Paulson Bay Cabin

Chugach National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hiking

Location: GIRDWOOD, AK, AK

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Paulson Bay Cabin offers a secluded getaway for relaxation and recreation in the beautiful Prince William Sound. The cabin is open year-round and makes a great base for sea kayaking, fishing, shrimping and sightseeing. This remote site can be accessed by float plane or by boat, depending on conditions.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/paulson-bay-cabin to be notified when sites open up.

Paulson Bay Cabin offers a secluded, year-round getaway in Prince William Sound ideal for sea kayaking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Reviewers praised the beautiful location and appreciated amenities like the heater for drying equipment after water activities.

Wildlife alert: Northern Sea Otter, Steller Sea Lion, Common Seal, Pacific Harbor Seal, American Black Bear, and various seabirds including Glaucous-winged Gull are present in the area.

Insider tips for Paulson Bay Cabin: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability Access is by float plane (40 min from Anchorage, 60 min from Cordova) or boat (18 miles from Whittier) only—no road access Verify heater fuel supply before arrival and bring backup supplies for extended stays

Skip Paulson Bay Cabin if: You need road access or standard RV hookups. You require reliable maid service or housekeeping.

Best time to visit Paulson Bay Cabin: Year-round — Cabin is open year-round according to verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: Shrode Lake Cabin (GIRDWOOD, AK), Goose Bay Cabin (GIRDWOOD, AK), Pigot Bay Cabin (GIRDWOOD, AK), Williwaw Campground (GIRDWOOD, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Paulson Bay Cabin

Cell signal at Paulson Bay Cabin (GIRDWOOD, AK): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Chugach National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Paulson Bay Cabin

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GIRDWOOD, AK, AK★ 4.7 (12 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Paulson Bay Cabin offers a secluded getaway for relaxation and recreation in the beautiful Prince William Sound. The cabin is open year-round and makes a great base for sea kayaking, fishing, shrimping and sightseeing. This remote site can be accessed by float plane or by boat, depending on conditions.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need road access or standard RV hookups✕ You require reliable maid service or housekeeping

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

Access is by float plane (40 min from Anchorage, 60 min from Cordova) or boat (18 miles from Whittier) only

no road access

Verify heater fuel supply before arrival and bring backup supplies for extended stays

Best: Year-round

Cabin is open year-round according to verified data

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Northern Sea Otter, Steller Sea Lion, Common Seal, Pacific Harbor Seal, American Black Bear, and various seabirds including Glaucous-winged Gull are present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
907-783-3242· Chugach National Forest
Getting there →

This Cabin is not accessible via the road system. To access the cabin by float plane: it is 40 minutes from Anchorage and 60 minutes from Cordova. By boat, the trip is 18 miles from Whittier. Boats are not provided by the Forest Service. Note: the Bay is not obvious because the mouth is partially obscured by five small islands. Beware of submerged rock ledges between islands and off coastal points. Check local tide tables ahead of time to determine the best arrival and departure times.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Chugach National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Chugach National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Paulson Bay Cabin cost per night?+
Paulson Bay Cabin costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Paulson Bay Cabin open?+
Paulson Bay Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Paulson Bay Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Paulson Bay Cabin?+
Paulson Bay Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Paulson Bay Cabin?+
Paulson Bay Cabin is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Paulson Bay Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Paulson Bay Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Paulson Bay Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Paulson Bay Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$50 /night★ 4.7 (12)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Paulson Bay Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Paulson Bay Cabin open?+
Does Paulson Bay Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Shrode Lake Cabin

GIRDWOOD, AK

From $50/night

Goose Bay Cabin

GIRDWOOD, AK

From $75/night

Pigot Bay Cabin

GIRDWOOD, AK

From $50/night

Williwaw Campground

GIRDWOOD, AK

From $23/night

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