Anan Bay Cabin

Anan Bay Cabin is popular for wildlife viewing due to its location near the Anan Wildlife Observatory, where bears and bald eagles come to fish for salmon in the adjacent creek. The setting in Anan Bay also provides access to saltwater fishing, viewing marine mammals and paddling. The cabin is about 27 miles southeast of the town of Wrangell, Alaska, and can be accessed by float plane or boat, depending on conditions. The 1-mile Anan Creek Trail leads from the cabin to the Anan Wildlife Observatory. During peak viewing season, the months of July and August, Forest Service interpreters are on-site to provide current information on bear safety, trail conditions and bear activity, and there is a high possibility of encountering bears on this trail during that time. From June 15th to September 15th no one is allowed off the trail by order of the Forest Supervisor, no dogs are allowed, no food is allowed outside of the cabin and the trailhead, and fishing is permitted only from the shore at the trailhead. During the permit season of July 5th to August 25th, no one is allowed past the trailhead before 8am or after 6pm; four observatory permits are reserved each day at the trailhead specifically for cabin users, to be purchased on-site. Steelhead is available in April and May, and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and pink salmon in July and August, with opportunities to fish for salmon and halibut in the surrounding saltwater. No outdoor fires are allowed at this cabin due to bear activity. Anan Bay Cabin was originally built in 1964; a cabin constructed in the spring of 2012 using Alaska yellow cedar from the Tongass National Forest was destroyed by a fallen tree in 2023, and a new cabin was built in 2024. This 16-by-20-foot cabin with loft was constructed from Western Red Cedar and has 2 single bunks, a table, benches, an oil heater (No. 1 stove oil only) and an outhouse toilet. Bedding, cooking utensils and stove oil are not provided; pack No. 1 stove oil, bedding, a cook stove and cookware, lighting, food and other supplies. Water and electricity are not provided, so bring your own supply of water. Pack out trash and clean the cabin before leaving. A 40-foot mooring float sits in front of the cabin in the bay, open to the general public as well as cabin users, with a vessel limit of 30 feet long and a 30-inch draft. The cabin sits on a gentle slope leading down to the beach, overlooking Anan Bay. The surrounding rainforest is primarily Sitka spruce and western hemlock with some scattered cedar, and the slopes around the cabin are gentle to moderate. The nearby lagoon is an intertidal area that often goes dry during low tide. The area provides excellent opportunities to view black and brown bears, harbor seals, bald eagles and various gulls, and the high number of salmon in nearby Anan Creek allows visitors to view their seasonal spawning in July and August.