Falls Lake Shelter

Open — Open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservation or fee required. Access requires boat or floatplane to trailheads.

About

Falls Lake Shelter is a three-sided Adirondack-style shelter located at the east end of Falls Lake in the Petersburg Ranger District of Tongass National Forest. The shelter sits above Falls Lake near the upper waterfall along Cascade Creek Trail, approximately 16 air miles northeast of Petersburg in Thomas Bay. The 4.1-mile Cascade Creek Trail provides access to the shelter through spruce and hemlock forest, following Cascade Creek through increasingly steep and challenging terrain. Hikers can access the trail from three points: Cascade Creek Cabin trailhead, a tidewater trailhead near the creek mouth, or from west of Swan Lake. All trailheads require boat or floatplane access. A rowboat is provided at Falls Lake to transport gear to the upper end where the shelter is located. The shelter provides basic protection from the elements and is available for day or overnight use with no reservation or fee required. The area offers excellent rainbow trout fishing in Falls Lake and Swan Lake, scenic views of granitic cliffs and waterfalls, and access to alpine areas frequented by mountain goats. Users must be self-sufficient and prepared for remote wilderness conditions in Southeast Alaska's temperate rainforest.

Directions

The shelter is located at the east end of Falls Lake along the Cascade Creek Trail. Access trailheads by boat or floatplane: from Cascade Creek Cabin (16 air miles northeast of Petersburg in Thomas Bay), from the tidewater trailhead near the mouth of Cascade Creek, or from west of Swan Lake. The shelter is approximately 3.5 miles from the Thomas Bay trailhead or 1 mile from the Swan Lake trailhead.

Nearby Campgrounds