Kachemak Bay State Park Public Use Cabins at Halibut Cove, AK - Chalet, Cottage, and Cabin Style Lodging on Waymarking.com

In the Halibut Cove Lagoon, at the main entrance to the Kachemak Bay State Park, there are five public use cabins available for use. These cabins are in a lovely setting overlooking some of the most dramatic landscape that you will ever see.

Several of the cabins face Halibut Cove, an inlet of Kachemak Bay, which is part of the Cook Inlet of the Pacific Ocean. The water is calm, but the tides are among the greatest in the world. In high tide you can see all sorts of wildlife, including porpoises, sea otters and harbor seals. The water has a bluish tinge to it, likely due to siltation from one of the glacier streams that flow into the bay.

On land, the cabins are surrounded by tall peaks, from 1000 to over 5,000 feet high right to the water's edge. On these peaks you can see snow even in September, and glaciers can be seen on arrival or from one of the trails. There is lots of wildlife as well, including bald eagles, stellar jays, and black bear! In fact, from one of the cabins, we spotted one just 50 ft away on a rise above the cabin, and another on the beach about 300 ft away! So, if you don't want to be that close to nature, maybe the cabins aren't for you. But if you want to truly get away to experience one of the true wild areas of Alaska, there is little better than this.

The cabin we stayed at is one of the 6-person cabins. The amenities are sparce - no electricity, no plumbing, and no morning paper (maybe a few left over ones from months ago to be used to start the fire). There was bunk style bed with two levels and a regular bed. Each bed had a thick foam mattress - not the most comfortable, but it beats a hard wood base. There is a large table, with a sink built into it - which is an interesting idea, but in practice its hard to use. There is a wood stove that is usually stocked with wood, though after season, there are guidelines that say, to be safe, bring your own. Oh, and about the 'facilities.' There is an outhouse for each cabin some feet away from the cabin. They are modern enough and clean enough that they don't smell terribly, but, then again, we weren't there in the height of the summer.

Each cabin is widely separated from other cabins and camp sites, so you have a great deal of privacy at these locations. They vary in distance from the Ranger Station, which is seasonally staffed from May 15 - September 1. The cabins listed near Halibut Cove are: Lagoon-Overlook, Lagoon-East, Lagoon-West, China Poot Lake, and Moose Valley. There are other cabins within the park, but since the park is so HUGE (almost 400,000 acres), they are best logged separately as they are accessed in other ways.

Access to the cabins vary. Most require some walking across hilly ground, depending on where you were dropped off. One cabin, the Lagoon-East cabin is handicapped accessible to a point - the description mentions that some assistance to the cabin may be needed. The Lagoon-East cabin has a long stairway from the short beach to the door.

And, don't think you can drive to these cabins: there aren't any roads to the Halibut Cove. The only way is by boat or seaplane. Water taxis are available from Homer across the bay. If you plan on kayaking across, be sure that you are experienced kayakers and have the proper protective attire as the water is rough and cold.

After your stay, be sure to sign the guestbook!

Daily, weekly, or monthly rates: $50 non-peak / $65 peak per night. Additional fees (wood, boat parking) may also apply. Discounts available?: None known. Alaska residents may have preference in reserving. Kitchens or kitchenettes in the rooms?: No Refrigerator?: No Fireplaces in the rooms?: Wood stoves. Handicap accessible rooms?: Yes Restaurant on premises and type of restaurant?: No. There is a place at the mouth of Halibut Cove, but you must get there by boat. Childcare provisions?: None. Swimming pool?: No. Meeting or convention room(s) available?: No. Office hours and any seasonal operating times or closed periods?: The ranger station is open from May 15 to September 1, but the cabins are available all year. Office hours don't apply as you reserve online for the cabins. Describe ease of accessibility to the location using a vehicle, hiking, etc.: No roads. Only access to area is by boat or seaplane. From there, it varies by cabin. Some are by the water and are accessed by climbing stairs and then some walking. Some are accessed with a longer walk. Office phone number: (907) 269-8400 Office address: Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Public Information Center 550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 1260 Anchorage, AK 99501-3557 Website of facility: [Web Link] Types of recreation, activities, and attractions nearby: Hiking, kayaking (bring own), swimming (cold water!), reading, birding, and animal watching. There is an eating establishment if you can cross the lagoon - by boat.

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