Nearly all of Southeast Alaska, stretching 500 miles from Ketchikan to Yakutat, is in Tongass National Forest. The towns sit in small pockets of private land surrounded by 17 million acres of land controlled by the U.S. Forest Service -- an area nearly as large as the state of Maine, and considerably larger than any other national forest or national park in the United States. The majority of this land has never been logged and the rate of logging has dropped dramatically in recent years, preserving one of the world's great temperate rainforests in its virgin state. It's an intact ecosystem full of wildlife, and mostly free of human development. Indeed, you quickly forget it is the Tongass National Forest. Since it always surrounds you when you're in this region, it's simply the land.
Forest Service Cabins
One of the best ways to get into Southeast's wilderness is by staying at one of the scores of remote Forest Service Public Recreation Cabins. These are simple cabins without electricity or running water where you can lay your sleeping bag on a bunk and sit by a warm woodstove out of the rain. You need to bring everything with you, as if camping, but it's a good deal more comfortable than a tent. And you will probably find yourself in a stunningly beautiful spot, perhaps with your own lake and a boat for fishing. Cabins are located along canoe trails, on beaches best reached by sea kayak, on high mountain lakes accessible only by floatplane, and along hiking trails. We've done this many times with our family by boat or canoe or on foot. I've learned three critical lessons to pass on: Do your research, pack carefully (take all the essentials, but little more), and spend at least 3 nights to make all the effort pay off with real relaxation.
Getting Cabin Information -- I've listed a few of the cabins in the sections devoted to the town that they're closest to, but for complete information check the Tongass website (www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass) or contact the visitor centers and ranger offices. The main contact point for recreation information for the whole forest is the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, 50 Main St., Ketchikan, AK 99901 (tel. 907/228-6220).
You'll need a good map to figure out where the cabins are, and an idea of how to get there and how much travel will cost -- generally, the cost of transportation will be many times larger than the cabin rental fee of $25 to $45 a night. Few cabins can be reached without a boat or aircraft, and for all but large groups, flying is the economical way to go. A flight service can help you choose a cabin according to your interests and how far you can afford to fly. You may be able to rent the gear you need, but you'll have to reserve that ahead, too. The solution to these puzzles is different for each town.
Reserving a Cabin or Campsite -- The cabins and some campgrounds are reserved through a national system. Don't rely on the reservations operators or website for advice or cabin information -- they're in upstate New York -- instead, pose your questions to the ranger station nearest where you plan to go. The rangers are friendly and have probably stayed in the cabin you're interested in. When you're ready to book, the easiest way is to use www.recreation.gov, where you can check availability dates at various places. By telephone, contact the National Recreation Reservations Service at tel. 877/444-6777. The phone lines are open March through October daily 10am to midnight Eastern time, November through February 10am to 10pm. The system accepts payment only by bank card: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa. Cabins are available for reservation on a first-come, first-served basis, starting 180 days ahead, and campsites are available 240 days ahead. For the most popular cabins, you need to be online the minute reservations become available to have a chance.
