Birding

approximately 300 words

When you visit Southeast, you're automatically thrust into the United State's largest national forest. So why not rent a public cabin and get deep into the wilderness for a few days?

The state of Alaska has only four cabins for rent, but nearly 200 public-use cabins are available through the U.S. Forest Service. Visitors can warm themselves by the wood stove at night and wake in the morning to see the country's premier old-growth rain forest.

Though hikers and campers will need to hire a float plane to get to many of them, others are reachable by hiking. The effort is well worth it. For $25 a night (a little more for the state cabins), four to six people can sleep comfortably in the rustic one-room cabins. Rowboats are available at cabins on fresh-water lakes. The cabins provide time to explore the forest. Established in 1907, the Tongass National Forest encompasses virtually all of Southeast Alaska, 16.8 million acres total. That's three times the size of Massachusetts. Compared to national forest trails in the Lower 48, the Tongass is virtually untouched. Even during peak summer months, hikers can walk on logging roads or trails for miles without seeing anyone else.

The forest has 5.5 million acres of designated wilderness, including Admiralty Island National Monument, which counts two eagle nests for every mile of shoreline, and Misty Fjords National Monument, a 2.2 million-acre refuge of fjords bound by 3,000-foot cliffs.

Permits for cabin rentals are on a first-come, first-served basis. State cabins have three-night limits, but some can be rented for extended stays.

For Alaska Visitor Information write to: Alaska Travel Industry Association, 2600 Cordova Street, suite 201 Anchorage, AK 99503. Also 800 862-5275 or visit our web site http://travelalaska.com

Alaska Travel Industry Association
2600 Cordova St. Ste. 201
Anchorage, AK 99503-2745
P. (800) 327-9372
F. (800) 276-1042
E. atiamedia@thompsonpr.com