Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamOctober 11, 2026

Fourteen Islands in Lynn Canal, With a Public-Use Cabin on Lincoln Island

Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park is a group of 14 islands in Lynn Canal, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Juneau. Alaska law lists them as the “Juneau Area Islands” marine park unit: Aaron, Battleship, Benjamin, Bird, Coghlan, Cohen, Gull, Indian, Lincoln, Little, North, Portland, Ralston and Suedla Islands. Alaska State Parks gives the park’s size as 3,560 acres. There is no road access. You come by small boat from the Amalga Harbor launch, Auke Bay or Juneau, or by floatplane.

Facilities are few: toilets, picnic sites and one public-use cabin on Lincoln Island, the largest island in the group. Alaska State Parks names wildlife viewing, photography, waterfowl and big game hunting, sport fishing, boating, kayaking and camping as popular uses. North Pass is a favorite spot for salmon and halibut fishing and a popular place to watch whales. Among the islands the agency lists bald eagles, white-winged and surf scoters, seals, sea lions, humpback whales and the occasional killer whale, and low tides expose a wealth of intertidal life.

Shelter Island, just to the southeast, is a separate marine park unit in Alaska law that Alaska State Parks manages together with the Channel Islands. Its two cabins are described on the Shelter Island page.

Things to Do

• Fishing: salmon and halibut, with North Pass named as a favorite location
• Whale and wildlife watching: humpback whales, seals, sea lions, bald eagles and sea ducks
• Boating and kayaking: between the islands of Lynn Canal
• Cabin stay: the Lincoln Island Cabin, reserved through Alaska State Parks
• Picnicking: Alaska State Parks lists picnic sites in the park
• Hunting: waterfowl and big game hunting under Alaska Board of Game regulations

Lincoln Island Cabin

The cabin stands on the east side of Lincoln Island at the northeast end of Lincoln Anchorage, about a mile north of North Pass. Alaska State Parks describes a good anchorage and beach access, but anchoring always depends on the weather. The cabin measures 14 by 18 feet and sleeps up to 8 guests, with a stay limit of 7 nights and check-in and check-out at noon. Heat comes from a kerosene stove, and you bring your own fuel: the agency recommends at least one gallon of kerosene per day, two in winter. There are no mattresses. The only water is a creek a few hundred yards south of the cabin, and it must be boiled or treated. Outside you find a fire ring and a picnic table. Pets are allowed if they are under control and you clean up after them.

As of October 2026, the Alaska State Parks fee schedule lists the Lincoln Cabin at $60 per night. Reservations go through the Alaska State Parks reservation system, linked from the Lincoln Island Cabin page.

Park Information

Getting There

There is no road to the park. The Amalga Harbor launch on the Juneau road system lies about 7 miles east of Lincoln Island, straight-line. Boats also leave from Auke Bay and North Douglas, and floatplanes fly from the Juneau airport. Alaska State Parks describes summer temperatures in the 60s, with rare highs near 80, and 60 to 90 inches of rain a year. Weather can turn quickly and stay bad for days, and snow can start to accumulate as early as October, so bring warm clothing and good rain gear.

Nearby State Parks

The distances below are straight-line from Lincoln Island. Shelter Island State Marine Park lies about 6 miles southeast. On the mainland shore to the east, Eagle Beach State Recreation Area is about 6 miles away and Ernest Gruening State Historical Park about 7 miles. Point Bridget State Park is about 12 miles north, and St. James Bay State Marine Park about 13 miles northwest across Lynn Canal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which islands belong to Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park?

Alaska law (AS 41.21.304, item 34) lists 14 islands: Aaron, Battleship, Benjamin, Bird, Coghlan, Cohen, Gull, Indian, Lincoln, Little, North, Portland, Ralston and Suedla Islands, all in Lynn Canal northwest of Juneau.

Is there a cabin in Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park?

Yes. The Lincoln Island Cabin on the east side of Lincoln Island sleeps up to 8 guests and is listed at $60 per night as of October 2026; you bring kerosene, bedding and treated water.

How do you get to the Juneau Channel Islands?

By small boat from the Amalga Harbor launch, Auke Bay or Juneau, or by floatplane. There is no road access.

Is Shelter Island part of Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park?

Alaska law designates Shelter Island as its own marine park unit (AS 41.21.304, item 11), and Alaska State Parks manages it together with the Channel Islands. Shelter Island has two more public-use cabins.

Sources: Alaska State Parks, Juneau Channel Islands State Marine Park; Alaska State Parks, Lincoln Island Cabin; Alaska State Parks fee schedule; Alaska Statutes AS 41.21.300–.306. Last updated: October 2026.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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