Mcdonald Lake Cabin

Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK, AK

Price: From $60 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: Year-round

McDonald Lake Cabin sits on Wolverine Island near the outlet of McDonald Lake 50 miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The cabin is available year-round and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska with its many recreational options and abundant wildlife. The cabin is remote and accessible only by boat or float plane, depending on conditions.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mcdonald-lake-cabin to be notified when sites open up.

This remote cabin on Wolverine Island offers year-round access to pristine Alaskan wilderness with excellent fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. Google reviewers consistently praise the well-maintained cabin and abundant recreational activities.

Wildlife alert: Brown bears and sandhill cranes documented in the area within 8km

Insider tips for Mcdonald Lake Cabin: Low tide reveals a huge beach ideal for walks and group activities Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability Arrive by boat from Yes Bay and hike the 1.5-mile McDonald Lake Trail, or access by float plane depending on conditions

Skip Mcdonald Lake Cabin if: You need electric hookups or standard campground amenities—this is a primitive cabin. You cannot arrange boat or float plane transportation—the cabin is only accessible by water or air.

Best time to visit Mcdonald Lake Cabin: Year-round — Cabin operates year-round according to RIDB official description.

Nearby campgrounds: Blind Pass Cabin (KETCHIKAN/TONGASS, AK), Reflection Lake Cabin (KETCHIKAN, AK), Frosty Bay Cabin (WRANGELL, AK), Anan Lake Cabin (WRANGELL, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mcdonald Lake Cabin

Cell signal at Mcdonald Lake Cabin (KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›AK›Mcdonald Lake Cabin
Mcdonald Lake Cabin — photo 1
Mcdonald Lake Cabin — photo 2
Mcdonald Lake Cabin — photo 3
See all photos
Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mcdonald Lake Cabin

Share:
KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK, AK★ 4.4 (9 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

McDonald Lake Cabin sits on Wolverine Island near the outlet of McDonald Lake 50 miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. The cabin is available year-round and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska with its many recreational options and abundant wildlife. The cabin is remote and accessible only by boat or float plane, depending on conditions.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterFirewood for Sale

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electric hookups or standard campground amenities—this is a primitive cabin✕ You cannot arrange boat or float plane transportation—the cabin is only accessible by water or air

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Low tide reveals a huge beach ideal for walks and group activities

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

Arrive by boat from Yes Bay and hike the 1.5-mile McDonald Lake Trail, or access by float plane depending on conditions

Best: Year-round

Cabin operates year-round according to RIDB official description

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Brown bears and sandhill cranes documented in the area within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
907-225-2148· Tongass National Forest
Getting there →

Approximately 50 miles from Ketchikan. Located on Cleveland Peninsula, north of Yes Bay. Cabin site is on Wolverine Island near outlet of lake. Access is by float plane or boat. There is a 1.5-mile hike by trail from Yes Bay Lodge at saltwater. Refer to USGS Ketchikan D-6. In fall, winter, and early spring, the cabin may be inaccessible due to frozen lake surface (float planes cannot land). Please contact the Ketchikan-Misty Fjords Ranger District for information prior to making reservations dur

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tongass National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tongass National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mcdonald Lake Cabin cost per night?+
Mcdonald Lake Cabin costs $60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mcdonald Lake Cabin open?+
Mcdonald Lake Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mcdonald Lake Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mcdonald Lake Cabin?+
Mcdonald Lake Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mcdonald Lake Cabin?+
Mcdonald Lake Cabin is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Mcdonald Lake Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mcdonald Lake Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mcdonald Lake Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Mcdonald Lake Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$60 /night★ 4.4 (9)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Mcdonald Lake Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Mcdonald Lake Cabin open?+
Does Mcdonald Lake Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Blind Pass Cabin

KETCHIKAN/TONGASS, AK

From $60/night

Reflection Lake Cabin

KETCHIKAN, AK

From $60/night

Frosty Bay Cabin

WRANGELL, AK

From $40/night

Anan Lake Cabin

WRANGELL, AK

From $35/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$60 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability