By:
Submission
Barber Cabin offers a remote lodging experience on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula of south-central Alaska. The rustic cabin has few amenities, but provides access to the great outdoors and a scenic mountain lake. There is great fishing in Lower Russian Lake, and hiking and biking trails abound. Wildlife viewing is good in the area as well, though visitors should watch out for bears.
The cabin can be accessed by hiking, biking, skiing, horseback or floatplanes. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Visitors enjoy boating and rainbow trout fishing on Lower Russian Lake. A rowboat with oars is provided at the cabin. Fishing equipment is not provided and permits are required to fish in the state ([click here](http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=regulations.main) for Alaska Department of Fish & Game regulations). The lake freezes during winter months.
A variety of trails and unexplored areas exist near the cabin. Hikers and bikers can explore varying terrain, including muskeg, meadows and high-canopied forest along the 21-mile Russian Lakes Trail, toward the Upper Russian Lake Cabin. There is a high avalanche hazard on Russian Lakes Trail in the winter ([learn about avalanche safety](http://www.cnfaic.org/)). Snow can remain on the trail until early June. Hunting is popular along the trail and in the surrounding area.
The accessible log cabin has bunk space for six and a maximum occupancy of eight people. It is equipped with counter space, table, benches and a wood stove for heat. A splitting maul and hand saw are available. An outhouse is also provided.
There is no electricity, potable water, mattresses, bedding, cooking utensils or cut firewood at the cabin. Visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove, cooking gear and food. Water taken from the lake should be treated or boiled before consumption.
The cabin is close to Cooper Landing off the Sterling Highway, in a fairly flat area on the east shore Lower Russian Lake. It is surrounded by a scattered spruce forest, and meadows with shrubs and brush, providing scenic mountain views.
A variety of wildlife make its home in the area, including moose, black and brown bears and wolves. The surrounding area has a particularly high concentration of bears. For more information on access and regulations pertaining to this cabin, trail conditions, safety precautions and [outdoor safety and ethics](https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r10/recreation/safety-ethics), please contact the Seward Ranger District.
At mile 52.6 of the Sterling Highway turn into Russian River Campground and travel 1 mile to Russian Lakes Trailhead, follow the Russian Lakes Trail 3.3 miles turning onto the Barber Cabin Spur trail at mile 2.5. The route is 4.2 miles in the winter and follows the campground entrance road, the summer trail for 1.8 miles, then a marked winter route and across the frozen surface of Lower Russian Lake.
Via floatplane, the cabin is 25 minutes from Seward or Cooper Landing. Refer to USGS topographic map Seward B8. [Maps](http://ask.usgs.gov/to_order.html) are available online or by calling the Seward Ranger District at 907-288-3178.
Winter travelers need to be able to evaluate [avalanche](http://www.cnfaic.org/) and over-ice travel conditions. For current travel conditions, call the district office. Motorized access is prohibited year-round. The trail is closed to horse/pack stock from April 1 to June 30.
See link below for Russian Lakes Trail information:
Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance, for three consecutive days maximum per person from May 15 to Aug. 31. Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.
If you cancel a cabin reservation within 14 days of your scheduled arrival date, you will be charged the $10 service fee and forfeit the first night's recreation use fee. No-shows, early departures, or cancellations after the scheduled arrival date are not entitled to a refund. Cancellations for single night use for Alaska cabins will not be assessed a service fee.
Nice cabin on a frozen winter lake. Easy cross country ski out for first timer.
Stay at cabin was fine. GETTING THERE A BIG PROBLEM. All Trails Intel is BAD. Do this instead. You will see "Winter Trail" sign on a tree at a fork in the trail. DO NOT TAKE THIS TRAIL! Take the trail to the left. It is the SUMMER TRAIL. However the Summer Trail is modified. Before encountering avalanche chutes, it diverts toward the lake. You still need to snow shoe/ski about 3/10ths mile on the frozen lake to get to Barber Cabin. The idiotic All Trails trail has 4 flimsy bridges over streams and then bushwhacking through snow covered lake for 1 mile. Don't do this! As for the cabin, no need to pack in fire wood. Is on sight. Also there's an LED string of lights so a $30 power pack is all that is needed to light cabin. We had hauled in camp lamps and firewood!
