Sitka / South Baranof Wilderness / Tongass National Forest

Avoss Lake Cabin

Open — The cabin is open year-round for reservations. Floatplane access is generally available mid-June through mid-September when the lake is ice-free. The facility receives minimal maintenance; visitors should pack out all garbage and bring clean #1 diesel for the oil stove.

About

Avoss Lake Cabin sits at the edge of a muskeg near an inlet stream on the northern shore of Avoss Lake within the South Baranof Wilderness Area of Tongass National Forest. This rustic A-frame structure measures 16x16 feet with a sleeping loft and accommodates up to 8 people on plywood bunks. The cabin includes a table with benches, cooking counter, oil stove (requiring clean #1 diesel fuel), and a skiff with oars for lake access. At 800 feet elevation, the cabin overlooks a lake that stretches 1.5 miles long and nearly half a mile wide, surrounded by steep, rugged mountains. The wilderness setting offers solitude and natural beauty, with numerous streams and channels flowing through the area and abundant wildflowers blooming spring through summer. Visitors can hunt deer and mountain goat in season, fish for Dolly Varden and rainbow trout from July to September (though fishing is slow), or enjoy photography in this remote landscape. Brown bears frequent the area, requiring proper food storage and safety precautions. Access to the cabin requires a 30-minute floatplane flight from Sitka, weather permitting. Helicopter access is prohibited due to wilderness designation. The lake is generally ice-free for floatplane access from mid-June to mid-September. From the lakeshore landing, a narrow 150-foot trail through lightly wooded terrain leads to the cabin. Visitors must be self-sufficient and pack out all garbage, as the facility receives minimal maintenance.

Directions

Located 35 air miles southeast of Sitka on south-central Baranof Island, 5 miles northeast of Whale Bay. Access by floatplane only (30 minutes from Sitka). Helicopter access is prohibited in this wilderness area. From the lake shore, walk 150 feet along a narrow trail through lightly wooded area to reach the cabin. Refer to USGS topographic map Port Alexander C-3.

Nearby Campgrounds