Paulson Bay Cabin, Anchorage, AK

Paulson Bay Cabin is located in the Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest (about 39 miles from Anchorage, AK) with an elevation of 99 feet. The site is open all year. Prices start at $50.00 per night. Activities include fishing, hiking trails.

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Campsite Reviews (14)

4.7 out of 5

5 star		86%
4 star		0%
3 star		14%
2 star		0%
1 star		0%

@CallieO6B60AAD · Camped on Jun 30, 2023 at Campsite #G6

My group of 3 had a wonderful stay here! We worked with Lazy Otter Charters and Alaska Sea Kayakers and were dropped off at Surprise Cove, then kayaked the 5 miles to the cabin. One of the days we had winds and really choppy water, and the 5 miles took us double the time so make sure to account for weather if you're working with the charters on a pick up/drop off time!

We stayed for 2 nights at the cabin and had the most perfect weather - sun, blue skies, and calm waters. Thankfully we did not see any bears, but we did see tons of other wildlife including humpback whales, otters, porpoises, jellyfish, and seals. We were plenty warm in the cabin (late June) and brought kerosene with us for the stove. At first the stove leaked but we were able to adjust a few screws and fix it, and just followed the instructions to get it running. We brought 2 gallons and that was plenty to stay warm during both nights with the stove on low/medium.

When we were there, there was an active stream and water falls right next to the cabin that we could have filtered water to use. We didn't know this so we brought water with us, but this is great to know for next time!

@RichardW654682 · Camped on Jun 14, 2023 at Campsite #G6

Great place to stay was there mid June 2023 still a lot of snow. It rained quite a bit brought a gallon of fuel per day for stove that worked well cabin was very comfortable. Kayaked Paulson bay as a warm up then first evening, serious rain all next day. Then a cloudy morning start to back of Cochran bay it was a BW world until the sun came out. Conditions where perfect views where stunning paddled up on a big healthy black bear, eagles various bird life. Day just got better as it went on got back to cabin at 7pm ate some food and went back out from 8pm till 11. I love the PWS its just incredible and the views from the cabin that evening couldn't have been better. The stairs up to get your kayak above tide danger are not fun and would be difficult by yourself but with two people not bad. Had a lot of snow while I was there if not, some nice access to hiking country. I highly recommend staying here paddle boarders kayakers or just to relax.

@VickyJ5858808 · Camped on Aug 25, 2022 at Campsite #G6

This is a great cabin with incredible views of College Glacier in the distance. Plenty of lite hiking to do around the cabin. Saw bears eating dead pink salmon on the beach directly below the cabin. Always a welcome place to dry off in wet weather. Our boat held anchor in strong northerly winds- phew! No dry wood nearby, so bring some for an outdoor fire. Kerosine stove worked well and kept us plenty warm.

@MarshallR39913 · Camped on Aug 8, 2022 at Campsite #G6

The stairs up to the cabin are kind of intense. You'd think at high tide it'd be easier, but if there's wind then the waves crash directly onto the stairs so it's actually harder to unload. I'd go at lower tide despite it being a more intense walk up. In August there's a run of salmon spawning in the creek, which is super cool to spend time watching them jump over the falls. Saw some bears and a wolf come down to the creek to check it out. Holds less people and has less flat room than Pigot Bay cabin, but I think I like this one more.

@PeggieG1448150 · Camped on Jul 17, 2022 at Campsite #G6

I enjoyed a short 1 night/ 2 day visit to Paulson Bay cabin in Jul 2022 with friends who keep a motor boat in Whittier. Bad weather and a small craft advisory prevented us from getting out the first day/night, but we made it the second day/night. Kayaking in the area is fun in the coves. The blueberries were mostly not ripe yet. I had been with my family and the same friends in the 1990s. I am thankful to the Forest Service for the refund on the first night's fee and for keeping the cabin in great shape. The forest service cabins in PWS and around Alaska are a treasure.

@DuaneH4041532 · Camped on Apr 26, 2022 at Campsite #G6

Cabin was awesome, only downside is it extremely hard to get a reservation

@PamR1810030 · Camped on Aug 1, 2021 at Campsite #G6

Paulson Bay cabin was amazing! We went to Alaska to visit my husband's cousins and they suggested the cabin. They brought all of our gear (sleeping pad/bag/sheets, campfire coffee percolator, etc) and they stayed on their boat and let us use their zodiac to row to the cabin. The cabin had firewood and water. It was clean and in great shape - 2 bunk beds, furnace (which we didn't use), really nice magnetic self-closing screen over the door, and a fire pit in front overlooking the bay. The view is AMAZING! On clear days, we saw the glacier across the bay and even on cloudy days, the bay and woods and stream is beautiful. Our cousins made us breakfast and dinner every day and took us on adventures - glaciers, fishing, shrimping, and other sightseeing. At the cabin, we picked salmonberries and blueberries. We watched the salmon just starting to school around the lower part of the river. We saw a bear on the right side of the bay but never saw it at the cabin. The only suggestion we have is to lower the separator for the composting toilet and wouldn't mind if the window didn't look straight at the campfire area. We love the reason for using it... but it was awkward to use. Small things tho given the grand view and rest of the experience. We would love to use this cabin again - any day we have a boat to reach it and are very grateful to our cousins for sharing it with us, to the people who have used the cabin before and kept it in good shape, and too the recreation department that built and maintains it. It was a vacation of a lifetime!

@PamR320 · Camped on Aug 1, 2021 at Campsite #G6

@JaniO8651341 · Camped on Jul 21, 2021 at Campsite #G6

We love this cabin. Cozy and stove works great! Kayaking and beach combing are great. Fish ladder nearby provides hours of entertainment- fish bumping the kayaks and watching the bears roaming and catching fish. We go every summer.

@katherinef9932 · Camped on May 11, 2021 at Campsite #G6

outhouse door warped did not close, no lime in out house as directed
Kerosene stove temperamental

@katherinef617 · Camped on May 10, 2021 at Campsite #G6

Kerosene stove was temperamental, no lime in the out house an d t he door did not close

@RobH847 · Camped on Sep 1, 2020 at Campsite #G6

Great cabin

@RobH2162186 · Camped on Sep 1, 2020 at Campsite #G6

Great cabin

@JaniO717 · Camped on Jul 18, 2020 at Campsite #G6

Great view and fun kayaking. Cabin is small for a group. Perfect for the two of us.
Smoke alarm is touchy- Even boiling water for tea would set it off, Opened all windows to get around it when doing Any cooking.
Will go again. Saw 4 beautiful black bears.

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