Halibut Cove
West Lagoon DNR Halibut Cove Cabin
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/cabins/kenai.htm
Distance: Not accessible by car or trail. Water access only
Review: My husband, 14th month old, two dogs and myself recently spent a long weekend at the West Lagoon Cabin, available for rent through the Department of Natural Resources. The cabin was one of, if not the best I’ve ever stayed in! Though it is just shy of a mile by trail from 2 other cabins and Ranger station, this cabin is a remote family oasis. It is only accessible by private boat or water taxi from Homer. The cabin sits up on a bluff above the lagoon with amazing views. Due to the cliffs and bluffs, small children need to be kept a close eye on. There is a trail to China Poot Lake directly out the back door and one can hike to the Ranger station in the event of an emergency, though it is only staffed seasonally.
The cabin has some fantastic features, such as a sink with a gray water drain built into the table and the beds have a very sturdy and clean foam layer! There are twin maybe full size bunks and a full/queen single bed. The outhouse was just ok. (I’m sort of an expert on outhouses, having had lived with one for 5 years in Fairbanks). There are a ton of downed trees around making getting firewood easy in a pinch, though we found there to be plenty left by the last visitor. Outside the cabin is a wonderful fire pit with benches.
While there we spotted sea otter, stellar blue jays, loons, bald eagles, ducks and had a pair of harbor porpoise visit us regularly at high tide. It seems that if you time it right you can actually see the tide coming in!
Check out the slide show for some great inspiration!