Alaska Lodging

For some of Alaska’s best bear viewing—surrounded by rustic wilderness and comforted by luxurious accommodations—tiny Redoubt Bay Lodge makes for one of Alaska’s greatest indulgences. Just getting here is an adventure, a 50-minute floatplane ride from Anchorage, with scenic views of Cook Inlet along the way. Once here, you’ll be ready to go out looking for bears, returning home to extremely attentive service, gourmet cuisine, and just three cabins, all surrounded by a chain of lakes.

The lodge’s hosts, Carl and Kirsten Dixon, have created a rustic yet upscale approach to wilderness accommodations, both here and at their sister property, Winterlake Lodge. They’re true Alaskans who have homeschooled their children and created this family-run business—and their love of nature, food, and people comes through clearly.

When your floatplane sets down, you’ll be greeted by a carefully trained staff, and the extremely personal service continues throughout your stay. The Dixons have an ability to recruit some of Alaska’s best staffers, each of whom have their own specialty to share, whether about flowers, photography, or how to cast a fly-rod.

With no other accommodations around for miles and just three lakeside guest cabins, you’ll feel truly remote. The intimacy of Redoubt Bay Lodge can be seen in those and its hand-hewn main lodge. This is rustic luxury, so you won’t find a wealth of amenities in the cabins. Instead, there are woodstoves and amazing views, along with an attentive staff that makes for a highly personalized visit. The Dixons have recruited some of the state’s best staffers, each with their own specialty, like nature or photography.

Most people come for the singularly amazing bear viewing at Wolverine Creek. This is a great spot; you’ll probably get closer to the bears here than any other Alaskan bear viewing location. The bears are so close they actually splash your boat as they lunge for salmon. You’ll take a covered pontoon boat out here, where the water surges and swirls with the thick mass of fish. Here you’re likely to see a mother and a couple cubs out fishing, the mother diving off a rock in her quest for food. You’ll typically spend a couple hours with the bears, though part of that time can be spent waiting for these gorgeous, powerful creatures to appear from the woods. Try to go in the evening, when there aren’t any other people around and it’s blissfully quiet.

But it’s not just bear viewing that’s on the activities menu here: there’s hiking, fishing for salmon, kayaking or canoeing around the lakes, or just kicking back and drinking in the scenery. There are also optional excursions into Lake Clark National Park, flightseeing, and other adventures.

Then return to the lodge; perched up on a hill, it makes for a great vantage point to read or talk with views of miles and miles of lake and distant hills.

The Dixons have carved out a unique niche in the Alaska lodge business with their cooking, naturalists, and wildlife viewing programs. They may be the most innovative and pioneering lodge proprietors in the state. Don’t miss a unique opportunity to experience life here.