Lake Clark National Park & Preserve guide · 2 min read
Proenneke's Cabin and Upper Twin Lake
Upper Twin Lake sits on the western side of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, where the area offers history, scenery and plenty of wild country to explore.
The two Twin Lakes, known in the Dena'ina language as Nilqidlen Vena, both show a bright turquoise color. The historic Proenneke Cabin stands on the shore of Upper Twin Lake.
Richard Proenneke came to the Twin Lakes and built a log cabin by hand with simple tools. He spent three decades living there and recorded his days on film and video, along with a large collection of journals. Books and a YouTube channel now share much of that material, and a website is devoted to his life. The National Park Service owns and maintains the cabin today.
Visitors can see the cabin only on a tour led by a park ranger. Reaching the cabin means arranging a float plane flight or booking the Twin Lakes Tour run by Lake Clark Resort. From Port Alsworth, the float plane ride takes about 25 minutes and crosses Lake Clark and the peaks that separate the two lakes, so the scenery along the way is part of the trip.
Hope Creek Campground sits close to the cabin, giving overnight guests a camping option nearby. Windsong Lodge offers beds on Upper Twin Lake for those who prefer a roof overhead. A hike from Upper Twin Lake leads to Teetering Rock.
Many hikers take the Upper to Lower Twin Lakes route, starting or finishing at the cabin and heading to the point where Lower Twin Lake drains into the Chilikadrotna River. The south side is the one to favor, and it has no major obstacles. Keep near the shoreline and the river linking the lakes to dodge most of the thick brush, and you will also get better views along the water.
