Log Cabins for Rent
With an Alaskan Flavor!

Log cabins for rent by the State of Alaska are the rustic type. Many are cabins that have been around for awhile but have been fixed up a bit. Some, built more recently, also serve well as wilderness lodging for those who want a real 'backwoods Alaska vacation'.



You'll find these Alaska State Park cabin rentals in great demand, so reserve them well in advance. There are so many log cabins around Alaska, I'm sure there will soon be many private vacation log cabins for rent also.

The following log cabins for rent are along the Alaska/Richardson Highways going to Fairbanks: - For more information on log cabin rentals and trail conditions in this area, contact the State Parks Northern Area office at 451-2698.

• Glatfelder Cabin - in Quartz Lake State Recreation Area (near Delta Junction) - is 15' x 20' (4.57m x 6.1m) and sleeps 4. Maximum stay of 3 consecutive nights. A 1/2 mile (.8km) walk from campground. Cabin has plywood sleeping platforms, kitchen counter, shelves, table, benches, woodstove, propane lantern (bring disposable propane cylinders), fire extinguisher, bow saw, ax, and broom. Gather dead and downed wood on your way in. Use lake water, melt snow or bring your own. Best to have studded tires, chains or 4-wheel drive - steep road into recreation area. Available YEAR AROUND. In winter, reach cabin by snowmachine, skiing on frozen lake or walking.
• Salcha River Cabin - At Salcha River State Recreation Site, 40 miles (64.4km) southeast of Fairbanks - is a 12' x 14' (3.66m x 4.27m) log cabin and sleeps 3. Maximum stay is 3 consecutive nights. Has a wood stove, table, seats, propane lantern (bring disposable propane cylinders), broom, saw and shovel. Wood can be gathered nearby. Bring water or purify river water or snow. Available WINTER ONLY (October 1 to April 30). The 400 yard (366m) driveway off the Richardson Highway is NOT plowed in winter.

The following log cabins for rent are in the Chena River State Recreation Area - on Chena Hot Springs Road, east of Fairbanks:

• Colorado Creek Cabin - is 12' x 16' (3.66m x 4.88m) and sleeps 4. Use creek water, melt snow or bring your own. The shorter 5.8 mile (9.33km) Colorado Creek Trail starts at Mile 31.6, Chena Hot Springs Rd. It is used for winter access only, by snowmachine, dog team, skis, or snowshoe. The 18 mile (29km) Compeau Trail, which starts at Mile 19.9, Chena Hot Springs Road, can be used as a summer route to the cabin. But this route also has some steep grades and is closed from April 20 to May 22, because of springtime mud. Cabin available YEAR AROUND but easier access in WINTER. A log cabin rental ONLY for the adventurous and hardy!

• Stiles Creek Cabin - is 12' x 14' (3.66m x 4.27m) and sleeps 6. A nice log cabin with a half-loft and 4' (1.22m) porch. View of Chena River Valley. About mid-way on a 15 (24.1km) mile loop ridge trail. Stiles Creek Trail has red trail markers from the trailhead at either Mile 31.6 or Mile 36.4 Chena Hot Springs Road. Available YEAR AROUND.
• Chena River Cabin - is 20' X 24' (6.1m x 7.32m) and sleeps 9. Located at Mile 32.2, Chena Hot Springs Road, this new log cabin is surrounded large spruce and birch trees. It has an interesting porch, 8' long (2.44m), with a picnic table on it. A short trail leads to a large gravel bar in Chena River. Has road access and is available YEAR AROUND. May need some snow shoveling in winter.
• Hunt Memorial Cabin - is 16' X 24' (4.88m x 7.32m) and sleeps 6. Located at Mile 42.3, Chena Hot Springs Road just before Red Squirrel Campground. Has a loft window and front porch is facing Chena River. Has road access and is available YEAR AROUND.
• North Fork Cabin - is 20' X 24' (6.1m x 7.32m) and sleeps 8. Located at Mile 47.7, Chena Hot Springs Road. Use river water or bring your own. Has road access and is available SUMMER or YEAR AROUND.

Though I don't know if there were any log cabins for rent, we lived in a few deserted log cabins when I was growing up. One was next to Ptarmigan Creek, just south of Moose Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. It was owned by a sailor who was never there, so let our family use it.

The kitchen had a wood-burning cook stove. The walls were built out of logs standing upright. Mom worried it might fall down in an earthquake but that never happened. The logs for the rest of the cabin were laying down like they should be. Of course, there wasn't any plumbing. We had an outhouse. A meat cache was just behind the house, which made a fine playhouse. The cabin was totally furnished with hand-hewn log furniture, in rather rough style. The converted oil-drum stove heated the cabin and we used a coleman lantern for lighting.

As far as us kids were concerned, this place was like living in a treasure chest! There was an intersting double Dutch double door, painted aqua, in the dining area. The color matched the full-size pair of wooden dutch shoes we found. The attic was full of books from all over the world. Though I couldn't read them, I studied the strange words. They fascinated me. We used paints from the storage shed to paint our 'meat cache' tree house (it was about 8' off the ground) a few lovely colors. We furnished it with small wooden kegs, boxes and boards.

In autumn, Mom made up jars of strawberry jam from berries that had grown wild. In early winter, we stuffed cotton (from an old mattress) into spaces between the house logs. That kept chill winds from blowing through the cabin. Around March, moose came down from the mountains and visited us. One put his footprint in the grease of a large iron skillet Mom set out on the porch to cool!

Life was interesting and exciting - without any modern entertainment. We entertained ourselves and never got tired of it.

• Matanuska Glacier Cabin - is 16' x 20' (4.88m x 6.1m) and sleeps 4. Cabin has electric lights, double beds (no linens), a woodstove, table and chairs. Has a 6' (1.8m) porch, picnic table, fire-ring and outdoor latrine (toilet). Well water available in summer only. Has great views, but steep cliff near cabin. Any log cabins for rent here are not recommended for those with small children. Located at Mile 101, Glenn Highway, cabin is road accessible YEAR AROUND. The Long Rifle Lodge concessionaire handles this log cabin rental. For more information, rates and reservations, call (907) 745-5151.

The following log cabins for rent are on the Kenai Peninsula - Homer Area

• Lagoon-East Cabin - is 16' x 16' (4.88m x 4.88m) and sleeps 6. Located on a rock bluff, 250' by boardwalk, from the Halibut Cove Lagoon Public Dock. Cabin has a double wood bunk, a wood sleeping platform, table, counter, benches and wood stove. Outdoor latrine nearby. Bring water or purify and use water when available, from ranger station. A woodstove is available for heat. Maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights. Available YEAR AROUND.

• Lagoon-West Cabin - is 16' x 16' (4.88m x 4.88m) and sleeps 6. Has double wood bunk, wood sleeping platform, table, counter, benches and wood stove. Outdoor latrine nearby. Purify creek water or bring your own. Located on a rock bluff over lagoon. Can be reached two ways: 1 - a long, steep stairway from beach on the southwest corner of Halibut Cove Lagoon, just east of trailhead, or 2 - along a short trail to the trailhead. Two mooring buoys available off trailhead. Maximum stay - 7 consecutive nights. Available YEAR AROUND.

• China Poot Lake Cabin in Kachemak Bay State Park across bay from Homer - is 16' x 16' (4.88m x 4.88m) and sleeps 6. Has a wood stove. Located 2.4 miles (3.86km) from Halibut Cove Lagoon trailhead on the shores of China Poot or Leisure Lake. No dock available but reachable by floatplane from Homer. Purify lake water or bring your own. Maximum stay - 7 consecutive nights. Available YEAR AROUND.

The following log cabins for rent are in the Western Region along the Parks Highway:

• Byers Lake Cabin #1 - in Denali State Park near Trapper Creek - is 12' x 16' (3.66m x 4.88m) and sleeps 6. This is one of the authentic sod-roofed log cabins for rent! In summer, take the 1 mile (1.61km) gravel road to cabin. In winter, park in the Veteran's Memorial parking lot (at Milepost 147.1, Parks Highway) and follow the trail with ski/snowshoe/dogsled/snowmachine, taking the left fork at bottom of the hill. Total distance - 1 mile (1.61km). Maximum stay - 5 consecutive nights. Available YEAR AROUND.

This is a brief summary of the State of Alaska's log cabins for rent. More information about Alaska state cabin rentals and a reservation application form is available with the rest of the State Park Cabins information. If you are looking for more remote log cabins for rent, you could also check the Alaska Forest Service cabin rentals. Hope there was a log cabin rental that was just right for your Alaska vacation!

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