Berries ripen in August. A recently improved one-mile hiking trail leads from the cabin to Long Bay. There is no bridge across the creek that drains Shrode Lake, but once you've waded across at a ford site marked with posts, you can hike 3 miles to Threefingers Cove along a new hiking trail. You can also hike east along a more primitive trail to Jack Lake about half a mile away. Sea kayakers can portage to saltwater west or north, but it's a hard, long haul. Access via the Long Bay trail is the shorter, better route.
Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of the trip, so bring supplies to last an extra 2 days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended. Drinking water is sometimes difficult to obtain near the cabin.
Whittier Water Taxi starts transporting to this cabin each March. Most requests to go out there at that time of year are from telemark skiers. Summer activities include fly fishing, hiking, and kayaking.
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Chugach National Forest | Goose Bay/Culross Passage Rental Cabin
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Approximately six miles into Goose Bay, this 12' x 14' log cabin sleeps up to 6 people. It has a table, wood stove, woodshed (with some wood available in the area), splitting maul, crosscut saw, and an outhouse. There is no running water, electricity, mattresses or bedding, cooking utensils, or cut firewood.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
The weather can be wet, windy, and cool. Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of the trip, so bring extra supplies to last an extra 2 days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended as well as drinking water.
Kayaking, skiing, and hiking in Culross Passage is awesome. Whittier Water Taxi starts transporting to this cabin each March. Most requests to go out there are from telemark skiers in the spring and kayakers in the summer.
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Chugach National Forest | Green Island Rental Cabin
This rustic cabin is fully wheelchair accessible and sleeps up to 6 people. It has a table, wood stove, oil stove, splitting maul, saw, rainwater catchment barrel, and an outhouse. There is no running water, electricity, mattresses or bedding, cooking utensils, stove oil, or cut firewood.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
The weather can be wet, windy, and cool. Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of the trip, so bring extra supplies to last an extra 2-5 days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended as well as drinking water.
The Green Island cabin is on a narrow peninsula with one side facing Gibbon Anchorage (a shallow bay) and the other side facing Prince William Sound. It is one of the newest cabins in the District and has one of the most scenic settings of all. Located on a forested isthmus between Gibbon Anchorage and Prince William Sound, the surrounding terrain is flat and forested with muskeg openings.
Kayaking, hiking, and birding are excellent as well as deer hunting in the early season. Let Whittier Water Taxi arrange your transport to and from this cabin from Whittier, Alaska.
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Chugach National Forest | Port Chalmers Rental Cabin
(Montague Island)
This 12' x 14' foot rustic cabin sleeps up to 6 people and is on the southern end of Port Chalmers on the northwest side of Montague Island. It has a table, wood stove, oil stove, splitting maul, saw, rainwater catchment barrel, and an outhouse. There is no running water, electricity, mattresses or bedding, cooking utensils, stove oil, or cut firewood.
Occupancy of the Forest Service Cabins is by permit only ($35 per night per party). Reservations may be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 877-44-6777 or online at http://www.recreation.gov. The maximum stay for this cabin is 7 days.
The weather can be wet, windy, and cool. Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of the trip, so bring extra supplies to last an extra 2-5 days. Bringing a personal cooking stove is recommended as well as drinking water.
This cabin makes a great hunting base camp for Sitka black-tailed deer, brown bear, and waterfowl.
Pink, chum, and coho salmon fishing can all be good at the right times and tides. At high tides, schools of coho salmon will nose around the bay and lagoons near the cabin while they're searching for their spawning stream. Being in the ocean, these fish are still in their peak condition before the spawning run, so the action can be pretty intense while it lasts. At low tide, the coho move to other areas. Some pink salmon spawn in the tiny creeks around the cabin, so they tend to stick around.
The main spawning stream in the area is the Chalmers River, about a mile to the north across the inlet. One of the highlights is that there's a good run of chum salmon. Chums are often overlooked as a game fish, but a good size chum can be 15 lbs. Literally thousands of pink salmon spawn in the Chalmers River, and coho can be fished in the channels at the mouth or in some of the bigger pools upstream.
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