Maui Travel Blog

Vacationing at Lake Nahwatzel Sunrise Cabin

When we go on vacation, we try to go to places where we have friends and family, we are assured of a quality stay, and can have specially planned experiences. That’s why we went to Lake Nahwatzel Sunrise Cabin and it was a vacation that delivered!

Sunrise & Activities

The Sunrise Cabin on Lake Nahwatzel gets its name from the westward and lake-facing windows that pretty much ensure a spectacular sunrise every morning!

We stayed at the cabin for 3 weeks in September and buffered the stay at either end with a few adventures in the Seattle area, you’ll read more about that below.

The cabin sits directly on the east side of Lake Nahwatzel, a lake known to be one of the best fishing lakes in the area. It is regularly stocked with large trout (the last stock a few weeks before we arrived were 8” rainbow trout). This is a smaller lake with homes ranging around the east, west, and north sides of the lake. The northwest forest is owned by Green Diamond lumber which ensures a great deal of privacy for the residents.

The Sunrise Cabin has kayaks and a canoe for guest use, and plenty of fishing gear that guests can use with a deposit. The cabin does have its own private dock that we found perfect for fishing from. A larger craft can be brought in from the boat ramp on the north end of the lake.

Cabin Comforts

We found the shower had ample space, the beds very comfortable and the kitchen has plenty of equipment to cook just about anything!

The owners, Dave and Betsy, have done a beautiful job making sure the cabin is self-sufficient, and green, with recycling bins and a filtered water pitcher as well as a low water usage toilet and washing machine.

The owner’s home is just a short walk above the cabin, but the foliage and position of the cabin afford it maximum privacy. The extra-large deck is perfect for eating a meal or relaxing with a book under the umbrella!

Around Town

We had a wonderful time at the cabin, and found some really great local restaurants and a few activities outside of what you might expect! We purchased our fishing licenses from Verle’s in Shelton. Loved talking story with the crew, and they really know the local fishing. They have a very well-stocked store, I can’t imagine not finding what you want!

Shelton itself is a small but close community of ranchers, farmers, and logging. The downtown is precious and boasts a few antique shops and some great little local restaurants! We fell in love with a local café, Blondies at the Shelton Inn. They get BUSY, so plan ahead. The breakfasts are served all day, the pie is house-made and to die for, and the staff is amazing!

We also fell in love with Wilde Irish Pub! Once again, a staff that knows what they are doing, house-made shepherd’s pie and locally made bangers, with a barkeep that really knows his gin and whiskey!

We found a great Mexican restaurant, El Serape, a wonderful little restaurant attached to a lounge. The food was authentic and delicious and very generous! Try the chile Verde!

You will want to try Suzan’s Grill near Walmart and Fred Meyers. The menu is inventive, and the egg Benedicts are served in several ways! The meatloaf lunch and sandwiches are very good!

For local seafood (trust us the Hood Canal has some of the best oysters in the world) we went to Taylor’s Shellfish Market, for their homemade chowder, smoked scallops (oh my goodness these were delicious!), and smoked salmon. They make a seafood chowder on-site that is scrumptious! This company has been around for over 100 years, and they know their stuff!

There are some activities we found in Shelton that we didn’t try, but are highly recommended by those in the know. One is the Vance Creek Railriders. The tour is made on 4-seater quadricyclers sitting on the historic Simpson Logging Co Railway, taking you on a wonderfully scenic trip! This trip is highly recommended, and one we want to take next time!

There is also an airport in Shelton, the Sanderson field, we were thinking in terms of a scenic flight, or chartering service (we have 2 fliers in our group), but we found no scenic flights. However, there are plenty of companies that offer skydiving!

Side Trips

We inserted a couple of side trips to Westport WA, about a 1.5-to-2-hour trip west. Westport is a fishing town, sitting on a spit at the entrance to the Chehalis River. We managed to make it during the last few days of the fishing season. We purchased just caught that morning king salmon and halibut on the dock (for the BBQ later!), along with a couple of oyster shooters for me. The views and the food are amazing!

There are several wonderful restaurants and if chartering an ocean fishing trip is in the mix, we strongly advise booking through Westport Charters. We ate lunch at The Blue Buoy and had fresh Dungeness Crab Louie Salad and great fresh fish and chips!