campgrounds.fyiIndependent · federal campgrounds · no paid placements
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Hugh Smith Lake
Kitchen Area and StoveHugh Smith Cabin Front
USFSTongass National Forest · Alaska

Hugh Smith Lake Cabin

Overview Hugh Smith Lake Cabin is located on the mainland within the Misty Fiords National Monument Wilderness.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.20ft
Comf.May-Oct6 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Fairbanks30h22real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27

At 20 ft, Hugh Smith Lake Cabin has a 6-month comfortable window (May-Oct). Winter nights average around 29°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: lake or river access.

The campground at a glance

01 · CHARACTER
QuietCoolRoomyShadeRV-fitReserv.

Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.

Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.

When to go

02 · CLIMATE
JFMAMJJASOND
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · May
May-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
41%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Apr 22
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 18.
54°F
Average July low.

Getting there

03 · ACCESS
01
Fairbanks
1336 mi
30h22
02
Juneau
1084 mi
31h48
03
Anchorage
1452 mi
33h00
By drive time
Fairbanks · 30h22Juneau · 31h48Anchorage · 33h00Camp

Picking your site

04 · 1 SITES
0
Pull-thru
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites

What's within four miles

05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER

Trails & Peaks

Trail segments
7

Water & Access

Lake / river access
yes
Method

We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.

Check availability on Recreation.gov →