Shipley Bay Cabin

Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: THORNE BAY, AK, AK

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 3.7 out of 5 (3 reviews)

Season: May through October

Shipley Bay Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Kosciusko Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin. The site can either be accessed by float plane or boat at high tide.

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

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

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

Shipley Bay Cabin offers a remote, scenic setting on Kosciusko Island for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The cabin provides a unique lodging experience for visitors seeking solitude in southeastern Alaska.

Wildlife alert: Northern Sea Otter

Insider tips for Shipley Bay Cabin: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site Access requires float plane or one hour boat ride from El Capitan dock at high tide Check Sitka tide tables before planning your visit as tides affect accessibility

Skip Shipley Bay Cabin if: You need hookups — no hookups available at this site. You are sensitive to cold weather — verified reviews report it is way too cold. Weather conditions are poor — fog, high winds, and low tides can make landing difficult. You require easy access — this is a remote location requiring special travel arrangements.

Best time to visit Shipley Bay Cabin: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: El Capitan Cabin (Thorne Bay , AK), Red Bay Lake Cabin (THORNE BAY, AK), Sarkar Lake Cabin (THORNE BAY, AK), Salmon Bay Lake Cabin (THORNE BAY, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Shipley Bay Cabin

Cell signal at Shipley Bay Cabin (THORNE BAY, 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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Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Shipley Bay Cabin

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THORNE BAY, AK, AK★ 3.7 (3 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Shipley Bay Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Kosciusko Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin. The site can either be accessed by float plane or boat at high tide.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Electric Hookups

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 hookups — no hookups available at this site✕ You are sensitive to cold weather — verified reviews report it is way too cold✕ Weather conditions are poor — fog, high winds, and low tides can make landing difficult✕ You require easy access — this is a remote location requiring special travel arrangements

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site

Access requires float plane or one hour boat ride from El Capitan dock at high tide

Check Sitka tide tables before planning your visit as tides affect accessibility

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
9072253101· Tongass National Forest
Getting there →

Shipley Bay Cabin is accessible by float plane or one hour boat ride from El Capitan dock. Fog, high winds, and low tides can make landing at the cabin difficult. Click here for Sitka tide table information. A mooring buoy in the bay is available on first-come, first-served basis. Mooring of more than one vessel is allowed if the first party there agrees. Refer to USGS map Petersburg A-5. Click here for information about reaching Forest Service Cabins. Inclement weather conditions may cause an e

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 — Tongass National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tongass 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 Shipley Bay Cabin cost per night?+
Shipley Bay Cabin costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Shipley Bay Cabin open?+
Shipley Bay Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Shipley Bay Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Shipley Bay Cabin?+
Shipley Bay Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Shipley Bay Cabin?+
Shipley 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 Shipley Bay Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Shipley Bay Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Shipley Bay Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Shipley Bay Cabin is open May through October. 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.

$25 /night★ 3.7 (3)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Shipley Bay Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Shipley Bay Cabin open?+
Does Shipley Bay Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

El Capitan Cabin

Thorne Bay , AK

From $75/night

Red Bay Lake Cabin

THORNE BAY, AK

From $35/night

Sarkar Lake Cabin

THORNE BAY, AK

From $25/night

Salmon Bay Lake Cabin

THORNE BAY, AK

From $25/night

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