Nestled in the forest just beyond the Porcupine Campground on the west end of the Hope Highway is a two-story dry cabin with a covered cedar porch overlooking Turnagain Arm. It’s less than half a mile from the site of a future parking lot, making it an easy hike, snowshoe or ski to access. A stone’s throw away are popular hiking trails and the community of Hope.
The soon-to-be-completed cabin is one of the first of 25 to be constructed as part of the Alaska Cabins Project, a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation to build more accessible cabins in the Chugach and Tongass National Forests by 2027. The project will also repair existing cabins. Funding came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the National Forest Foundation and other organizations.
“It was really important for both the Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation when stewarding this project to develop plans to build these cabins in really accessible sites,” said Kenzie Barnwell, Chugach stewardship coordinator with the National Forest Foundation. The nonprofit works with the Forest Service to manage contracts and leverage funding for the cabins.
“I think it’s no secret that public use cabins in Alaska are most booked solid in a lot of different locations, so the reason for this Alaska Cabins Project is to try to meet that demand,” Barnwell said.
The project on the Chugach kicked off last year with the construction of a cabin at the Trail River Campground near Moose Pass. It’ll also fund building a cabin near Meridian Lake outside Seward next year. The sites of additional cabins in Turnagain Pass and in the Prince William Sound region are still being determined.
All cabins in the project will be made from locally sourced wood and built by local contractors. The sites are determined by the Forest Service with the help of public input. Barnwell says the project prioritizes accessible sites with scenic views.
“We want people to be able to drive here and have a short hike in, we want them to be able to bring their grandparents and their kids,” she said. “Or, for people who are new to the outdoors, this is a low barrier to entry.”
Construction of the cabin in Hope, dubbed the Porcupine Cabin, began in June and should be completed this fall. It’ll have a wood stove, outdoor fire pit, tables and benches and enough bunks to sleep eight people. It’s equipped with a wheelchair ramp and is larger than most cabins in the national forest. The entrance to the campground will also be plowed in the winter.
“It’s great to just have a cabin to escape to,” said Jesse Labenski, recreation program manager for the Chugach National Forest. “That’s kind of what we’re providing here. Bare bones, keep it simple, you have a nice wood stove, you can hang out with friends and family or just be here by yourself and reflect, bring your dog. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it.”
Kenzie Barnwell says one of the main goals of the Alaska Cabins Project is to get more people outdoors.
“The idea behind these cabins and the trails and all the work that the Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation is doing is to help develop a connection between the public and their public land,” Barnwell said. “To steward a connection and a love of these really beautiful places.”
Reservations for Porcupine Cabin will go online in January. You can reserve this or more than 40 other public use cabins on the Chugach National Forest at Recreation.gov. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance.
