A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Sarkar Lake Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Tongass National Forest, Prince of Wales-Hyder County, Alaska. 10.1 miles from Whale Pass.

Managed by
Forest Service Tongass National Forest
Elevation
0 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Sarkar Lake Cabin offers guests recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, canoeing and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin.

The site can either be accessed by vehicle and a two mile boat trip, or by float plane. Canoeing is a common way to access the cabin. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

The Sarkar Lakes Canoe Route offers boaters the opportunity to explore a relatively pristine area of lakes and islands, where salmon streams enter the lake and bears and deer are frequently spotted. The entire route is 16 miles, with 3 miles of portage. Boaters should plan ahead and prepare for changing weather conditions and always wear personal floatation devices when boating.

A developed boat launch and parking area provides easy access to the canoe route, and rental companies will deliver boats and gear upon request. Check with the Chamber of Commerce for details.

Anglers will find Sarkar Lake to be a quiet, scenic spot for a variety of trout and salmon fishing. The Sarkar Rapids burst with sockeye salmon each July, attracting black bears and harbor seals. Bird watchers are also drawn to the Sarkar area because of its wide array of waterfowl.

Hunters can take advantage of the long hunting season in the surrounding national forest. Bear season occurs during spring and fall, while deer season begins in late summer and lasts through the late fall.

Facilities

The cabin is a 12 x 12 foot primitive, pre-cut cedar log cabin ( pan-abode style ) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to six guests. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, an axe, splitting maul, fire extinguisher and a broom. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed.

The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Guests must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove, stove fuel, fire starter, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags. Water is available from the lake, but must be filtered, boiled or chemically treated before drinking. Click here for more cabin details.

An aluminum skiff with oars is available for use at the boat launch. Guests may choose to bring a long shaft motor for boat use, and are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices. Guests should also be cautious when boating, as there numerous rocks in the lake; a good marine chart is recommended.

Natural Features

The cabin sits on the shore of Sarkar Lake near the start of the Sarkar Lake Canoe Route. The shoreline is surrounded by a temperate rainforest of old-growth forest, towering over muskeg openings, lakes and streams.

Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl, bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Sarkar Lake Cabin

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.